Astronomical Events 2023:

The Definitive Photography

Guide

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No matter where you are on Earth.

As a photographer, you're always looking for great photo opportunities, right?

To find them...

It's essential to get inspired, be more creative, pick a great location and come up with dif-
ferent photo ideas with the Sun, the Moon, the Milky Way, Star Trails, lunar eclipses, solar
eclipses, Meteor Showers, Moon-planet conjunctions, Moon-planet occultations, multiple
planet conjunctions, comets, planet transits across the Sun...

The possibilities are endless.

But the problem is...

How are you going to photograph all these magical events if you don't know when they hap-
pen?

6
Well, you're in luck because I've done (almost) all the work for you! ;)

In this guide, you'll find everything you need to imagine, plan and shoot the best astronomi-
cal events in 2023.

Everything!

From a complete 2023 astronomy calendar (including the most important celestial events)
and multiple inspiring images to step by step guides on how to plan your photo ideas with
PhotoPills and on how to actually photograph each one of these events.

And the good news is that you'll be able to photograph most of the astronomical events on
this calendar with your camera. Nevertheless, you may need a telescope for some of them
(and/or a solar filter plus a pair of solar eclipse glasses!).

I have organized the events on the calendar by date. For every event, I also have included
the time it happens in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) as a base reference. So the ac-
tual date of the event may change to a day before or after, depending on your shooting lo-
cation... ;)

Obviously, you can use the PhotoPills Planner to convert UTC times into your local time. All
you have to do is:

• On the Planner, move the Red Pin and place it in Iceland, whose local time is always
equivalent to UTC (GMT+0 time zone) and it has no winter/summer time (DST or Day-
light Saving Time).

• Once the Red Pin is in Iceland, set the UTC time of the event using the Time Bar.

• Then, move the Red Pin to where you want to plan the photo. The UTC time will auto-
matically convert to the local time of the location you choose.

So tell me!

Are you ready to experience some amazing and unique space events?

Feel free to use this guide as a reference and check it out as the year goes by!

“Do not look at stars as bright spots only. Try to take in the vastness of the universe.“ -
Maria Mitchell

7
Content
1 The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 9

2 January 2023 celestial events, one by one 16

3 February 2023 celestial events, one by one 21

4 March 2023 celestial events, one by one 25

5 April 2023 celestial events, one by one 29

6 May 2023 celestial events, one by one 34

7 June 2023 celestial events, one by one 39

8 July 2023 celestial events, one by one 43

9 August 2023 celestial events, one by one 47

10 September 2023 celestial events, one by one 52

11 October 2023 celestial events, one by one 56

12 November 2023 celestial events, one by one 61

13 December 2023 celestial events, one by one 66

14 How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 71

15 How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 101

16 Astronomical glossary 128

17 Become a legend... 131

Section 1:
The 2023 astronomy
calendar highlights
Before we begin...
Don't panic.

Even though throughout this guide you'll read about many astronomical terms, there's
nothing to worry about! But if you see that there's still something you don't understand, I
have written a glossary (section 16) in which you'll find all the explanations you need.

This way you'll increase your astronomy knowledge and you'll know exactly what you want
to photograph and how you want to do it. It's key when you're imagining and planning the
photo!

What's worth the effort in 2023?

From the celestial point of view, 2023 is a special year. Make the most out of it!

You have the possibility to photograph two solar eclipses (one hybrid and one annular), two
lunar eclipses (one penumbral and one partial), and two Supermoons. All are very special
moments that can be the basis of unique and magical images...

In addition to this there is the Milky Way, of course. Its Galactic Center begins to be visi-
ble at the end of January in many parts of the world. And it becomes invisible in November
from anywhere on Earth.

And don't forget the zodiacal light, visible in spring and fall in both hemispheres.

2023 is a good year to photograph Meteor Showers. The peak of the Lyrids, the Perseids,
the Leonids, and the Geminids occurs when there is almost no Moon. And while the Orion-
ids occur with a lot of Moon, the later sets before the show starts.

Unfortunately, some of them peak on days when there will be a lot of Moon. This is the case
of the Quadrantids, Eta Aquariids, Delta Aquariids, and the Ursids.

But you can still photograph them when the Moon sets (use PhotoPills to know the Moon-
set times. Or even better, use the Meteor Shower Pill to figure out whether it's worth it to
photograph them or not.

For example, depending on where you are on Earth, if you wait for the Moon to set, the Gem-
inids are expected to be spectacular for a few hours.

