Ficus Wildlife and Natural History Tours

Friday, 13 September 2019

Report: Caracal! and other wildlife from Kutch, April 2019

Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com)

A report from a mammal watching oriented tour, with a specific goal to see/identify potential sites for the rarely seen, locally endangered (within India) Caracal, to Kutch (Western India) in April 2019.

A rare daytime sighting of an Indian Porcupine - one of several surprises from the early summer visit to Kutch

Highlights included a sighting of Caracal (!), Leopard (a rarity in these parts), Jungle Cat, Indian Long-eared and Indian Hedgehogs and Indian Porcupine, among 17 species of mammals in 5 nights. While early summer birdlife is a small subset of the fantastic winter riches in these parts, we still saw a solitary Spotted Sandgrouse, several Painted and Chest-bellied Sandgrouse, a single Grey Hypocolius, large numbers of Steppe Eagle attracted by the drought-induced abundance of Lesser Bandicoot Rat in Banni Grasslands, Long-legged Buzzard and several larks. Unlike at cooler times of the year, the ground was often alive (mostly!) with reptiles (we saw Saw-scaled Viper, (sadly) a road kill of the rare but beautiful Royal Diadem Snake and several Spiny-tailed Lizard among others) and invertebrates (Scorpion sp., Six Spotted Beetle, Sun Spider among others). As always the landscapes of Kutch were mesmerising and Geological nuances, expertly interpreted by Mr Jugal Tiwari of CEDO, fascinating (not the least of which, a fossil-a-minute walk at the Paat River bed!).

Sadly all is not well in Eden - following the script elsewhere in India. Changes here, have been rapid and very evident, comparing 10 years ago to now. Kutch, was then, still, a remote, sparsely populated region - but today, signs of 'development' everywhere, with natural areas, often illegally taken over for agriculture, charcoal production, roads and glaringly for 'Green' energy production (which has resulted in a large-scale modification of the landscape, with impact on wildlife, hitherto unknown, but likely negative) . This has already led (or nearly) to the extinction of the Indian Bustard in the region. If such a large, well known species can disappear under our noses, it is definitely time to take stock and protect what is left (there are still Caracal here, if that is what it takes to provide the impetus!) of this unique ecoregion.

Dates: 4th to 8th April 2019

Please see picture gallery from the trip

Detailed Report

Day 1, 4th April 2019: Arrived post-lunch at CEDO, Moti Virani village (transfer from Ahmedabad by train to Bhuj, and an hours drive from there) - our home base to explore a vast landscape of Thorn Forest, Grassland and Scrub in this West-central part of Kutch.

After an hour or so sheltering from the heat (already considerable in early summer), we set-off to the famous Chari Dhand area of Banni Grasslands - a rich, wintering ground for a variety of globally significant birds, but also interesting for other wildlife. April is already well past prime birding in Banni, but we were treated to a sighting of the Grey Hypocolius in its fringes (at the very end of its winter visit to these parts) and a spectacle of an unusually high number of Steppe Eagle that had stayed back to feast on the abundance of Lesser Bandicoot Rat (A summer phenomenon correlated to monsoon failures. In years with good monsoons, the mortality rate of these rats are known to be much higher, due to inundation of their burrows in the bowl shaped Chari Dhand wetland - among the several nuggets of local wisdom from Mr. Jugal Tiwari, during this visit).

Large numbers of Steppe Eagle had stayed back at Banni to feast on the abundance of Lesser Bandicoot Rat (a phenomenon correlated to monsoon failures)

Lesser Bandicoot Rat peeking outside its burrow

Banni is distinctly quieter in summer. Gone are the pervasive bird sounds, especially of the Common Crane, replaced instead by the sound of strong wind, as it blows through this trough of dust, loosely held by roots of sedges, halophytes and the exotic mesquite. As the sun finally set around 1900 (it remains uncomfortably hot all the way until this moment), the ground started to come alive with Lesser Bandicoot Rat emerging from their burrows. A little later, after nightfall, skirting some rocky hills - which tell stories of volcanoes and time spent under a shallow sea - a Golden Jackal and three Jungle Cats.

Day 2, 5th April 2019: A cool morning (and preceding night - a pleasant phenomenon here, even in the peak of summer, it seems) at around 0615. Visited a location, where a Caracal had been recused (from a snare set in farmland adjacent thorn forest) and released, a few years ago. An adjacent hillock of thorn forest, with hidden gullies, seemed promising for the Caracal, but a few minutes of scanning proved unproductive for anything significant. Later that morning, through various patches of thorn forest and scrub, with flowering Euphorbia peppering the landscape, we visited the ancient monastic site of Dinodar. At the gate, a colony of Indian Desert Jird, which live in a network of burrows resembling a honey-comb, and inside, in the cool of a dilapidated building a roost of a species of Tomb Bat. Barring Chinkara, Indian Hare (a distinct subspecies of this region), Grey Mongoose, a couple of lizards and a handful of commoner birds, sightings were somewhat subdued this morning.

