Evaluation of my 'fisherman's cottage at mullion cove' under the milky way sky

 A critique of my 'Mullion quayside cottage under the milky way' image 

I am really pleased with this photograph. A great improvement on my normal milky way landscape efforts. But, in an attempt to be truly evaluative, I have taken a closer look.

But beforer we get into this, if you want to read more about my summer season of milky way photography - visit https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/09/an-epic-milky-way-summer-16-nights-2000.html

As always, if you have some constructive comments and tips – then drop them in the comment box below so that we can all learn something new.

 

Horizon & Edge Alignment

Masking along the roof line of the cottage and night sky is fairly clean but there is some dark fringing and slight star bleed right above the chimney and along the right of the building.

Landform masking is ok, but there is a telltale soft boundary glow on the far-left cliff edge, where the rocky slope meets the sky. Culprit? Poor masking during the composite blend.


Lighting Consistency

Foreground Lighting: The stone cottage and grassy bank are brightly lit with warm, directional light from my off-camera light painting with a head torch. While this light painting adds pop, the exposure on the front stone wall is almost ‘too’ bright relative to the night sky, thus making the building look artificially pasted over a dark backdrop rather than sitting naturally in a starlit scene.

Colour Balance: The sky features a deep greenish-teal airglow gradient alongside the magenta galactic core. However, the cottage lighting is heavily saturated in warm amber/yellow – this creates a stark, slightly unnatural warm-versus-cool clash.

Potential correction? Softening the light painting exposure on the stone wall and cooling its white balance slightly would blend the foreground seamlessly into the night environment.

Storytelling and narrative

I have been really focusing on two elements this year – composition and narrative story telling within an image. Let’s take a look then at whether I have made any progress.

Narrative Impact: Featuring an iconic coastal cottage in this part of the Lizard Peninsula ties directly into the essence of shelter, heritage, and rest along the south west coastal path trail. Well, I hope so.
Composition: The vertical orientation works well I think - the galactic core erupts directly behind the cottage like chimney smoke, creating a powerful vertical line that draws the viewer’s eye straight up from the cottage to the cosmos.

My Final Verdict?
I think this is a visually striking composition with great vertical energy. Tightening the edge mask along the left cliff and softening the artificial light painting on the cottage stone will turn this image in to a really good photograph.

 

So, next steps:

To tone down the harsh bright light painting on the cottage front and to blend it naturally into the night sky using Affinity Photo 1, I could:

 

1.Target the Foreground Layer: In the Layers Panel, select the foreground image layer containing the illuminated stone cottage. Blend Colour Temperature with White Balance by adding a White Balance Adjustment Layer directly above the foreground layer and clip it (drag it onto the foreground layer thumbnail). Shift the Temperature slider toward blue (cooler) and slightly adjust Tint toward green/magenta until the artificial amber light on the stone matches the surrounding ambient night light.

2. Pull Back Highlights with Curves: so, some Exposure Control. Add a Curves Adjustment Layer clipped to the foreground. Click the top-right node of the curve (the highlights) and drag it downward to lower the harsh intensity of the lit stone wall. Add a node in the centre to pull the midtones down slightly, ensuring the building sits naturally in shadow without looking washed out.

3.Apply a Vignette & Edge Shadow: Final Polish by adding a new Pixel Layer set to Multiply blend mode at 40–50% opacity. Select a large, ultra-soft Paintbrush Tool (B) with dark blue/black ink at 10% opacity, and gently brush around the outer base and roof edges of the cottage to roll off the light painting naturally into the surrounding darkness.

Verification: If I hide and reveal my adjustment layers to confirm that the cottage maintains its detail while looking lit by gentle starlight and ambient glow rather than a bright flashlight – I can evaluate how well these planned adjustments might look.

 

There are other things I could so, although I haven’t quite yet worked out the workflow order yet:

To create a sharp, clean mask along a rigid structure like a stone roofline in Affinity Photo 1 without leaving dark halos or soft bleeding:

1.Outline the Roofline with the Pen Tool: Selection. Select the Pen Tool (P) set to Mode: Path in the top context toolbar. Zoom in closely (200%) and click along the roofline, chimney, and edges to trace the structure precisely. Placing points slightly inside the outer edge of the roof prevents catching sky pixels.

