The Rise of Rho Ophiuchi
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex rises up over Cuyamaca Peak in the Night Sky.
Cuyamaca Peak is San Diego's 2nd tallest peak at 6,515 feet of elevation, even through its not the tallest its very prominent, I see it everywhere I go in San Diego, off in the background.
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a complex of interstellar clouds with different nebulae, particularly a dark nebula which is centered 1° south of the star Ophiuchi. At an estimated distance of about 140 parsecs, or 460 light years, it is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. It also happens to be the first part of the Milky Way you see as it pops up over the horizon.
After practicing photographing the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex rising in Death Valley I decided to give it a try in San Diego. The night sky is not as dark but I wanted to see what I could get.
I drove out to the San Diego backcountry and I was worried that I might not get the shot as the mountain top was surrounded by clouds. I've come to the conclusion that the sun was melting the snow on the mountain top creating the clouds around the mountain, as soon as the sun went down the clouds dissipated. I shot the blue hour foreground photo, then went back to my car and took a nap for a couple of hours and got up at midnight and shot the night sky until 4am, focusing of different compositions.
Tracked and Stacked Sky
ISO 500, 50mm, f/4, 180 seconds x 12 shots and 7 dark frames.
Blended with one long exposure for the foreground at Blue Hour
ISO 400, 50mm, f/8, 30 seconds.
The Rise of Rho Ophiuchi
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex rises up over Cuyamaca Peak in the Night Sky.
Cuyamaca Peak is San Diego's 2nd tallest peak at 6,515 feet of elevation, even through its not the tallest its very prominent, I see it everywhere I go in San Diego, off in the background.
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a complex of interstellar clouds with different nebulae, particularly a dark nebula which is centered 1° south of the star Ophiuchi. At an estimated distance of about 140 parsecs, or 460 light years, it is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. It also happens to be the first part of the Milky Way you see as it pops up over the horizon.
After practicing photographing the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex rising in Death Valley I decided to give it a try in San Diego. The night sky is not as dark but I wanted to see what I could get.
I drove out to the San Diego backcountry and I was worried that I might not get the shot as the mountain top was surrounded by clouds. I've come to the conclusion that the sun was melting the snow on the mountain top creating the clouds around the mountain, as soon as the sun went down the clouds dissipated. I shot the blue hour foreground photo, then went back to my car and took a nap for a couple of hours and got up at midnight and shot the night sky until 4am, focusing of different compositions.
Tracked and Stacked Sky
ISO 500, 50mm, f/4, 180 seconds x 12 shots and 7 dark frames.
Blended with one long exposure for the foreground at Blue Hour
ISO 400, 50mm, f/8, 30 seconds.