“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.
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