2.Convert the Path to a Selection: Conversion.

With my vector path complete, click the Selection button in the top context toolbar to convert the vector outline into a "marching ants" active selection.

3.Apply Subtle Edge Feathering: Refinement.

Go to Select > Refine Edges. Set Feather to a tiny value (0.5 - 1.0 px) to prevent the cut from looking like a harsh vector cutout. Leave Smooth and Ramp at 0 to avoid softening the straight edges of the roof. Click Apply and see what happens.

4.Generate the Layer Mask: Masking.

With the cottage layer selected in the Layers Panel, click the Mask Layer icon at the bottom of the panel. This automatically clips the sky out along my trace.

Verification: Zoom to 100% along the roofline and chimney. Toggle the sky layer on and off to confirm there are no dark fringe outlines, bright halos, or missing stone textures.

 

On looking closely at this image again – I suddenly spotted some high ISO sensor noise and some ‘grain’ in the sky layer. So this needs resolving. A possible work flow is:

1.Duplicate & Target the Sky Layer: Isolation.

In the Layers Panel, select my sky layer to duplicate it. Name this new layer "Sky Denoise". This keeps my edits non-destructive.

2.Remove Colour Speckles (Denoise Live Filter): Colour Noise.

Go to Layer > New Live Filter Layer > Noise > Denoise... Drag the live filter layer so it sits inside my "Sky Denoise" layer. In the Denoise dialog, set Extreme to off, and increase Chrominance slider. This should clear out ugly red, green, and blue colour speckles from dark space without softening star details.

3.Smooth Luminance Noise: Luminance Grain.

In the same Denoise dialog, I could slowly raise the Luminance slider and keep Luminance Detail around 50% to ensure fine stars don't get erased or smudged into blobs.

4.Protect Sharp Stars with Frequency Separation: Star Preservation.

If fine stars still lose sharp contrast – that is a potential issue - Filters > Frequency Separation... setting the radius to 2 – should help. Apply noise reduction only to the High Frequency or Low Frequency layer as needed (I am still learning what these layers are), or invert my Denoise mask and paint noise reduction onto the black space between stars using a soft brush. Again, this is new learning for me.

Verification: Zoom to 100% on a dark patch of space away from the Milky Way core. Toggle the Denoise filter on and off to verify that colour grain disappears while the smallest stars remain crisp pinpoint dots.

 

As always, I will put the new image here and we will be able to do a direct comparison to see whether my proposed work flow above has worked.

Critique of photo of picnic bench under milky way at wembury point on south west coastal footpath

 Self‑Evaluation: A Closer Look at the Bench‑Under‑the‑Milky‑Way Image

Every now and then, it’s worth turning the lens back on ourselves. So, let’s take my recent 'bench under milky way' photo  and give it a proper, honest critique - the kind you’d give a friend over a mug of tea after a long night shoot.

Before we do the evaluation - if you want to read about my milky way summer season - then visit https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/09/an-epic-milky-way-summer-16-nights-2000.html

Horizon & Edge Blending

The horizon is level - always a relief, given my failing eyesight - but there’s a soft, slightly un‑natural halo where the sea meets the sky, especially just left of the central rock formation. It’s the visual equivalent of a poorly ironed shirt: most of it looks fine, but one crease catches the eye every time.

Likely culprit: A masking boundary that wasn’t quite seamless. 

Lesson learned: I need to refine those horizon masks so the transition feels natural rather than “pasted”.

Foreground Lighting & Atmosphere

The lantern’s warm glow around the bench works beautifully, in my opinion - casting gentle patches of light across the grass. The head‑torch illumination on the bench itself also feels balanced and intentional.

But here’s the contrast:

The sky is bursting with a vibrant, saturated Milky Way core  - rich magentas and pinks - while the ocean and cliff face sit in much cooler, darker tones. Night foregrounds should be subdued, but the sky’s intensity feels slightly disconnected from the moody sea beneath it.

