Re: [APML] Satellite avoidance in photos

[Robert Reeves <reeves10@swbell.net>]

> Hmmm.  I have a new (used) 50mm f/1.4 lens I want to shoot with and
> will probably do shots at f/1.4, 2, 2.8, and 4 to see how much I have
> to stop down to get sharp images.  It sounds like you think anything
> fainter than mag 1 (at f/4) can be ignored.  So I'd need to go nearly
> one mag fainter per f-stop which means at f/1.4 I have a lot to worry
> about, about mag 3.5....

Back in the 1960s I was very active in photographing earth satellites.  I
could definitely image mag 3.5 satellites with Tri-X at f/1.4.  But I would
be very amazed if you found your lens produced decent images at anything
wider than f/2.8.

>     Robert> airline crossroads of the midwest.  There were three to
>     Robert> six aircraft visible in the sky at all times.
>
> Fortunately it's not quite that bad where I shoot; up until at least
> midnight there is usually at least one visible and a hat trick will
> work.  I once couldn't find my hat in the dark and had to frantically
> yank off my (navy blue) jacket to cover the lens while a plane
> passed.  My wife was quite amused :-)
>
> roland

A black plastic drinking cup is a standard accessory for my
astrophotography.  If a car comes, a lightning bug, plane, satellite,
obnoxious observer with flashlight, whatever.... I just plop the cup over
the front of the lens.  Just be sure you are not drinking something from a
similar sized cup and get them confused!

Robert Reeves                      reeves10@swbell.net
520 Rittiman Rd.                   www.robertreeves.com
San Antonio, Texas 78209    210-828-9036
USA                                     29.484  98.440  200 meters


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