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Full Moon
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Is it possible, with a 'normal' digital camera...I think it's a Canon Powershot...to take a photo of the full moon? Ta Muchly.
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Hi Woodelf!
While it's certainly possible to obtain an image of the moon, you wouldn't manage to get a good result from a 'normal' digital camera.
Although the moon can look quite big in the sky, it only occupies a small angular field. That means the longest zoom setting would be required.
But whenever you use a long zoom lens, it's essential to either use a fast shutter speed or to support the camera on a tripod (or similar), in order to avoid camera shake.
However, the moon only looks bright because of the contrast ratio of its surface against a black sky. It doesn't actually reflect very much sunlight, so that means that a long exposure would be needed. (So that rules out using a handheld camera with a fast shutter speed).
Following on from that, it might seem that the solution would be to use the highest zoom setting, with a long exposure, having mounted the camera on a tripod. However the Earth is revolving, so the moon doesn't retain a constant position in the sky. So, for a perfect result, the camera needs to track the apparent movement of the moon throughout the exposure.
Even if you could get all of that right, you still wouldn't see much detail. The sunlight strikes a full moon at too direct an angle to produce useful shadows. Astronomers who are seeking to photograph lunar details always take photographs when the sun is at a better angle, thus producing longer shadows. (e.g. during a crescent moon).
Chris
While it's certainly possible to obtain an image of the moon, you wouldn't manage to get a good result from a 'normal' digital camera.
Although the moon can look quite big in the sky, it only occupies a small angular field. That means the longest zoom setting would be required.
But whenever you use a long zoom lens, it's essential to either use a fast shutter speed or to support the camera on a tripod (or similar), in order to avoid camera shake.
However, the moon only looks bright because of the contrast ratio of its surface against a black sky. It doesn't actually reflect very much sunlight, so that means that a long exposure would be needed. (So that rules out using a handheld camera with a fast shutter speed).
Following on from that, it might seem that the solution would be to use the highest zoom setting, with a long exposure, having mounted the camera on a tripod. However the Earth is revolving, so the moon doesn't retain a constant position in the sky. So, for a perfect result, the camera needs to track the apparent movement of the moon throughout the exposure.
Even if you could get all of that right, you still wouldn't see much detail. The sunlight strikes a full moon at too direct an angle to produce useful shadows. Astronomers who are seeking to photograph lunar details always take photographs when the sun is at a better angle, thus producing longer shadows. (e.g. during a crescent moon).
Chris
woodelf - a hello smile
chris made it sound so complicated didn't he - I would have just pointed the camera and pressed the wee button on the top. I just hope for the best when it comes to taking photographs.
Sorting through family photographs after my father died I noticed that my photographic skills were inherited. My mum had take dozens of pictures of headless pipers at our local highland games.
Take care
susan - big cheery wave and a smile from way up in Perth
chris made it sound so complicated didn't he - I would have just pointed the camera and pressed the wee button on the top. I just hope for the best when it comes to taking photographs.
Sorting through family photographs after my father died I noticed that my photographic skills were inherited. My mum had take dozens of pictures of headless pipers at our local highland games.
Take care
susan - big cheery wave and a smile from way up in Perth
If you want a nice big picture of the moon you will need a zoom lens and a tripod. I haven`t entered the digital world yet but I tried to get good photos of the moon with my old Nikon. You need a long exposure (several seconds) and even in that small amount of time the moon would have moved and blurred around the edges. I used to use a blue filter because the colour temperature of the moon was low and it would register an insipid yellow colour without it. Finally I needed a very fast film so that I didn`t have to leave the shutter open too long. And a cable release of course, to avoid camera shake.
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