What software can help me plan Milky Way and night-sky photos?
Asked 8/4/2012
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2 answers
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I want to photograph the night sky, possibly including the Milky Way, but I’m not sure when or where it will appear. What software, apps, or websites can show the position of stars and help me choose a good time to shoot?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
6
If you have an android phone with geolocation and compass, Google nightsky is outstanding. Or if you're on your computer http://www.google.com/sky/ google sky. I'm sure you could find better software for the task, but if you're just trying to get the milky way or a constellation or two, it will do the trick.
Originally by user10953. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user10953
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A good option is Stellarium, a free, popular, open-source program available on multiple platforms. It can show the positions of stars and many other celestial objects, which makes it very useful for planning Milky Way and night-sky shots.
If you want something simpler, Google Sky was also recommended for basic planning. On mobile, star-map apps such as SkyView can overlay constellations and stars using your phone’s camera, location, and compass, which is handy for scouting compositions on location.
In general, these tools help you see where the Milky Way or constellations will be from your location and at a given time, so you can plan the direction to face and the best shooting window.
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