Unfortunately, it's not a good year to observe comets: few are visible and those you can see
are not too bright (their magnitude is relatively high).

Finally, you can also try to capture some auroras!

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 10

If you happen to be in the Northern Hemisphere, here are a few tips:

• The Northern Lights season spans from mid-August until early April.

• The best times for spotting the Auroras are at the beginning and end of the season.

• Times around the spring and fall equinoxes (March and September, respectively) are
most favorable for solar wind energy transmission to Earth’s near-space environment.

• However, fall is the best time of year for Northern Lights viewing. Reasons are simple
and practical: skies tend to be clearer in fall than in winter, and nights are darker with-
out snow.

• The best time is from mid-August, when the nights start getting dark, until first snow
falls (in October or November). Snowfall characterizes much of early and midwinter,
which means it’s cloudy most of the time.

• The nights are clear in spring, too, but they get brighter really quickly.

• In the fall, nights aren’t yet freezing, and many spots are more easily accessed with no
snow. Bodies of water are still free of ice.

• The Northern Lights are best observed a couple of hours before dawn.

If you happen to be in the Southern Hemisphere, here are a few tips:

• The best time to see them is during the winter months (March to September) with the
best months being June and July thanks to longer, darker nights.

• Theoretically speaking the spring equinox (in September) should be the best time for
viewing the Southern Lights, but this isn’t always the case.

• The best views of the Southern Lights can be expected a couple of hours after dusk.

That said, let's go with what really matters ;)

A summary of the 2023 highlights

This table is a summary of the most important astronomical events of 2023.

Moreover, throughout this guide you will find a section detailing the most important events
for each month of the year, including the areas where they are visible.

Your location on Earth will determine which events you'll be able to photograph and which
you won't. So you should use PhotoPills to get out of doubt, to quickly find out if an event

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 11

is visible or not in your location (or where you want to go to photograph it) and to plan your
photo of the event down to the last detail (section 14).

Date Event Comments

January 3-4 Quadrantids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 92.9%.

January 6 Full Moon

January 12 Manhattanhenge (Sunrise) Best locations: 14th Street, 34th Street,

42nd Street, 57th Street y 79th Street.

January 21 New Moon

January 30 Mercury at Greatest West- The best time to photograph Mercury is

ern Elongation shortly before Sunrise.

February 5 Full Moon

February 20 New Moon The Milky Way season starts in February in

the Southern Hemisphere.

March 7 Full Moon

March 20 Spring or fall equinox This is the best time to photograph the zo-
diacal light.

March 21 New Moon The Milky Way season starts in March in the
Northern Hemisphere.

April 6 Full Moon

April 11 Mercury at Greatest Eastern The best time to photograph Mercury is

Elongation shortly after Sunset.

April 20 New Moon

April 20 Hybrid solar eclipse The eclipse path will begin in the south-
ern Indian Ocean and move across parts of
western Australia and southern Indonesia.
A partial eclipse will be visible throughout
most of Indonesia and Australia.

April 22-23 Lyrids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 9.5%.

May 5 Penumbral lunar eclipse Visible from Africa, Oceania, Asia, Eastern
Europe and Greece.

continues on next page

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 12

 Table 1 – continued from previous page

Date Event Comments

May 5 Full Moon

May 6-7 Eta Aquariids Meteor Moon phase: 99.8%.

Shower

May 19 New Moon

May 29 Mercury at Greatest West The best time to photograph Mercury is

Elongation just before Sunrise.

May 30 Manhattanhenge (Sunset) Best locations: 14th Street, 34th Street,

42nd Street, 57th Street y 79th Street.

June 4 Full Moon

June 4 Venus at Greatest Eastern This is the best time to view Venus since
Elongation it's so bright that it becomes the third
brightest object in the sky after the Sun
and the Moon.

June 18 New Moon

June 21 Summer or winter solstice It marks the longest or shortest day of the
year.

July 3 Full Moon

July 12 Manhattanhenge (Sunset) Best locations: 14th Street, 34th Street,

42nd Street, 57th Street y 79th Street.

July 17 New Moon

July 30-31 Delta Aquariids Meteor Moon phase: 95.6%.

Shower

August 1 Full Moon (Supermoon)

August 9 Mercury at Greatest Eastern The best time to photograph Mercury is

Elongation shortly after Sunset.

August 12-13 Perseids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 10.0%.

August 16 New Moon

continues on next page

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 13

 Table 1 – continued from previous page

Date Event Comments

August 27 Saturn at opposition It's brighter than at any other time of the
year and is visible throughout the night.
This is the best time to view and photo-
graph Saturn and its rings.