Corrective action: Dial back magenta saturation a touch, or lift the ocean with a subtle cool ambient wash. Either approach would help the sky and sea feel like they belong in the same nocturnal world.

Composition & Narrative Intent

My aim was simple: a quiet moment at a picnic bench beneath the cosmos, capturing the feeling of pausing along the South West Coast Path to breathe in the night.

The diagonal Milky Way anchors the right side of the frame, balancing my figure seated at the bench. The island acts as a mid‑ground waypoint - a visual stepping stone between the human element and the vast sky above. Ideally, the viewer’s eye follows the same sight line I had on the night: bench → sea → stars.

Overall: I think the human‑scale storytelling works. The scene feels contemplative and grounded. With a cleaner horizon blend and slightly softened sky colouration, the image could step up a level.

So, What do you think?

Have I judged this fairly? Missed anything glaring? Drop your thoughts in the comments — constructive critique is always welcome. We learn faster when we learn together.

Next Steps (The Practical Fix‑List)

Refining the Horizon Seam

To tidy up that ocean/sky boundary in Affinity Photo v1, I need to:

• Re‑select either the ocean or sky area → Refine → gently push the ramp slider outward
• Add a 1–2 px feather for smoother blending
• Use a luminosity selection on a layer mask to prevent dark water bleeding into the brighter sky – don’t know how to do this yet
• On the sky layer, add a layer mask
• With a soft round brush, colour black, opacity/flow around 20%, paint gently over the horizon seam
• This gradually blends the transition instead of creating a hard edge

Knowing what to do is one thing… knowing how to do it without muttering at the screen is another entirely.

 

Colour & Contrast Corrections

To harmonise sky and foreground tones:

Sky Colour

• Add an HSL adjustment layer above the sky
• Switch the colour wheel from Master → Magenta/Red
• Reduce saturation by ~15% to tame the magenta cast

Foreground Ambient Lift

• Add a Curves adjustment above the foreground layer
• Raise midtones slightly
• Lift shadows just a touch to match the sky’s ambient feel

Split Toning for Cohesion

• Apply a Split Tone adjustment to the image stack
• Set shadow tones to a deeper blue (low saturation: 5–10%)
• This ties the cool sea to the night sky, creating a unified palette

Astrophotography at Wembury Point, Devon: Milky Way Magic and a Midnight Fire Scare

 To learn more about my summer time marathon Milky way shoot visit: https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/09/an-epic-milky-way-summer-16-nights-2000.html

Milky Way Selfies at Wembury Point — Fires, Firefighters and a Very Guilty Use Of The White Headtorch

Wembury Point - a beautiful National Trust‑managed stretch of coastline just east of Plymouth - is one of my favourite “quick escape” astrophotography haunts. The car park may be small, but the views certainly aren’t: sweeping panoramas across Wembury Bay, with the Great Mewstone island rising like a dark, brooding whale, and the mouth of the River Yealm incising away inland into the night. Time your visit right, using Photopills for the Milky Way’s position, and the whole scene transforms into a natural amphitheatre for night sky photography.

 This summer I headed out for two compositions - both selfies, which is unusual for me. Nobody needs a photo of me under the Milky Way. Not even my mother. The only exception? Me.

A selfie, for me, is a memory anchor. A way of ‘freeze-framing’  the feeling of standing alone beneath the cosmos - warm air, faint breeze, no moon, and the Milky Way arcing overhead like someone has dusted sparkly icing sugar across a black velvet tablecloth. The smell of gorse and wild daisies drifting up the slopes. The salty tang air from waves breaking 100 feet below. Badgers rustling along the fenceline, snuffling with joyous enthusiasm, as they discover a gourmet worm buffet.

Cosmic reflections at Wembury Point 

An Unexpected Plot Twist

On the night I captured the “bench selfie”, I’d already bumped into the area ranger striding up the hill to close and padlock the gate. Odd, I thought, as unusually, it had been wide open when I arrived.

“Wildfires across the headland,” he sighed. “No idea how they started. Fire and Rescue have been here for two days damping it down. They’ve only just left.”

