Want to shoot the milky way in South Florida/Miami area! Where to go??? The keys

[haring]

Hi!

I would like to shoot the milky way in South Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale)!

The question: Where should I go so am away from light pollution and I can take a picture of the milky way and the stars?

I have checked darksite finder.

Also people recommend the everglades off of 75 The problem is that it is still not too dark, and with the level of humidity normally present refracted light.

Others recommended Florida keys.

Do you know a location you can recommend? I don't have time and $ to go to Arizona! LOL

Thanks a lot!!!

[joneil]

  You need to go down as far as the lower keys, such as Bahia Honda state park or around Big Pine Key.  The annual Winter Star Party is hosted on Scout Key, right beside Bahia Honda, every year in February, and it is one of the major amatuer star parties in the US.   It's a wonderful drive anyhow, and I would do it in a heartbeat myself if I could.  

  Here is one I took myself at the WSP this past February.  18mm Zeiss, D800, tracked exposure (about 3 minutes if memory serves me correctly) on a Byers-Cam track.  All one shot, I did not cut and paste tow images together.

   One other thing, the whole of the Keys, at least I find, is a wonderful place to go for photography.  Bahia Honda is incredible, and for what it is worth, an extra hour's drive down to Key West and the old architecture there is great.  Just sayin.

[haring]

 You need to go down as far as the lower keys, such as Bahia Honda state park or around Big Pine Key.  The annual Winter Star Party is hosted on Scout Key, right beside Bahia Honda, every year in February, and it is one of the major amatuer star parties in the US.   It's a wonderful drive anyhow, and I would do it in a heartbeat myself if I could.  

  Here is one I took myself at the WSP this past February.  18mm Zeiss, D800, tracked exposure (about 3 minutes if memory serves me correctly) on a Byers-Cam track.  All one shot, I did not cut and paste tow images together.

   One other thing, the whole of the Keys, at least I find, is a wonderful place to go for photography.  Bahia Honda is incredible, and for what it is worth, an extra hour's drive down to Key West and the old architecture there is great.  Just sayin.

WOW! very nice! I love it!!! Where did you park?

[haring]

Do you have a link to the Byers-Cam track?
Where can I get one?

[redronin]

If you're looking for photography tours and trips in the region, check out http://phototripster.com
It's an online directory of photography tours and trips around the world.

There's nothing there yet, but for the future it might be something useful for you.

[kayakfari]

If you have access to a boat, you get find a good remote location for night photography. But from land, I'd say even pulling off Hwy 41 (Tamiami Trail) onto one of the Big Cypress access points or campgrounds can be good. Collier Seminole St Park could be an option, also maybe even Goodland. In Everglades National Park, you can camp at either of the two main campgrounds and then ride or hike out to a good spot. Flamingo in particular has trails that lead way out, at night you can be pretty much assured not to be disturbed! Spring time is the best for comfort and low humidity.

(click pic)



Whole sky Milky Way neighborhood as seen from East Cape in the Everglades on low tide.

Bottom: Due south, note strong glow from Marathon & Key West far to the right.

Top: Due north, glow at left is the perpetual dawn from Miami/FLL metro areas.





Moonless night, looking due east from East Cape, ENP. Note the permanent dawn on the horizon.


Sadly this "permanent dawn" in the eastern sky will be reduced, but still visible even from 100 miles away on the west coast!



The above pics are from this trip to East Cape in the Everglades:

http://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/coastal/go-west-to-east-cape-an-interior-route-via-spoonbill-pass-and-raulerson-prairie/

Florida Bay has the darkest skies ..  http://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/chickees-and-keys-in-florida-bay-kayaking-camping-and-nice-dreams/


Good luck!
Flex Maslan
www.kayakfari.com

[kayakfari]

I just put up two special features on moonscapes and night lanscapes on my site.

ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part I - "A Trip to the Moon"

ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II - "It's full of Stars!"

The second one has the Milky Way images from various locations in the Everglades.

Enjoy!