Jerdon's Snake-eye - among the numerous reptiles that seem to find the heat of Kutch's summer more palatable than Humans

A species of Tomb Bat, in the cool of a dilapidated building

After resting through the heat of the afternoon, an early evening visit to a scrubby, sparse thorn forest location in the vicinity of a temple. Jackal and Indian Hare en-route, a colourful riverbed of a seasonal river on one side and hilly thorn forest on the other. The road ends at a temple and we scan the surrounding hills for Caracal (especially a promisingly ample cave on a hill slope). While waiting, at dusk, Jugal Tiwari notices a silhouette about 200m, atop a rock. First instinct suggested that it was an Indian Eagle Owl, but further probing through the binoculars revealed that it was a Leopard, resting on a rock with its head facing us! A rarity in these parts - so rare that it was Jugal Tiwari's first sighting of the species in three decades here! After (unsuccessfully) waiting for activity from the cat, listening to the calls of Savannah and Indian Nightjars in the dark, we traced our way back towards the homestay, via thorn-scrub and agricultural fields. En-route a flurry of invertebrates - Scorpions, Sun Spiders and Six-Spotted Beetles, peppered the ground, along with a few Indian Hares and a Saw-scaled Viper.

A leopard, one of the least expected animals of the trip

A classic landscape of Central Kutch, Euphorbia and Acacia dominated scrub and thorn forest

Day 3, 6th April 2019: An early start to a long day travelling to the distant (from the village of Moti Virani) Eastern part of the Banni Grasslands. The two hour drive turns out uneventful, except for a road kill of the rare Royal Diadem Snake - just a nugget of the amazing biodiversity of the region. Entering into the Banni, when the sun was already well up at around 8 AM, we were greeted by a sighting of a Golden Jackal, quenching its thirst where water seeps out into a pool, from an underground water-supply pipe - a life line for people (and wildlife) in this arid landscape. This moist patch also attracted flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, and even better, a rare Spotted Sandgrouse among them - a straggler for this time of the year. Further into the grasslands, looking out for Desert Cat and Desert Fox, as the temperature rose, several Spiny-tailed Lizard basking around a sparse vegetation of halophytes. Turned back around 11 AM, from where Banni meets the barren salt pans of the Great Rann of Kutch, towards lunch and shelter at the Epicentre Homestay, in the unbearable heat of the afternoon (it clocked 42 Celsius in the shade at 1600 that afternoon).

The rare Royal Diadem Snake - a road-kill, unfortunately

Spiny-tailed Lizard, basking in what felt like extreme heat, one late morning

We head back into the grasslands around 1630, still very hot, to try for Desert Cat and Desert Fox (both misses in the morning). Activity was even more subdued in the heat of the early evening, and barring a few Crested Lark and a solitary lizard (possible Agamid), in a clump of Suaeda, there was very little activity. As we reached the edge of the Rann, a cat flitted across our line of vision and disappeared before identification was possible (a toss up between Jungle and Desert Cats). A futile attempt to search ensued, with numerous escape routes for the animal, through channels carved by water as it flows into the depression of the Rann during the monsoon (a characteristic landscape in this part of the Banni). After a rather quiet evening, we exit Banni around 1945. Enroute, on the main road, the first sighting of the Indian Long-eared Hedgehog on the road side, abutting some open fields. Further down an interesting record of the same species with its nose buried into a road-kill of its own kind (feeding?), before the rest of the uneventful drive back to home-based.

The sparsely vegetated Eastern Banni, with characteristic channels carved by flowing water during the monsoon

Indian Long-eared Hedgehog

Day 4, 7th April 2019: Having discussed the need to be out as much as possible in the dark, an earlier start to the day (0515) to visit a thorn forest location close to the popular Mata Na Mad Temple. At the cool crack of dawn as we entered the forest, on a dirt road, around 620 AM, and immediately struck by the visibly high quality of the forest (seemingly minus big pressure from illegal extraction for charcoal - a big conservation issue in these parts). A few moments to enjoy the morning bird activity and and a fawn coloured animal about 40m showed up in a clearing. A few moments grappling with binoculars and there it was, a Caracal - with its distinctive ears and facial markings - looking back at us, before disappearing into via thickets into low ground! All this within 500m of a relatively busy main road, with the air heavy with the smell of a nearby coal mine. This is an animal that very rarely shows itself, and the proximity to some rather intense human activity is surprising. Then again the forest seemed undisturbed, the trees and undulating terrain providing adequate cover, and hosting a relatively healthy (potential) prey base (we saw several Indian Hare, Indian Peafowl and Painted Sandgrouse). Around the bend, a Golden Jackal and some communal scat (Possibly a mix of Golden Jackal and Caracal). The dirt road leads to a temple, which likely blesses this patch with protection (a sacred grove?) and hosts a trough filled with water - a manna from heaven for local wildlife in the dry season. The morning's excitement provided the impetus to explore a vast stretch of adjacent thorn forest, parts carved by a dark ravine (quite a magical landscape), but the increasing heat of the day, the resultant lack of visible wildlife)\ and a maze of dirt roads, which rather confounded progress (and us), put paid to the (rather satisfying) AM's adventures.

