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Friday, March 29, 2024

Amazing star trails streaking across UK skies

Credit: SWNS STUDIO
Duration: 00:12s 0 shares 6 views

Amazing star trails streaking across UK skies
Amazing star trails streaking across UK skies

These stunningly clear images of star trails streaking across the UK skies taken through a bedroom window were only made possible due to coronavirus lockdown. Stewart MacKellar, 32, took the mesmerising pictures through double glazed glass at his home in rural Shropshire. He said the reduction in light pollution as a result of people staying at home has made the night skies clearer than he can ever remember.  Fewer flights during the Covid-19 pandemic has also had the same effect making the trails even more distinct. Stewart, an action sports photographer, used a long-exposure lens to capture the streaks of light left by stars as the world rotated on Monday (20/4). After setting up his Nikon D750 to take a photo every 30 seconds for two hours, he went to bed and checked the camera in the morning. Stewart, of Ellesmere, Shrops., said: "I was really amazed with the results.

I was trying to capture some of the meteors that were coming down. "I stayed up for about half an hour to check it was working then went to bed. "I didn't think I would pick up the meteors so well, so I was really chuffed with that and getting the satellites.

There is quite a lot of activity with the satellites. "I'm out in the country here so there's little light pollution normally and I think the lockdown is also a factor. "Due to fewer flights we are seeing clearer nights.  I tried the shot a few times and it was my second attempt that evening. "I tried one from outside and tried this inside just because I wanted some more footage and it was too cold out there in the garden. "There is definitely one shooting star and I think the other trails are satellites. "The long exposure is 30 seconds so the shutter is open for 30 seconds and it captures the trail of satellites and shooting stars.  It is hard to differentiate between them. "I usually photograph action sports from surfing to snowboarding and running events, but in the lockdown I've been shooting more nature and more of the moon from home."

These stunningly clear images of star trails streaking across the UK skies taken through a bedroom window were only made possible due to coronavirus lockdown.

Stewart MacKellar, 32, took the mesmerising pictures through double glazed glass at his home in rural Shropshire.

He said the reduction in light pollution as a result of people staying at home has made the night skies clearer than he can ever remember.

Fewer flights during the Covid-19 pandemic has also had the same effect making the trails even more distinct.

Stewart, an action sports photographer, used a long-exposure lens to capture the streaks of light left by stars as the world rotated on Monday (20/4).

After setting up his Nikon D750 to take a photo every 30 seconds for two hours, he went to bed and checked the camera in the morning.

Stewart, of Ellesmere, Shrops., said: "I was really amazed with the results.

I was trying to capture some of the meteors that were coming down.

"I stayed up for about half an hour to check it was working then went to bed.

"I didn't think I would pick up the meteors so well, so I was really chuffed with that and getting the satellites.

There is quite a lot of activity with the satellites.

"I'm out in the country here so there's little light pollution normally and I think the lockdown is also a factor.

"Due to fewer flights we are seeing clearer nights.

I tried the shot a few times and it was my second attempt that evening.

"I tried one from outside and tried this inside just because I wanted some more footage and it was too cold out there in the garden.

"There is definitely one shooting star and I think the other trails are satellites.

"The long exposure is 30 seconds so the shutter is open for 30 seconds and it captures the trail of satellites and shooting stars.

It is hard to differentiate between them.

"I usually photograph action sports from surfing to snowboarding and running events, but in the lockdown I've been shooting more nature and more of the moon from home."

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