Spent 4 hours trying to get a clear shot of the Orion Nebula

My tracking mount was slightly off and I kept getting star trails in every 2 minute exposure. I finally realized my tripod leg was on a soft patch of ground. Has anyone else wasted a whole night on a simple setup mistake?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_diana25d ago

Ugh, did you try putting a paving stone under that leg?

jade61825d ago

Oh the paving stone trick. I tried that once and ended up with a table that looked like it was trying to do a karate kick. The leg was stable, but then the other three were just wobbling in the breeze. I had to give up and just use a folded-up napkin like a normal, less ambitious person.