We chatted about drought, fire risks, and the general human inability to behave sensibly around dry vegetation. He lamented the removal of the cows - apparently their grazing kept the gorse in check and helped wildflowers thrive. After a brief exchange about astrophotography, he clunked the gate shut, snapped the padlock, and left me to my own devices.

For the next hour, everything went beautifully. I worked through foreground compositions, collected tracked shots at different ISO and shutter speeds, and ignored the large lorry with blazing headlights up in the car park. I’ve seen farm vehicles up there at night before, so I wasn’t concerned.

“You know anything about the fire then, sir?”

My wife almost collected on my life insurance!

Two jacketless firefighters had materialised behind me like ghosts, instantly apologetic when they realised they’d scared the bejesus right out of me.

“Sorry to interrupt your astro session, sir. We’ve had a report the fire has flared up again. We’re trying to locate the flames, but… nothing so far.”

It was 01:50. I genuinely felt for them - three days on the headland, shoulders slumped with exhaustion, yet still professional and determined. We discussed the lack of smoke, crackling, or smell. I’d been there long enough to know if anything was burning. They decided to open the gates, drive across the headland, and walk the entire area again.

Off they trudged into the darkness, leaving me alone once more - grateful for people willing to face danger so the rest of us can enjoy quiet nights under the stars.

 

An hour later, a low shout drifted from the gate.

“Don’t jump, sir — it’s us again! Just updating you.”

Several people had reported a “red flickering flame” on the headland. But still no flames, no smoke, no smouldering.

And you, dear reader, already know exactly where this is going.

Some insomniac muppets in Wembury village had seen … my red headtorch.

The firefighters and I huddled together, laughing at how easily a periodic red glow could be mistaken for raging flames. But we agreed it was better people cared enough to report it. Better safe than sorry - especially on a coastline they clearly love.

As for me? I felt guilty for the rest of the night and promptly ruined my night vision by switching to the white torch. A small price to pay for not triggering another emergency response.

'Is there anyone out there?'

So, Bottom Line - Have I Actually Made Any Progress Since Starting Milky Way Landscape Photography?

As someone who’s spent 35 years in education, I’ve always believed in meaningful self‑evaluation. I won’t bore you with the pedagogical theory (you’re welcome), but if you want to be a lifelong learner - in astrophotography or anything else - honest reflection is your rocket fuel.

Over the decades, countless “Assessment for Learning” strategies have drifted in and out of the UK National Curriculum, like passing comets. But two ideas have always stuck with me.

The first comes from the Growth Mindset world: “We grow our own success.” I’ve always loved that. It’s a reminder that progress is built on perseverance, resilience, practice, and the willingness to try new approaches when the first few attempts fall flat on their face.

The second is a simple classroom classic: “Two Stars and a Wish.” My students swore by it - and I still use it today.

⭐ Two Stars

These are the things you’re genuinely pleased with - the areas where you’ve stepped forward in knowledge, understanding, or skill in a piece of work.

Right now, on my Learning Milky Way Landscape Photography journey, my two stars would be:

• Far better thought given to composition within the landscape. I’m finally thinking about how the Milky Way interacts with the terrain rather than just pointing the camera skyward and hoping for the best.
• Improved confidence using SIRIL’s python scripts. I’m beginning to understand what they do, why they matter, and how to use them to better effect. Baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

⭐ And My Wish…

The thing I need to improve if I’m going to keep progressing?

Simple. Selections, masking, layering and tonality in Affinity Photo.

This particular wish may take a while. Possibly a very long while. Possibly long enough for the next ice age to roll in. But that’s the joy of learning - there’s always another mountain to climb, another tool to master, another “why is this doing that?” moment to swear at.

What’s Next?

Over the coming months, I’ll share more stories from my Milky Way summer marathon - the successes, the failures, the “what on earth was I thinking?” moments, and the newly revised workflows that have helped me improve.

I’ll explain:

• What I do
• How I do it
• Why I do it
• And how it’s better than what I did before

I may also indulge in a little gentle rumination: the mental‑wellbeing benefits of stargazing along our incredible coastline, and whether a finished landscape image means different things to different people.

As always - enjoy the big skies, stay safe out there, and have fun. Keep looking up.

