Settings Breakdown
High ISO is essential to capture faint starlight. Most modern cameras handle ISO 3200-6400 well. Stack multiple exposures to reduce noise in post.
Wide open aperture gathers maximum starlight. Fast lenses (f/1.4-2.0) are ideal. Stopping down even one stop halves your light — stay wide.
Use the 500 Rule: 500 ÷ focal length = max seconds. At 24mm on full frame: 500÷24 = 20 seconds max before star trails appear.
Autofocus fails in darkness. Use Live View zoomed to 10x on a bright star. Adjust until the star is the smallest possible point.
Shoot RAW and adjust later, but a starting point around 4000-4500K preserves natural star colors without making the scene too warm or cold.
Wide angle captures sweeping Milky Way arcs and allows longer exposures. 14-20mm is ideal for dramatic compositions including foreground.
Pro Tips
Find Dark Skies
Light pollution kills Milky Way photography. Use dark sky finder apps/maps and travel to locations with Bortle class 3 or lower for best results.
Time It Right
Milky Way core is visible March-October (northern hemisphere). Check moon phase — shoot during new moon or when moon has set for darkest skies.
Use Planning Apps
PhotoPills, Stellarium, and Star Walk show exactly where and when the Milky Way will be positioned. Plan your composition before arriving.
Shoot Separate Foreground
Take one exposure for stars, another for foreground (light painted or blue hour). Blend in post for best of both without noise compromise.
Let Eyes Adapt
It takes 20-30 minutes for full dark adaptation. Avoid phone screens, use red light. You'll see more of what you're photographing once adapted.
Consider a Star Tracker
Motorized trackers follow star motion, allowing multi-minute exposures at low ISO. Dramatically improves image quality for serious astrophotography.