Blue Mountains Astro Meet

There is no better place close to Sydney to capture the Milky Way than the Blue Mountains. With many lookouts overlooking the mind blowing vistas of the Kedumba, Jamison or Grose valleys, and plenty of lesser known hidden compositions aligning perfectly with a rising or falling Milky Way, and far enough out of the light pollution to allow for some crisp clear skies.

Join Jay one of this series of Astromeets, capturing the stars at several locations through the Blue Mountains.

I will go through some basics about safety, etiquette, how to find the Milky Way, how to capture it, how to look for a unique composition and how to manage lens fog when it occurs on cold nights (as it surely will!).

Dress for the conditions Temperatures will drop significantly overnight and you must be prepared to stand in the cold by wearing winter clothing, warm layers, a winter jacket, gloves, beanie and thermals if you require them.

Own Transport Essential We will be travelling to a number of different locations throughout the evening, so having your own transport is essential.

Weather Dependent This is a Weather Dependent event. If heavy rain or storms are forecast we will cancel or postpone the event to a later date. We will still run the event if it is cloudy, as we can have some light painting fun around the Blue Mountains if the skies fail to clear for us.

Jay is licensed to operate Photography tours in NSW National Parks under an Eco Pass License # LIC19/62.

• Night shooting safety
• Locating the Milky Way
• Quick Milky Way settings
• Night shooting etiquette
• Looking for the Unique
• Managing Lens Fog

• MOST IMPORTANT - Working Headlamp or torch (no mobile phone torches please!)
• A camera with Manual controls and interchangeable lenses
• Lenses suitable for astrophotography (between 12mm & 24mm preferably with f/2.8 or faster)
• Remote shutter for camera
• Sturdy Tripod
• A small towel to cover your camera
• Warm Layered clothing, a winter jacket, gloves, beanie or other warm headwear, and warm socks/shoes or boots
• A water bottle