Steve Aka #PlymouthAstroBoy

“An Epic Milky Way Summer: 16 Nights, 2000 Photos & a New Star Tracker Under South West Skies”

“A summer of Milky Way photography across Devon, Dorset & Cornwall. New MSM Nomad tracker, coastal night shoots, lessons learned and plenty of biscuits.”

My Epic Milky Way Summer: Ten Nights, nearly 1000 photos, and, frankly, an alarming number of biscuits

Hello everyone - hope you’re all doing well. 

Some of you have noticed I’ve been MIA for a few weeks. Sorry about that. 

In my defence, I’ve been busy astrophotographing. Is that a word? Probably not, but let’s pretend it is.

This summer turned into a full‑blown Milky Way marathon: ten nights in July, six in August, and a couple more planned for September. What started as a vague idea on the cliffs at Durdle Door back in May/June somehow evolved into a personal “epic astro summer session”. Sitting above that iconic arch, watching the Milky Way lift itself over the horizon like a celestial curtain call, I realised how lucky I am to live within two hours of some of the most dramatic coastlines in the UK. And so, the plan was born:

Photograph the Milky Way across four no‑moon windows in June, July, August, and September 2026.

A New Tracker, A New Adventure

Part of the motivation came from the arrival of my new MSM Nomad Star Tracker - a tiny device that has completely changed the way I shoot. Compared to my old Star Adventurer 2i, the Nomad is like swapping an old pedal bike for an electric one. I can now arrive at a location, set up in six minutes, capture tracked sky frames and separate landscape foregrounds, and be heading to the next spot within half an hour.

It’s transformed my time management and opened up multiple‑location nights I simply couldn’t attempt before. I posted my first‑impressions review here:

https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-move-shoot-move-nomad-star-tracker.html

I’ll update that review soon with everything I’ve learned during this astro‑summer.

Why These Wild Places Matter

My time on the cliffs at Durdle Door also nudged me into thinking more deeply about why these rugged coastlines feel so good for the soul. What is it about standing alone under a sugar‑sprinkled sky, listening to the wind and waves, that feels grounding and restorative? And why do I keep gravitating toward National Trust locations?

I’ll share those reflections in a future post - it deserves its own space.

But in the meantime .......

Where I’ve Been: A Summer Under South West Skies

Devon

• Wembury Beach & Mill Café House — National Trust
• Wembury Point & Heybrook Bay — National Trust
• Dartmouth Daymark
• Bigbury‑on‑Sea & Burgh Island
• Soar Mill Lookout Station — National Trust
• Bolberry Down — National Trust

Dorset

• Durdle Door

Cornwall

• Mullion Cove — National Trust
• Cape Cornwall & Priest Cove — National Trust
• Lizard Point — National Trust
• Kynance Cove — National Trust
• Botallack Mines — National Trust
• Goonhilly Earth Station

The Aims (Nothing Too Grand or Philosophical)

Every adventure needs a rationale - even the small ones. Mine were simple:

• Capture one well‑composed, well‑edited Milky Way landscape image with a clear focal foreground. Tracked, stacked, blended  - the usual astro‑parlance.
• Get properly familiar with the quirks and benefits of the MSM Nomad tracker.
• Improve my understanding of the ISO/aperture/shutter speed relationship for both sky and foreground, especially during blue hour.
• Explore and articulate why being out under the stars feels so deeply restorative.

The Numbers Behind the Nights

• 1000+ photographs
• 40+ hours under silky‑smooth, sugar‑sprinkled, black‑velvet skies
• Countless miles driven
• Countless cups of tea brewed
• Biscuits consumed in quantities that probably require a medical disclaimer

I’ve genuinely improved my landscape composition (not hard, given my starting point). I’m learning how many frames to take, how to read a histogram without squinting like its hieroglyphics, and how ISO can be used more creatively.

I’ve also changed how I process Milky Way skies and landscapes - experimenting with Sequator, SIRIL, and Affinity Photo, mixing things up to see what emerges. Some results have been surprisingly good; others… well, let’s call them “learning opportunities”.

Over the next month or two, I’ll share everything - the wins, the mistakes, the workflow tweaks, and the inevitable misadventures. I’ll also update my Milky Way processing workflow pages.

