The Moon

[Slim]

Here's a better one. The Moon, about half an hour ago. Much better result because:

• I used a camera with a bigger sensor (my KS-1). Same 200mm lens.
• The Moon was higher in the sky (less atmosphere to shoot through)
• Hours after sunset so considerably darker
• Clearer sky
• I supported the camera on a fence

Shot in RAW, manual, ISO 100, 1/125, f8. Contrast enhanced in the GIMP but no AI shenanigans.

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[Fishy]

Wolf supermoon rises marking first of 13 full Moons in 2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c773z1rn83do

[Thenop]

Wolf supermoon rises marking first of 13 full Moons in 2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c773z1rn83do

No need for streetlights tonight.

[Fishy]

Lovely bright full moon in clear skies tonight with Jupiter close by..

[Slim]

Went out and took a pic again. Took about 8 or 9 shots and picked the best one. Not sure it's any better than last night's. I might invest in a tripod and a longer lens.

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[Slim]

Another very clear night so with the Moon in a bit of shadow at the edge, I thought I'd get another pic.

I used exactly the same camera / 200mm fixed focal length lens combination. But the Moon is noticeably smaller tonight - all the Moon images I've posted in this thread are cropped, but not resized.


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[Slim]

I was intrigued by this, so I used this site: https://dqydj.com/lunar-distance-calculator/ - to check the distances from my location on Earth to the Moon at the times the photos were taken.

3/1/26 9pm : 370022 km
5/1/26 9pm : 377975 km

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So the first distance is 0.979 x the second (to within 3 decimal places).

This being the case, the pixel diameter of the Moon in the second image should be close to 0.979 x the pixel diameter of the first. I measured them in the GIMP.

436 pixels in the first, 427 in the second.

427 / 436 = 0.979.

Science!

[Slim]

Just bought this bad boy from a 35mm film camera specialist. It's a 500mm mirror lens, probably made in the late '70s, early '80s. Excellent nick. Should arrive tomorrow.

Not as good as a standard, modern "non-mirror" lens but much less expensive (I paid £100). Will provide Moon images about 2.5x the size of the 200mm lens (also an ancient film camera lens) but more importantly a bit more detail. Just have to wait for another clear night!

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[Slim]

My new lens hasn't arrived yet, due to the weather apparently but there was a nice half Moon with the sun up this morning, so I had a go with the 200mm. Taken through the kitchen window.


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[Fishy]

Photographer 'over the Moon' with iconic ET recreation two years in the making https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3z475kxwpo

[Slim]

Finally a clear evening with the Moon up, so I had a chance to have a go with the 500mm lens. Used a proper tripod this time. Not sure it improves on the 200mm to be honest! Although the image is larger (downsized here) I think the 200mm is a bit sharper.


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[Fishy]

Snow Moon: How and when to see February's full Moon https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/cvgm4m2wn9po

[Slim]

Nice clear sky tonight, took this with the 500mm and the tripod.

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[Slim]

I've concluded now that the 500mm does provide better detail, just, than the 200mm. The 200mm is better glass and not compromised by being a mirror lens. But the brute force magnification of the 500 just about overcomes that.

The critical thing is to get the focus just right. For a manual focus lens on an SLR intended to take autofocus lenses, that's not particularly easy, especially when the camera is pointing upward and you have to get under it to squint through the eyepiece or examine the preview screen.

Apparently my K-S1 has HDMI out so I could, at a pinch, take a monitor out onto the patio. Will test that I think. Just ordered a micro-HDMI cable from Amazon.

[Thenop]

^^ and then have Gemini of Chatgpt do a minor touch up and voila, the moon at your doorstep. 

As an aside, I am not much of a traveler, but I would like to visit Chile's Valle de la Luna . It rarely of ever disappoints I read and the view is stunning.