Caracal (!), on the verge of disappearing into lower ground.

The relatively undisturbed habitat where the Caracal was sighted

Painted Sandgrouse, among the potential prey for Caracal in the thorn forests of Kutch

After the mandatory afternoon aestivation, we set out at 415 PM towards Phot Mahadev Thorn Forest, initially scoping some windmill scarred thorn forest. In Acacia dominated, hilly landscape, sparser than the mornings forest, we saw some interesting Feline tracks (most likely Caracal), as well as those of Hyena. Chinkara, Indian Hare and Indian Flying Fox completed the sighting list for the evening. Parts of the forest, in the vicinity of Phot Mahadev, seemed especially promising - with undulating terrain and dark narrow gullies in the thorn forest, superficially resembling the morning's. Exiting from the thorn forest after dark, an Indian Hedgehog showed up near some thorny scrub - the finale to an absorbing day.

Likely Caracal Spoor in the vicinity of Phot Mahadev forest

A distinct subspecies of Indian Hare in Kutch

Indian Hedgehog

Day 5, 8th April 2019: A day of revisiting promising sites (for Caracal) from earlier in the trip. Break of dawn to Caracal sighting location, but 3/4th of an hour waiting on this rather cool, slightly foggy morning, eyes and ears peeled at the clearing and surroundings, hoping that cat's movement through the landscape is habitual (as they tend to be), proved unproductive (we did hear some Peafowl alarm calls though). We retraced the path the animal walked the previous day. The hard ground, sans loose soil, was useless for any evidence of spoor. Scanning from a high-point and, later walking through a ravine, revealed another unusual sighting - of an India Porcupine, possibly on the verge of returning to its daytime lair. But, no Caracal or any sign of it. Apart from a herd of wild boar, huddled together in the cool of the morning, a pair of Golden Jackal, and a Rufous-fronted Prinia, there were no other significant sightings this morning. From here we visited the Paat River bed area - a location strewn with marine Gastropod fossils (literally one every few feet), linking the region's complex geological history to a time spent under a shallow sea.

Chinkara (Indian Gazelle)

Golden Jackal

In the evening we revisited the scene of our Leopard sighting from an earlier in the trip. This time, spoke to a temple priest, who lives alone near the scarcely visited temple, with hills, thorn forests (and their denizens) and with a perennial spring for company. He spoke of a cat that occasionally hides in the temple structure to leap up on unsuspecting pigeons that congregate here. Caracal (he says yes, looking at picture from on the camera viewfinder)? Or is it a case of mistaken identity mixing-up with the somewhat similar Jungle Cat (but less likely in this habitat?)? Anyway, a promising lead to explore for the future. The evening turned out quiet in terms of sightings with only a Wild Boar and Indian Hare recorded.

This was the last outing on this trip, culminating an absorbing visit to Kutch's amazing landscapes with more than a taste of its unique wildlife, whetting the appetite for more!

Accommodation/Logistics/Guiding

All superbly taken care of by Mr Jugal Tiwari, an ecologist at the Centre for Desert and Ocean in the village of Moti Virani. He runs a quaint, eco-friendly homestay with comfortable, spacious, air-conditioned rooms and excellent home-cooked, vegetarian meals. The set-up has been hosting and guiding naturalists and birders for decades now, apart from pioneering an eco-restoration project for native plants of Kutch, as well as several outreach programs. One of CEDO's naturalists, Mr Shivam Tiwari, a budding wildlife filmmaker, has some very interesting natural history footage from the region. A special mention to Chetan Bhai's (the pilot of the Sumo Gold) amiable company, tireless driving and amazing spotting abilities.

Checklist of Mammals Seen

Leopard Panthera pardus

Caracal Caracal caracal

Jungle Cat Felis chaus

Golden Jackal Canis aureus

Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii

Five-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus pennantii

Indian Porcupine Hystrix indica

Indian Gerbil Tatera indica

Indian Jird Meriones hurriane

Indian Long-tailed Tree Mouse Vandeleuria oleracea

Lesser Bandicoot Rat Bandicoota bengalensis

Indian Hedgehog Paraechinus micropus

Desert Hedgehog Hemiechinus collaris

Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis

Mouse-tailed Bat sp. Rhinopoma sp.

Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus

Indian Gazelle Gazella bennettii

Wild Pig Sus scrofa

Nomenclature as per Menon, V., 2014. A Field Guide to Indian Mammals. Hachette India.