August 31 Full Moon (Supermoon)

September New Moon

15

September Neptune at opposition It's brighter than at any other time of the
19 year and is visible throughout the night.

September Mercury at Greatest West- The best time to photograph Mercury is

22 ern Elongation shortly before Sunrise.

September Fall or spring equinox This is the best time to photograph the zo-
23 diacal light.

September Full Moon

29

October 14 New Moon The Milky Way season ends in the Northern
and Southern Hemisphere.

October 14 Annular solar eclipse The eclipse path will begin in the Pacific
Ocean off the coast of southern Canada
and move across the southwestern United
States and Central America, Columbia,
and Brazil. A partial eclipse will be visi-
ble throughout much of North and South
America.

October 21- Orionids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 51.2%.

22

October 23 Venus at Greatest Western This is the best time to view Venus since
Elongation it's so bright that it becomes the third
brightest object in the sky after the Sun
and the Moon.

October 28 Partial lunar eclipse Visible in Africa, Oceania, the Americas,

Asia, and Europe.

continues on next page

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 14

 Table 1 – continued from previous page

Date Event Comments

October 28 Full Moon

November 3 Jupiter at opposition It's brighter than at any other time of the
year and is visible throughout the night.
This is the best time to view and photo-
graph Jupiter and its moons.

November 13 New Moon

November 13 Uranus at opposition It's brighter than at any other time of the
year. You need a telescope.

November Leonids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 26.5%.

17-18

November Full Moon

27

November Manhattanhenge (Sunrise) Best locations: 14th Street, 34th Street,

30 42nd Street, 57th Street y 79th Street.

December 4 Mercury at Greatest Eastern The best time to photograph Mercury is

Elongation shortly after Sunset.

December 13 New Moon

December Geminids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 5.6%.

14-15

December Winter or summer solstice It marks the shortest or longest day of the
22 year.

December Ursids Meteor Shower Moon phase: 85.3%.

22-23

December Full Moon

27

The 2023 astronomy calendar highlights 15

Section 2:
January 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon D4s | 200mm | f/8 | 2s | ISO 1600 | 5500K

Although the Milky Way is visible every night, in January the core of the Milky Way is not yet
visible.

It begins to be visible, although for a very short time, at the end of January in many parts of
the world. You'll have to wait until February, or March depending on where you are, to begin
to see it above the horizon at its peak... It will be when what we call the Milky Way season
begins (ie. the Galactic Center becomes visible).

Unfortunately, this year the conditions to photograph the Quadrantids are not very good.

Having said that, this January is packed with cool photo opportunities!

But above all, don't miss...

• The Quadrantids Meteor Shower on January 3-4. During those nights the conditions
to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight. But it all depends on your
location!

• The Full Moon on January 6 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

January 2023 celestial events, one by one 17

 • The Manhattanhenge of January 12. It's a fantastic spectacle by which the Sun aligns
itself during Sunrise with some of the streets that form a grid on the island of Manhat-
tan in New York (USA).

• The chance to photograph some Star Trails. Take advantage of the New Moon week
(January 21).

• On January 30, you can photograph Mercury at greatest western elongation.

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in Jan-
uary 2023.

January 3: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars (also occultation).

Mars passes at 0.3º north of the Moon at 19:36 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.5,
and Mars at a magnitude of -1.1. At this time the Moon phase is 91.2%.

In addition to this, Mars goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

The Earth's orbit around the Sun lasts one year, and that of Mars lasts about two years. So
the brightness of Mars in the sky alternates from year to year. In 2022, Mars shined brightly
in the sky. On the contrary, 2023 is a poor year for Mars and it will appear fainter.

January 3-4: Quadrantids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from December 28 to January 12.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between January 3 and 4. The peak is on
January 4 at 02:45 UTC with 110 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 92.9%, so
the conditions to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight.

But this depends on where you are on the planet or plan to photograph it. To figure out
whether it's worth it or not to photograph it, use the Meteor Shower Pill or the Meteor
Shower Layer in the Planner to check local Moonset times, local peak time and forecasted
local meteors/h.

Unfortunately, this Meteor Shower is only visible from the Northern Hemisphere.

You have all the information you need in our Meteor Showers guide.

January 6: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 23:09 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

January 2023 celestial events, one by one 18

January 12: Manhattanhenge at Sunrise.

Manhattanhenge occurs when the Sun, at Sunrise, aligns with the grid formed by the
streets of Manhattan Island in New York (USA).

