Nightscape astrophotography at Dark Sky Park Eifel in Germany

Jeroen Linnenkamp, better known as StarScaper, recently set out on an astrophotography adventure, hoping to capture the Orion constellation in HaRGB along with the winter section of the Milky Way. He and his companion, Martine, planned a road trip to Dark Sky Park Eifel in Germany, with a promising weather forecast. However, as is often the case with astrophotography, things didn’t go exactly as planned.

After three months of cloudy skies, the forecast predicted clear conditions, making the trip to the Kottenborner Kapelle seem like a solid choice. Upon arrival, however, they were met with thick cloud cover. They monitored weather models and realized their chances of a successful shoot were fading. In a last-minute decision, they opted to drive an hour north to a dam, hoping for clearer skies. The gamble appeared to pay off when they arrived to find a starry sky overhead.

Nightscape astrophotography at Dark Sky Park Eifel in Germany

The new location came with its own set of challenges. A 45-minute hike through the woods in the dark was required, adding an element of uncertainty. The primary concern was the presence of streetlights on the dam, which could interfere with long-exposure shots. With no way to check the lights before committing to the hike, they took their chances and pressed forward. Soon, the path became treacherous, covered in ice and increasingly steep. After a few slips, they made the tough call to turn back, deciding the risk wasn’t worth it.

Now onto Plan C. They scrambled to find another suitable spot, settling on a small field within a residential area. It wasn’t ideal, but it offered a clear view of Orion. The challenge now was timing. Orion was still too low on the horizon, meaning they had to wait a few hours for it to reach an optimal position. While waiting, Jeroen explored another potential composition at a harbor. He wasn’t sure if the foreground would work, but he was willing to take a chance.

As he set up, the conditions remained less than ideal. There was haze in the sky, affecting visibility. Despite the difficulties, he decided to shoot his foregrounds at 20mm and 24mm, hoping to match them later with the tracked sky exposures. The motivation levels were dipping after dealing with multiple failed plans, but taking in the starry night after months of bad weather helped restore some enthusiasm.

Capturing first stacks and the Planet Parade

Finally, they started capturing their first stacks. The planet parade was also visible, adding another layer of interest to the night’s shoot. Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn were all present in the sky, providing an unexpected bonus. Jeroen documented the alignment and moved on to his primary target: Orion.

As the night progressed, new problems emerged. The sky quality, which was supposed to be good, turned out to be worse than expected. Light pollution was more reflective than anticipated due to the haze, leading them to measure a sky brightness of around 20.44, lower than their expectations. Then things took a turn for the worse. A thick fog rolled in, covering the field almost instantly. To make matters even more frustrating, Jeroen discovered that his dew heater had failed, causing his lens to fog up. He attempted to clean it with lens fluid, but the freezing temperatures turned the liquid to ice on contact, rendering his Ha shots useless.

With one last shot at saving the night, they drove to the viewpoint they had initially considered. The road was icy, and lacking winter tires, they had to turn back yet again. This seemed to be the final blow—three backup plans, and all had failed. Disappointed but accepting the situation, they began packing up.

Then, just as they were about to leave, the fog lifted. The sky cleared out of nowhere, offering them a final opportunity. In a hurry, they reassembled their gear. Jeroen set up his tracker once again, determined to salvage something from the night. Martine did the same, capturing more Ha data. The conditions had improved significantly, allowing them to shoot for around 45 minutes before the moon rose.

After a night full of setbacks, they finally walked away with usable images. Jeroen captured about 25 minutes of RGB data and 20 minutes of Ha, a solid haul given the circumstances. It wasn’t the smooth experience they had hoped for, but the night reinforced an important lesson—perseverance is key in astrophotography. They wrapped up their shoot and prepared for the three-hour drive home, cold and exhausted but satisfied that they had managed to pull something off.

While this adventure didn’t go as planned, it served as a reminder that flexibility is essential in astrophotography. The ability to adapt and keep going, even when things seem to be falling apart, is what ultimately leads to success. The final images would tell the story of that persistence, and in the end, the effort was worth it.

Chasing Orion and the Parade of Planets: A Challenging Astrophotography Adventure