A Little Taster

Here are two images from this summer. I hope you’ll agree they show real progress in my understanding of what makes a quality Milky Way landscape image.

"Reflecting on my place in the cosmos"

Taken at Wembury Point, South Devon

Equipment: astromodded Canon 800D with Samyang 14mm F/2 lens on a Move Shoot Move Nomad Star Tracker attached to a William Optics equatorial wedge on a Benbo Mach 3 Carbon Fibre Tripod

The photo is a tracked stacked blend comprising:

foreground shot at F/4.5  Iso 200 and 90" shutter speed with light painting for 5" towards end

sky: F/2.8 Iso 1600 @90" x 12

Stacked in Affinity photo, edited in Siril, finished in affinity photo 

"Just after sunset"

Taken at Wheal Owles, Botallack, far west Cornwall - tin mining country

Equipment: astromodded Canon 800D with Samyang 14mm F/2 lens on a Move Shoot Move Nomad Star Tracker attached to a William Optics equatorial wedge on a Benbo Mach 3 Carbon Fibre Tripod

The photo is a tracked stacked blend comprising:

foreground shot at F/4.5  Iso 200 and 60" shutter speed with light painting for 5" towards end

sky: F/2.8 Iso 3200 60" x 16

Stacked in Affinity photo, edited in Siril, finished in affinity photo 

I am genuinely proud of both these images - they demonstrate huge progress in my understanding of the ISO-shutter-aperture relationship, improved compositional skills and my first proper attempts at light painting. They are still works in progress and no doubt I will come back to them during the winter months and try and improve them some more. They do show that finally, and yes folks I know, its been some time coming, buit yes, finally, I am beginning to understand how to use layers and masks in Affinity! 

And Finally … I Joined Instagram

Yes, really. I am no longer a luddite. I’m catching up with Generation Z - slowly, cautiously, and with the digital equivalent of stabilisers.

You can find me at:

#plymouthastroboy

If you feel like it, drop me a like, or better still, a constructive comment.

Until Next Time ....... 

Clear skies, stay safe, and never forget to look up - and sideways - to appreciate both the celestial heavens and the magnificent landscape you’re standing in.

Catch up soon, 

Steve 

aka

#Plymouthastroboy

The Move Shoot Move Nomad star tracker

 The MSM Nomad: The Star Tracker that's a pocket-sized time machine

If you’ve ever stood on a windy cliff in South Devon, staring at your camera and muttering “Why do my stars look like they’re trying to escape the frame?”, the Move Shoot Move Nomad might just be your new best mate. It is certainly becoming mine. 

This little tracker is basically the astrophotography equivalent of a very polite but determinedly helpful butler or PA:“Don’t worry, sir, I’ll rotate the Earth for you. You just press the shutter and then step back.”

It’s tiny, it’s light, and it’s surprisingly capable - like a proper equatorial mount got shrunk in the wash but came out still fully functional.

Sounds unbelieveable? Well, let’s dive in and take a look. to be transparent - I have had the MSM Nomad tracker for around six weeks now; and no I'm not being paid or sponsored in any way at all. 

First night out with the MSM Nomad star tracker.              

This is at Wembury Point on the South Devon coast. A tracked, stacked and blended photography comprising a tracked and stacked sky shot and then a separate foreground landscape selfie with a little light painting and illumination 

Are the stars pinpoint? No not quite. Is this the fault of the tracker? No! Its my failing eyesight - even when using live view x 10. And, its also the silly design opf the Samyang 14mm lens with its stupid petal surround that prevents secure use of a bahtinov mask. 

What is the MSM Nomad?

The Move Shoot Move Nomad is a compact star tracker designed for nightscape photographers who want longer exposures without lugging around a heavier mount like the Skywatcher Star Adventurer. Its particulary good, as I have been finding out, for milky way landscape photography. 

It weighs around 400–450g, supports roughly 3.2kg, and seems happiest with wide-angle to short telephoto lenses (14–50mm). Powered by an internal battery - USB‑C charging - it has a run time around 5 hours, uses a laser for polar alignment, and is built for travel, hiking, and those “I don’t want to carry a SkyWatcher across Dartmoor” situations.

