Tried to photograph the Milky Way from my backyard last night and got a weird green glow instead

I was so excited, the forecast said clear skies and I set up my camera on the tripod. I used a 20-second exposure at f/2.8, ISO 3200, which has worked before. But when I checked the shot, the whole bottom half of the frame was just this weird, hazy green glow. It wasn't the aurora, and it definitely wasn't stars. I realized after about an hour of messing with settings that a neighbor about two houses down has one of those new ultra-bright security lights with a greenish tint. It was bouncing off the haze in the air and completely washing out my shot. I learned that even if the sky looks dark to your eyes, long exposures pick up every bit of light pollution around. Has anyone else had a specific light source ruin a whole night of shooting?

3 comments

3 Comments

nguyen.angela7d ago

Those green security lights are the worst. Try a lens hood or even a piece of cardboard to block that side.

cole5497d ago

I had the same thing happen with a streetlight in Portland. @nguyen.angela is right about the cardboard trick, I've even used a jacket draped over my head and the tripod leg. Sometimes moving just ten feet behind a fence or tree can block that direct glare.

cooper.drew7d ago

Actually, @cole549, that jacket trick is solid for a quick fix. Just watch out for fabric touching the lens, it can leave a weird soft blur on the edges. A stiff piece of black foam core is my go-to because you can shape it and it doesn't move in the wind.