ISBN 978-93-5009-760-1

www.ficustours.in

Instagram

Friday, 6 September 2019

Astrophotography - Imaging the Deep Sky splendours (Part 2)

Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com)

The Andromeda Galaxy from the lovely Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in the Himalayas (Uttarakhand, India). For all you stargazers and nature lovers - dark skies and biodiversity rich montane forests beckon here! Images with Olympus OM-D EM-5II and M.Zuiko 40-150 f2.8. Final image from multiple images (37 images for 40s each @ f2.8, ISO 1600) stacked - each tracked with Astrotrac TT320X; PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

This is a follow-up to the basics post (which might be of interest if you are just starting out on this pursuit and looking to experiment with the gamut of subjects). In this post I will elaborate on my work flow to photographing the faint deep sky subjects (Nebulae, Milky Way regions, Galaxies, Constellations and Star Clusters - sometimes all components of a single image).

Please note: The darkest, most transparent (minus haze) skies are a prerequisite for this kind of photography. Try to get as far away from city lights (and other forms of atmospheric pollution), if possible in the mountains and/or desert, and a moon phase that does not interfere with dark skies, when you plan to shoot. In higher latitudes, it would make sense to plan the shoots when nights are long, since the Sun's spill-over light illuminates the skies for a while, even after sunset and sunrise.

Basic premises for deep-sky photography techniques

Great Nebula from relatively clean (albeit with high clouds) skies from over 2000m high in the Nilgiri mountains of south India. This bright subject required relatively few exposures for these results - 8x15s @f2.8 and ISO 3200. Imaged with Canon 6D and 300mm f2.8 II, tracked with AstroTrac TT320X, coarsely polar aligned with compass and altitude adjustment

Lagoon & Trifid Nebulae (M8 & M20) in the rich Milky Way star fields in and around the constellation of Sagittarius. Photographed on the clear night (milky way faintly visible to the naked eye) from the high altitude town of Leh (3500m in the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh), Sep 2016. 13 exposures (with in camera dark subtraction), of 30s each, at ISO 1600, f2.8 @ 300mm. Imaged with Canon 6D and Canon 300mm f2.8ii; tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG ; PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

With pictures we can see deeper into the night sky (and with colour, since the human eyes cannot see colours well in the dark) than by observation alone (including, in many cases, using advanced telescopes). Since we are photographing faint objects, the obvious solution to capturing this faint fuzz (no fuss intended), is to expose longer* (given that you are using optimal ISO and aperture settings). However, it turns out that regardless of the length of the exposure, combining multiple images greatly enhances the final results (with a great deal of post-processing, discussed in detail, later in the post). Here's why:

There is a phenomenon called signal to noise ratio (technically, but elegantly, explained in the link). The basic idea is that combining multiple images of deep sky subjects enhances your signal (the good stuff from the actual subject) and lowers, in proportion, random noise (the bad stuff, a result of technical limitations, primarily random high ISO noise). How this works is that since the location of noise is random and signal always appears in the same part of the image, when combining these images, software can then eliminate the bits that do not occur in the same location in the images, hence reducing the effects on noise in the picture, while increasing the effective signal by 'adding' the constant parts from multiple images. Since the sky conditions (transparency for example) is dynamic, this process will also enable adding to the data from periods of exposure when sky conditions were optimal (just a higher probability of this when you have camera pointed at the sky at different times).

*It is possible that for some subjects (like the Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy), you might actually need to image the brighter core and surrounding, fainter nebulae/star-fields, with different exposure settings and merge the two sets of images in post processing.

Equipment

While there is a large variety of equipment (including specialised/modified cameras, sensitive to specific wavelengths of light that bring out target features/colours better) that one could use for deep-sky photography, I am listing here, specifically, only what I use/have used in this pursuit.

Camera and Lens Combos

Canon 6D coupled with:

300mm f2.8 II
100-400mm f4.5-5.6 I

Olympus OMD-EM5 MKII coupled with:

M. Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro
M. Zuiko 40-150mm f2.8 Pro

At the moment, while the rather bulky Canon set-up gave me some superb data to work with, I now only use the relatively compact, yet competent Olympus system for Astrophotography (for the ease of stabilising/versatility of this set-up).

Tracker

AstroTrac TT320X-AG (rated for use for upto 5 minutes with a focal length of 200mm, without star trails).

Stability Aids

AstroTrac TW3100 (Wedge for fine adjustments during polar alignment)
Manfrotto 055 ProB (Tripod Legs)
Manfrotto MHXPRO-BHQ2 (Ball Head)

Software

Nebulosity 4.0 (specialised for deep sky subjects) for Mac OS
Lightroom CC&6.0 for Mac OS

Others

Vello remote shutter release for Canon DSLRs (with 3 pin)

My equipment set-up for deep-sky imaging - camera-lens, ball head to control composition, AstroTrac TT320X (for tracking), AstroWedge for fine-tuning Polar Alignment and Manfrotto Legs for Stability

In-the Field (and just before)

Camera Settings

(get most of this done before heading out into the field. Please note that some of this can be pre-programmed and, as such, one need not change the settings, as per below, everytime)