Is it the Swiss Army Knife of star trackers?  

Well, it’s not the biggest, probably not the strongest, not the most versatile in one sense because it can't do some of what my skywatcher star tracker does - but it is incredibly handy, portable and always there when you need it -especially for milky way landscape astrophotography. 

St. Michael's Chapel on Rame Head in SE Cornwall

Tracked and stacked sky; separate foreground

Canon 800D astromodded with Samyang 14mm on the MSM Nomad and William optics equatorial wedge. Benbro Mach 3 CF tripod. 

Stacked in Sequator; edited firstly in SIRIL and then finished in Affinity Photo 1

So, what can it be used for?

Milky Way Photography

This is where the Nomad shines. Expect 1–4 minute exposures with crisp stars and dramatically cleaner files. This seems to be the Nomad’s sweet spot. Photographers reviews routinely report achieving 120–240 second exposures with crisp stars, even on full‑frame bodies and f/2.8 lenses - and I can confirm after a few months using it - 3 to 4 minutes is achieveable with good laser polar aligning. 

To me, from my limited experiences with it thus far, the tracker seems perfect for:

• Milky Way arches
• Tracked sky + untracked foreground blends
• Reducing ISO from “grainy soup” to “actually quite lovely”

Travel, hiking and a little more ...... 

If you’ve ever tried stuffing a Star Adventurer into a backpack, you’ll appreciate the Nomad’s “I’ll just slip into this side pocket, cheers” attitude. It really, really is lightweight and compact. However, add in a ball head and a base swiss-arc plate on the bottom and it starts to bulk up a little. 

Laser alignment means you don’t have to squint through a polar scope - something I have always found rather 'back breaking' on my my other two trackers.  A polarscope with mount iis an optional extra set up from MSM and this is where I start to have reservations. With the SWSA2i and my ipton skytracker - you get everything you need. With MSM - its the tracker base unit and then you have to start paying for the extras - the wedge; then the laser pen; don't forget the polarscope and its holder; oh and the phone holder; and should you desire some heavier lenses - then the counterweight system. 

It is endless! And it all adds up to a hefty price tag. 

Another tracked, stacked blend of separate sky and foreground images shot on the same night at the same locaiton using same equipment as previous photograph

Strengths & Weaknesses

Based on my experiences thus far (and you can read about these in future posts) -

Strengths

• Ridiculously portable - perfect for travel, hiking, and spontaneous Milky Way sessions.
• Laser alignment - fast, intuitive, and brilliant for beginners. From arrival at location to shooting images takes me around five to eight minutes max; and the laser alignment removes the steep learning curve of traditional polar scopes. 
• Great for wide-angle Milky Way - consistently sharp stars at long exposures.
• Short Telephoto Deep-Sky Attempts can be done with the counterweight system - dabble in 85–135mm deep-sky shots, but remember the Nomad is not a full-blown astrophotography mount. It’s more “dabble politely” than “go full nebula hunter”. 
• Affordable compared to bigger mounts - if you restrict ytour spending on accessories and just go with the basics - the tracker and the laser pen. 
• Plenty of free 3d printer plan downloads for phone holders etc - you can use various apps to actually polar align accurately - when for example you have a restricted viewing of Polaris and so can't sight on it. You can also get 3d free download printer plans for the polarscope holoder as well. 

Weaknesses

• Low payload capacity - heavy cameras or long lens are a no-no - although to be fair I haven't tried the otional counterweight kit
• Not for serious deep-sky - no autoguiding, and I suspect, only limited torque.
• Laser restrictions - some locations frown upon lasers; polar scope is extra, as is a smartphone holder – as I mentioned above - you can use a polar alignment app – so there is versatility
• Battery life ~5 hours -  fine for a session, but bring a power bank for all-nighters.
• Panoramas can be tricky - rotation geometry isn’t ideal for multi-panel Milky Way mosaics.

Verdict

Reviewers say the MSM Nomad is one of the best ultra-portable star trackers for nightscape photographers, especially those who hike, travel, or simply don’t want to carry a mount that weighs more than their enthusiasm; and I concur with most of this.

