Milky Way panorama (photo by John Triebe)
Mark Guinn
The SaddleBrooke Photography Club went on another field trip recently past San Manuel to photograph the Milky Way. It was an early departure that morning, some would say the middle of the night, to see the rising Milky Way to the east. This time of year the core of the galaxy is coming up in the southeastern sky, and the band of stars and nebula stretches in an arc low on the horizon to the north. It was a clear, almost cloudless night with no moon present. Eight brave souls, Mark Guinn, John Triebe, Dan McLaughlin, Ron Bower, Daniel Lecroix, Tina Moore, Paul Ellingson, and John McAlister, trekked a little ways to set up our shots. As the night turned to predawn, the stars all rose, climbing higher in the sky as the earth rotated, bringing on the new day.
If you haven’t seen the Milky Way Galaxy in our night sky, you have missed a real treat. We have relatively dark skies near SaddleBrooke, not like the rest of the country, especially on the coasts and east of the Mississippi. Using your camera to get a properly exposed and focused image is a real challenge in the dark desert. We heard coyotes and saw a few airplanes and even a couple of meteors crossing the sky. Everyone was amazed and pleased with the results they got. Most want to try again to perfect their technique.
To join in on the fun of learning how to make photographs, visit one of our Friday meetings, no matter what your skill level may be. We meet on Fridays at 9 a.m. in the Topaz Room, located in the SaddleBrooke TWO Arts and Crafts Center. Check out the website, too, at photosb.org to see the upcoming events and for more information.
SaddleBrooke Photography Club members (photo by Mark Guinn)
The Milky Way over the Sonoran Desert (photo by Mark Guinn)