Change exposure setting to Manual. Pre-set the exposure length, aperture and ISO settings (can be fine-tuned in the field, after test images).
Set the ISO manually (I typically do not exceed 1600 or 3200 - but yours will depend on the limitations of your camera's sensor and associated high ISO noise)
Set your lens to Manual Focus
Set the 'White Balance' manually, to maintain uniformity within multiple images. You can always fine-tune this appearance in post processing.
Switch off 'High ISO Noise Reduction' (this is best done in post-processing (by stacking, as discussed earlier) since the camera software's version of reduction can actually delete useful data from the images)
Record Images as RAW Files
You can either keep the 'Long Exposure Noise Reduction' ON (which will then mean that the camera will take approximately as long to write the data on card as the length of the exposure) or OFF (can be done in post processing. I personally keep it on, but could be useful to keep it off if you anticipate only a short window to gather actual data - for example impending bad weather). This process will eliminate the noise (typically spots appearing in the same location on the images), due to sensor heat during long-exposures.
Set-up a delayed shutter release for the first exposure (especially if you release the shutter via the camera vs a remote release, to reduce vibration). If you are using a DSLR, it would be good to use the Mirror Lock-up option as well, which will further help produce blur free images.
Set-up your interval timer to automate the multiple-image capture process. You can set the number of exposures (about 20 is recommended for best results from stacking) and the interval between exposures (significant only if you use an external timer, since this interval should take into account actual exposure length per image plus associated data write time, before the camera is ready for subsequent exposure).
Make sure your batteries are fully charged and you have ample space in your data card, before beginning the imaging sequence
Remove the camera/lens strap, which could otherwise cause interference during the multiple, long exposure process

With the above settings in place, the camera-lens combo is set-up for deep sky photography, barring minor fine-tuning after test images in the field.

Setting up the tripod, tracker and more

(Ideal, if you can get through this process with some daylight left - saves grappling in the dark)

Fix the AstroTrac TT320X tracker to the Tripod Head, by screwing on the AstroWedge (the tracker is attached to the wedge). Change the vertical axis of the wedge to reflect the approximate latitude you are shooting from
Take the tripod (with the attachments) outdoors and place it in a location with an unobstructed view to sections of the sky that you indent to photograph (would be useful if you can envisage the position of your subject over-time and see if would would have unobstructed photo opportunities for the duration of your imaging effort).
Point the set-up (the point where the Ball Head attaches to the tracker) towards the Earth's magnetic poles (North if you are in the northern hemisphere and South in the southern Hemisphere) - the approximate axis of rotation of the Earth. Try to be as accurate as possible - it would help to use a compass.
Using the bubble level on the wedge to adjust the legs of the tripod to simulate flat ground (necessary for accurate polar alignment)
Fine-tune axis orientation to pole with the aid of the fine adjustment knobs in the wedge and with the aid of the compass
Attach the Ball-head onto the tracker and the camera-lens combo onto the Ball-head.
Use the supplied Polar Scope (ensure it is properly collimated) and follow the instructions to fine tune polar alignment (necessary for long-exposures when using focal lengths beyond 28mm, full frame equivalent. For wide-field step 5 would suffice). The AstroTrac TT320X is rated for use upto 5 minutes of continuous exposure for a maximum focal length of 200mm full frame equivalent, for images without trailing. I have only ever used the set-up for a maximum of 2 minute exposures, but at at a focal length of 300mm full frame equivalent and achieved trail free images).
Attach the supplied battery-pack to the tracker and test the tracker, by pressing the play button. Be very careful after step 7 to ensure that you do not move the set-up by mistake (even as much as nudge it with your foot), or you would have to fine tune the polar alignment over again.
Using the live-view option (default in mirrorless) in your camera, point the camera towards the section of the sky that you are interested in photographing and focus. Cameras these days allow the option to magnify in live-view, which will greatly aid in fine focus.
Once you achieve focus, set the tracker-on and take a test image to see if your composition/exposure/white balance/tracking accuracy are ok.
If satisfied with all in Step 10, you can now start the tracked, multiple exposure sequence

Processing/Post-processing

Having gathered the data, which is essentially the RAW, tracked images, there is still considerable post-processing work to be done. Assuming that these images are already processed for Long-Exposure Noise Correction (like I do, in-camera, in the field), here is the process I follow:

Import into Lightroom and correct for Vignetting (inevitably quite strong given that we use large apertures for image capture) and Lens Aberrations (automated). Export processed files as TIFF 16 bits, no compression (to retain all the data from the original image)
Import the files into Nebulosity 4.0 and work on the following steps*:

Align Images: A process by which tracking errors are corrected. Any minute differences in the location of objects between images can be corrected with this process.
Stack Images: Once aligned, the images can be combined to enhance signal and reduce proportionate noise (as discussed earlier in the article)
More procession on the stacked image to bring out finer details: The stacked image can now be worked on with specialised software features to bring out the finer details and colour as desired for the final output. Some of this post processing can also be done on advanced photo software (I use Lightroom 6.0 for some of it).
When satisfied, export file in format as desired for sharing/display (I choose jpeg)

*This excellent review video for Nebulosity gives a step-by-step guide for the the above processes (however please use some discretion on which steps are relevant to your specific images).