On January 11 and 12 the Sun aligns with the streets of Manhattan. But on January 12 it’s
perfectly aligned. So if the weather conditions are not ideal, you can always try the day be-
fore or the day after.

The best locations are 14th Street, 34th Street (where the Empire State Building is located),
42nd Street (where the Chrysler Building and Tudor City Bridge are located), 57th Street and
79th Street.

January 20: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 6.6º north of the Moon at 08:51 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.3,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 0.2. At this time the Moon phase is 3.6%.

January 21: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 20:54 UTC.

The days around New Moon are great for photographing the night sky, including the Milky
Way.

But during this New Moon of January, the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible in very
few areas of the world (the more to the south the more visible it is) and for very little time.
The only thing that you can photograph is the thinnest part of the arch of our galaxy, which
is always visible at night.

Shooting Star Trails images is also a great option. Its pattern depends on your latitude and
the direction to which you point your camera at.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

January 23: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 3.5º north of the Moon at 07:22 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.2,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.7. At this time the Moon phase is 3.4%.

January 23: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 3.3º north of the Moon at 08:19 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.2,
and Venus at a magnitude of -3.9. At this time the Moon phase is 3.5%.

January 2023 celestial events, one by one 19

January 26: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 1.5º north of the Moon at 02:03 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.2,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.2. At this time the Moon phase is 23.9%.

January 30: Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 09:05 UTC, it's located 25º west of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of -0.2.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You
can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located west of the Sun, it rises and sets just before the Sun, and it's visible be-
fore Sunrise. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly before Sunrise.

January 31: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars (also occultation).

Mars passes at 0.1º north of the Moon at 04:24 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.3,
and Mars at a magnitude of -0.3. At this time the Moon phase is 74.4%.

In addition to this, Mars goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

January 2023 celestial events, one by one 20

Section 3:
February 2023
celestial events, one
by one
Nikon Z6 | 210mm | f/5.6 | 0.8s | ISO 200 | 5950K | Soft GND 0.9 (3 stops) filter

You can start photographing the Galactic Center of the Milky Way in many areas of the
world!

However, in the Northern Hemisphere the Galactic Center is visible during a short period of
time. You'll have to wait a little longer (until March) to see it completely above the horizon.

Note: The Galactic Center is visible at latitudes below 55ºN (more or less). But it depends
on the time of year. I recommend you to use PhotoPills to find out what's going on with the
Milky Way in the location you want (section 14). On the other hand, if you live at a latitude
above 55ºN you won't be able to see the Galactic Center. But you can see part of the Milky
Way core.

At the end of February the zodiacal light (reflection produced by the scattering of sun-
light due to particles moving along the entire solar system) also begins to be visible. In
the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year, it's visible to the west, at the end of the as-
tronomical twilight, after Sunset, in the direction of the Sunset. On the contrary, in the
Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the east, before the astronomical twilight begins, be-
fore dawn, in the direction of the Sunrise.

February is a relatively quiet month, but pay attention because the night sky always offers
interesting photographic opportunities.

February 2023 celestial events, one by one 22

 • On February 1 Comet 2022/E3 (ZTF) reaches its brightest.

• The Full Moon on February 5 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

• The chance to photograph the Galactic Center. Take advantage of the New Moon
week (February 20).

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in Febru-
ary 2023.

February 1: Comet 2022/E3 (ZTF) reaches its brightest.

Comet 2022/E3 (ZTF) reaches its brightest. The comet coordinates are: right ascension
06h38m20s and declination 72°42’N.

It becomes visible all night because it is circumpolar, reaching its highest position in the
sky around 22:14 UTC. It then sinks towards the horizon, setting at 06:21 UTC (+1). With a
magnitude of 6.0, this comet is not expected to be visible to the naked eye, but might be
visible through bird-watching binoculars.

February 5: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 18:30 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

February 18: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 3.4º north of the Moon at 20:52 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.1,
and Mercury at a magnitude of -0.2. At this time the Moon phase is 3.3%.

February 20: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 07:07 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, you can start hunting the Galactic Center of the Milky
Way with your camera! And don't forget the Magellanic Clouds heading south.

Depending on your latitude, you can see the Galactic Center closest to the horizon (perfect
for panoramas). And as you go to latitudes further south, you can photograph it more and
more vertical. For example, in New Zealand you can almost capture it completely vertical.