It is also a relatively budget‑friendly entry point for photographers who want to improve their night sky images without investing in heavier, more expensive mounts.

I am amazed at how many really professional phtographers on social media use one and get astonishing images. It has a beginner friendly design – helping new astrophotographers get better milky way images, longer exposures and cleaner files, much more quickly than perhaps with other star trackers.  

It’s not a deep-sky rig, but for wide-angle astrophotography, it’s a joy - simple, reliable, and capable. So, if your shooting style involves wandering across the South West coastline at silly o’clock, like me, then the Nomad fits right in. 

Now, I have tried to put a summary table together – but don’t hold me to complete reliability for some of the statistics – hope it helps though in working out where the MSM Nomad sort of sits in the world of trackers:

 

Comparison Table (Now Including the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer 2i)

Wide‑Angle & Lightweight Star Tracker Comparison (2026)

Feature / Reviewer Insight	MSM Nomad	SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Mini (SAM)	iOptron SkyTracker Pro	SkyWatcher Star Adventurer 2i
Weight	0.45 kg — ultra‑light, pocketable	0.65 kg — portable	1.1 kg — heavier	1.3 kg — significantly heavier
Payload Capacity	3.2 kg	3 kg	3 kg	5 kg — best in class
Best Focal Length Range	14–50mm	14–85mm (can push to 135mm)	14–85mm	14–200mm+ — proper telephoto capability
Polar Alignment	Laser alignment (fast, intuitive)	Polar scope	Polar scope	Excellent polar scope + wedge
Ease of Use	Beginner‑friendly	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate–Advanced (more parts)
Battery Life	~5 hours (USB‑C)	~24 hours (AA)	~24 hours	~24 hours (AA)
Deep‑Sky Suitability	Low	Medium	Medium	High — can handle small refractors
Portability	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor–Moderate (heavier, bulkier)
Reliability (2026)	Much improved	Very reliable	Very reliable	Very reliable
Price	£170–£220	£250–£300	£250–£300	£330–£380
Best For	Travellers, hikers, beginners, nightscape shooters	Beginners wanting more capability	Users wanting stability + portability	Serious nightscape + entry‑level deep‑sky
Worst For	Heavy setups, long lenses	Heavy setups, long lenses	Ultralight travel	Backpackers, travellers, minimalists

 

Postscript update

I have now used the Nomad for a total of 15 nights out under the stars. 

I LOVE it! 

It is a Ronseal tracker - "does exactly what it says on the tin".

So portable and easy to set up and there are some quick fixes you can do to speed up this process further:

• On my tripod I have a circular, rotating swiss arc clamp - into which I clamp a William Optics Equatorial Wedge. This give the whole outfit great stability. More importantly, it also allows me to quickly rotate the wedge to line up with Polaris - no twiddling knobs here to rotate the wedge - its is done instantly. 
• The tracker is attached to a slightly longer swiss-arc plate which fits better into the Williams optics wedge and allows me to keep the centre of gravity of the entire rig directly over the central column of my tripod - so better stability. 
• On the tracker itself, I have an Alyn Wallace 'Z' bracket which gives me all sorts of flexibility and positioning. On top of this is my ball head. The bracketr helps with panoramas line up.

I have yet to find any difficulty positioning the camera in any angle of viewpoint I want - it is dead easy to keep the weight of the camera and lens over the centre of gravity of the tracker. This gives more accurate tracking and sharper stars. 

The tracker with 'Z' bracket and ball head stays assembled in its own little purpose made bag. 

On arrival at site - set up tripod and level it; attach equatorial wedge and rotate it to align with Polaris. Slip the tracker onto the wedge, do laser alignment with Polaris. Attach camnera - check alignment once more. Orientate camera to shooting position and bumph - first test shots in the bag. 

Fast time I have done this in? Six miniutes from unzipping my camera bag! Seriously!  Game changer! 

Over the next few weeks I will share some of my recent trip details and also the images I have taken along with a revised workflow for processing my milky way images. 

For now, take care out there, stay safe, and as always, don't forget to look up! 

Steve 

#plymouthastroboy