A Selection of my Deep Sky images from over the years

The Pleiades Star Cluster from the lovely Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in the Himalayas - Uttarakhand, India. Images with Olympus OM-D EM-5II and M.Zuiko 40-150 f2.8. Final image from multiple images (30 images, 100mm, f 2.8, iso 1600, 60s) stacked - each tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG (unguided); PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

An image capturing a part of the Cassipeia region from the lovely Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in the Himalayas - Uttarakhand, India. Images with Olympus OM-D EM-5II and M.Zuiko 40-150 f2.8. Final image from multiple images (30 images, 62mm, f 2.8, iso 1600, 60s) stacked - each tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG (unguided); PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

The Orion Constellation from Horsley Hills south India. Images with Olympus OM-D EM-5II and M.Zuiko 12-40 f2.8 i; Final image from multiple images stacked - each tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG (unguided); PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

The region in the vicinity of the Galactic Centre of the Milky Way, (part of the constellation of Sagittarius in the bottom half of image for reference). Some of the prominent objects seen in this image include the Omega & Eagle Nebulae and Gum 84 in the centre of the image, the Sagittarius Star Cloud below these and an open star cluster Messier 23 in the bottom right quarter of the image. Photographed on the clear night (milky way faintly visible to the naked eye) from the high altitude town of Leh (3500m in trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh), Sep 2016. 27 exposures (with in camera dark subtraction), of 60s each, at ISO 1600, f4 @ 40mm. Imaged with Olympus OM-D EM-5II and M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8; tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG (unguided); PP using Nebulosity 4.0 and Lightroom CC

The Beehive Star Cluster (M 44) in the constellation of Cancer. Have also marked a few distinctive stars that I could identify within Cancer, for reference. 3 exposures (with in camera dark subtraction) @ 120s 2.8 ISO 800, captured with a Canon 6D and 300mm 2.8ii. Tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG. Aligned and stacked in Nebulosity 4.0 and some post processing in Lightroom CC. Ranikhet (Uttarakhand, northern India), April 2016

The Coma Star Cluster (within the red circle) in the constellation of Coma Berenices. Have also marked a couple of galaxies that I could identify and a couple I can see, but cannot identify. 16 Exposures (with in camera dark subtraction) @ 60s f2.8 ISO 800, captured with a Canon 6D and 300mm 2.8ii. Tracked with Astrotrac TT320X-AG. Aligned and stacked in Nebulosity 4.0 and some post processing in Lightroom CC. Corbett National Park (northern India), April 2016

Disclaimer: Knowledge dissemination limited to my own experiences (as an evolving astrophotographer) and understanding of this vast and rather technical field.

www.ficustours.in

Instagram

Friday, 16 August 2019

Astrophotography (from one amateur to others) Part 1 - The Basics

Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com)

The Genesis

A part of our home galaxy, close its core, captured from the trans-Himalayan cold desert region of Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Among the privileges of visiting natural areas is the potential to gaze at dark night skies and the countless pinpoints of light that fill it. On good nights, this can be a truly mesmerising experience, that touches the depths of your soul! While I have been smitten by these celestial splendours ever since I started visiting these far flung natural areas, for decades now, the curiosity to learn about, and photograph them, was a relatively recent phenomenon, coinciding with the advances in digital photography.

Particularly, my interest in astrophotography was piqued, when I watched Brian Cox's absorbing "Wonders of the the Universe", where he illustrates some mind-boggling astronomical phenomena with pictures. However, pictures of the night sky don't just satiate scientific curiosity, but capture details (and colours) not visible to the naked eye (sometimes even with aid of commercially available visual aids) - and (can) look pretty good too! It was around that time that I had a chance to test out the retro-styled, mirrorless Fuji X-100 - its compact size and somewhat wide focal length, well suited for wide-field Astrophotography. This coincided (the stars had aligned, it seemed) with a visit to a dark sky location in the hills of south India, and at a great time of the year for cloudless skies (March). On one of those cool, star-filled nights, I set up my camera on a sturdy tripod, pointed it towards the heavens and made a series of images (intending to stitch together as a time-lapse video), and was pleased as punch, which the obviously unrefined, but the reasonably detailed out-of-camera images that resulted. This was a good six years ago. I now consider myself an intermediate level astrophotographer and am here to share some basics (much gleaned from information online, over the years) and my unique approaches/equipment set-up for the art, while by no means comprehensive, or flawless, I hope will guide others starting out or exploring new techniques, in this absorbing hobby where nature is the central subject.

