Night Sky over Turk’s Head

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April 2013

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Mark Watson

Mark is Wilderness’s gear editor and a dedicated storyteller, documenting his adventures in both words and photos.

By Mark Watson

This shot was taken at 9.53pm on Turk’s Head, near Mt Ionia, looking towards Arawhata Saddle and the mountains at the head of the Dart Glacier. Shooting with the aperture wide open and at a high ISO has allowed the camera’s sensor to draw a lot of light from the sky, revealing infinite stars and a sense of depth. A relatively short shutter speed of 30 seconds and a very wide focal length has prevented star trails and frozen the stars in place.

Settings: Canon EOS 5DMKII, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 30sec.

About the author

Mark Watson

Wilderness gear editor Mark Watson divides his workdays between graphic design, writing and photography. His passion for tramping, climbing, cycling and storytelling has taken him all over Aotearoa and the world in search of great trails, perfect moves and epic light. He has published four books and his photographs have featured in numerous publications. Especially motivated by long distance travel, he has tramped Te Araroa and cycled from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.