Before we go any further though, there are some pervasive limiting factors, involving time and space, to observing and photographing the night sky:

The significance of dark sky locations:

Dark skies can reveal fainter objects like the Heart and Soul Nebulae, from a single, albeit tracked, long exposure. PC: Ravi Kailas

One of the great limiting factors in astrophotography is where you choose to photograph from, related to the nature of the skies in that location. Generally, the darker the sky (sans light pollution and moonlight), the better it is for most types of astrophotography - and the further you are from light (and atmospheric) polluting city, the wider the gamut of celestial objects (including faint nebulae, globular clusters and distant starts), available for you to observe and capture in photos. Colder, drier mountain air (less haze) are also generally better suited for astrophotography, than warm and muggy conditions. Having said that, city skies can also be ok for observing and photographing brighter objects like the Moon, some planets and constellations, and of course, the Sun!

In some parts of the world, there are dedicated dark sky reserves, where the good folk recognise the importance preserving the Earth's natural rhythms of light and dark, for its citizens to experience and appreciate this intrinsic natural phenomenon and its associated splendours. In India, where I live, while we do not have dedicated dark sky reserves, there are places (still, fortunately!), often high in the hills or within/bordering nature preserves, which have some of the desirable characteristics of dark sky reserves. The most dramatic night skies I have had the privilege of photographing have been in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh (above 3000m), the Himalayas of Uttarakhand (about 2500m) and to a lesser degree, in the Upper Nilgiris and High Ranges of Munnar. However, depending on where you live, relatively dark skies should be accessible closer to home (like it is for me about 3 hours from Chennai, but significantly interesting natural areas, sadly, are much further away).

A special mention to accommodations that I found particularly suited for observations and astrophotography, from my travels in India:

Hotel Stendel, Nubra Valley, Ladakh: Located in the small village of Diskit, the terrace on this hotel is ideally suited to set up your equipment to point to the skies, with the convenience of the hotel beneath your feet! And some rather dramatic scenery of mountains and cold desert to boot, typical of this magnificent region of the Trans-Himalayas.

Padma Homestay, Hanle, Ladakh: A remote location this at close to 4000m on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The homestay itself is spic and span and a stone's throw away from an open meadow, surrounded by magnificent snow-capped peaks and access to very dark skies. Incidentally, Hanle is home to the highest observatory in India - an additional attraction for astro enthusiasts visiting here. And there is that added attraction of the unique wildlife of the trans-Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau - Pallas's Cat, Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Fox, various mountain ungulates, Black-necked Crane ... just a small sample of what is possible!

The scenic meadow in the vicinity of the Padma Homestay is a a great location for Astrophotography

Magpie Jungle Camp, Uttarakhand: Superbly located in a vast meadow, at 2500m, surrounded by the temperate forests of the Kedarnath Sanctuary, and the greater Himalayas looming the background. Dark night skies, great wildlife (Leopard Cat, Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Serow among others), a top birding destination and lovely Himalayan views!

Red Hills Resort, Upper Nilgiris: An old style plantation bungalow, turned boutique hotel, bordering the montane forests of the Upper Nilgiris at 2300m plus. Dark skies and endemic wildlife of the Western Ghats.

When you go:

When you go, is as important as where you go. Pick the appropriate Moon phase, suited for the nature of your subject. For dark nights, I personally find the waning moon more convenient (from the last quarter, leading to a couple of days after the new moon), since I prefer the early parts of the night to photograph in. You should also check sky-charts to see if the subjects that you are interested in photographing will be visible from your chosen location, when you plan to visit.

Weather can be a real spoilsport, and, as we have daily proof, generally unpredictable. For cloudless skies, then, the obvious solution is to choose locations with fewer cloudy days per annum and precipitation, which tend to be in the deserts (even here, the higher you go, generally, the better it gets) or, if that is not practically possible, pick the dry season. Generally colder, winter nights offer greater 'transparency' (better for picking out fainter stars, without atmospheric haze interfering) and in some special cases, such as for planet observation/photography, better 'seeing' (a view of the subject not marred by atmospheric turbulence), a hazy summer night maybe preferable.

What you can capture on camera, while looking up at the heavens

There are several photographic subjects/themes among the celestial wonders of the skies. Here are some I have personally experimented with, or know of otherwise:

(I will discuss some of these methods, where I have personal experience, in greater detail, in subsequent posts)

Wide-field & landscape:

Technically, this form of astrophotography shares most in common with long-exposure, landscape photography, and indeed includes elements of the landscape in to the frame, with plenty of creative potential in composition, exposure length and use of artificial light. More below:

Milky Way: The dense star-fields surrounding the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy visible from Earth can provide a superb background to natural landscapes. With a wide focal length 28mm or less (full-frame equivalent) and exposures less than 30s (to avoid obvious trailing), it is possible to capture the dense star-fields and dust clouds of our home galaxy, in suitably dark skies. Alternatively, one could choose to more complex approach of stacking multiple, tracked Milky Way images, and merge the resultant image with the landscape in post processing.

Locations in the Southern Hemisphere are more suited for Milky Way photography (the galactic centre appears higher (and hence brighter) in the sky, the further south you go), but summer in the northern Hemisphere is pretty good as well.

Star Trails and landscapes: The streaks of light resulting from the long-exposure of the night sky - a result of the apparent changing position of stars relative to the Earth's rotation - can provide an artistic background to landscapes. If you point the camera towards the Earth's axis of rotation (for example the North Star in the northern hemisphere), you get those mesmerising streaks of light in concentric circles - the so called circular star trails.

Auroras: These ethereal atmospheric phenomenon that occur in the winters at high latitudes can make spectacular wide-field photography subjects, best captured with the a foreground of bleak frozen landscapes, contrasted with the an inky black, star-filled sky. Be warned, though, that while certain atmospheric conditions are favourable for Auroras (making short-term predictions of their occurrence relatively reliable), their occurrence is hard to predict well in advance (probably necessitating a multi-day visit, adorned in multiple layers of clothing, to optimise chances).

Equipment: A sturdy tripod and camera with creative controls for long-exposures and competent low-light sensitivity (in film cameras, this boils down to the choice of high ISO film). Preferably a remote release or an ability to delay the shutter release, if your camera allows such an option, and a lens with a wide focal length (35mm or below, full frame equivalent), with good optical qualities.

Time-lapse:

An elegant method to represent phenomena occurring indiscernibly slowly, by accelerating it in a time compressed video (combining still images, taken at periodic intervals, into a (very) slow-frame rate video). Great to capture the passage of the night sky over hours or meteor showers, often with a landscape element in the frame.

Equipment: Similar to wide-field astrophotography, with an inclusion of an external or in built interval timer (many modern cameras have in-built interval timers and software to stitch together a video).

Deep Sky:

Andromeda Galaxy, our nearest galactic neighbour, from the dark skies of the Kadarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in the Himalayas. Although a relatively easy deep-sky target to photograph, this rendering still required multiple images and plenty of post-processing. PC: Ravi Kailas

Perhaps the most technically challenging (extensive post processing of multiple, typically long exposure images, preceded by exacting equipment set-up) and requiring the most equipment, of all types of astrophotography - where the targets are the (often faint) nebulae, globular/open star clusters, and galaxies.

Equipment: Imaging tool (advanced, such as a DSLR or mirrorless equivalent, sometimes modified for especially for astrophotography (there are dedicated CCD cameras for astrophotography as well - this rabbit hole goes deep), attached to fast, high quality optics, very sturdy stabilisation aids (tripods, etc) and an automated tracker (a device that can compensate for the rotation of the Earth, allowing for long exposures of the night sky without star trailing). Cameras can be attached either to regular lenses or telescopes, with adapters, the optics of which are often better optimised to pick out these subjects.

Lunar Imaging:

Our Earth's Moon is a great subject for anyone starting out in astrophotography - requiring minimal specialised skills or equipment, or even better (?), without having to travel for ideal conditions. However, there are so many facets to it, one can spend a lifetime capturing its changing phases, features and eclipses. My own experience is limited to pointing my DSLR/telephoto lens at it during total eclipses or contorting my smart phone camera lens on my 8" Dobsonian telescope's eye piece (for a resultant crude, albeit feature rich result). Here is an excellent article with the basics of Lunar imaging and much more.

The 'Red' Moon during a recent total eclipse. PC: Ravi Kailas

Planetary Imaging:

A technically challenging field, to capture the planets of our Solar Systems (Saturn and Jupiter are especially lovely and full of intricacies) of which I have very little direct knowledge. Here is an excellent piece that discusses the basics and a bit more.

Solar Imaging:

Finally, a subject for which one need not burn the midnight oil for! While the sun can appear like a featureless ball of light, there are intricacies there like sun spots and flares, that can be brought out in images using a variety of techniques (often with use of appropriate filters). Then, there is the magnificent phenomenon of the eclipse and associated nuances to represent photographically.

Once again, I do not have direct experience imaging our Sun (apart from pretty sunsets) - here is a piece that throws considerable light on the subject. What I do know is, you must not look at directly or photograph the sun without specialised filters - since this can result in severe damage to your eyes/equipment.

My Equipment

Over the years, I have accumulated and churned through, quite a variety of equipment in pursuit of Astrophotography. I started off with an interest in wide-field, but concentrate mostly on Deep Sky subjects these days (at least whenever I get to travel to dark sky locations at the right time of year - not very often, unfortunately)

Below is a list of equipment - many of them complementing my interest in nature photography - that I use/have used so far:

Cameras/Lenses

Fuji X100 (Fixed Lens Mirrorless, 17mm f2.0)

Canon 6D coupled with

300mm f2.8 II
100-400mm f4-5.6 I

Olympus OMD-EM5 MKII coupled with

M.Zuiko1 17mm f1.8
M. Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro
M. Zuiko 40-150mm f2.8 Pro

At the moment, I only use the relatively compact Olympus system for Astrophotography.