February 2023 celestial events, one by one 23

In February, you can also capture the Galactic Center in the Northern Hemisphere: you see
it low, near the horizon... although the conditions are not as good as in the Southern Hemi-
sphere. And if you don't get it, you can always wait until March to start enjoying it.

In the Northern Hemisphere you can also photograph the Orion constellation and the Win-
ter Triangle.

And also during the New Moon, you can capture Star Trails, whose pattern depends on your
latitude and the direction to which you point your camera at.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

February 22: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 2.1º north of the Moon at 07:55 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.7,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.0. At this time the Moon phase is 6.0%.

February 23: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter (also occultation).

Jupiter passes at 1.1º north of the Moon at 22:00 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.2,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.1. At this time the Moon phase is 17.3%.

In addition to this, Jupiter goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

February 28: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars (also occultation).

Mars passes at 1.0º south of the Moon at 04:31 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.0,
and Mars at a magnitude of 0.4. At this time the Moon phase is 58.4%.

In addition to this, Mars goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

February 2023 celestial events, one by one 24

Section 4:
March 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon Z6 | 200mm | f/4 | 90s | ISO 1600 | 5500K | Pure Night light pollution filter | iOptron SkyGuider Pro | 14
photos stacked

March... Finally! At last! Throughout the month, the visibility of the Galactic Center is
longer all over the world, multiplying the photographic opportunities :)

You can also capture the zodiacal light. In the Northern Hemisphere, it's visible to the west,
at the end of the astronomical twilight, after Sunset, in the direction of the Sunset. On the
contrary, in the Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the east, before the astronomical twi-
light begins, before dawn, in the direction of the Sunrise.

Depending on your location, the Aurora Borealis season ends (Northern Hemisphere) and
the Aurora Astralis season begins (Southern Hemisphere).

But above all, don't miss...

• The Full Moon on March 7 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

• The spring or fall equinox on March 20 is the best time to photograph the zodiacal
light.

• It's time to capture the Galactic Center of the Milky Way! Take advantage of the New

March 2023 celestial events, one by one 26

 Moon week (March 21).

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in March
2023.

March 7: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 12:42 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

March 19: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 3.4º north of the Moon at 15:22 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.8,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.8. At this time the Moon phase is 6.3%.

March 20: March equinox.

The March equinox is at 21:20 UTC. This is also the first spring day (spring equinox) in the
Northern Hemisphere and the first fall day (fall equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.

It's the time when the Sun "crosses" the Earth's equator going from the Southern Hemi-
sphere to the Northern Hemisphere. So it's perfect to photograph the zodiacal light.

In addition to this, there is a special beauty in chasing the Northern Lights during the
equinox: they have more colors than the usual bright green!

March 21: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 17:24 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In March, you can fully enjoy the Galactic Center of the Milky Way.

Depending on where you are, in India for example, you may find the Galactic Center near
the horizon and capture a spectacular panorama. And if you're a little further south, like
Australia's west coast where the skies have no light pollution, you can get an amazing verti-
cal...

Always referring to locations in the Southern Hemisphere, two other galaxies that you can
observe (with the naked eye!) and also photograph in clear skies are the Large Magellanic
Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud.

March 2023 celestial events, one by one 27

They are relatively close to the south celestial pole, so from a certain latitude both can be-
come circumpolar. They are located towards the south.

The New Moon also gives you the perfect opportunity to capture Star Trails. Did you know
that depending on your location and the direction to which you point your camera at, Star
Trails can change their shape?

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

March 22: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 0.3º north of the Moon at 19:56 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.3,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.0. At this time the Moon phase is 1.7%.

March 24: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus (also occultation).

Venus passes at 0.1º north of the Moon at 10:27 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.1,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.0. At this time the Moon phase is 9.3%.

In addition to this, Venus goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

March 28: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 2.2º north of the Moon at 13:16 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.7, and
Mars at a magnitude of 0.9. At this time the Moon phase is 44.8%.

March 2023 celestial events, one by one 28

Section 5:
April 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon D500 | 500mm | f/8 | 1/125s | ISO 100 | 6450K

April is full of interesting events that you can photograph.

For starters, take advantage of the New Moon week to capture the Galactic Center of the
Milky Way at its peak. Another very interesting option (and that will leave your friends with
their mouths wide open) you can photograph are Star Trails.

Also, at the beginning of the month, you can still capture the zodiacal light. In the Northern
Hemisphere, it's visible to the west, at the end of the astronomical twilight, after Sunset, in
the direction of the Sunset. On the contrary, in the Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the
east, before the astronomical twilight begins, before dawn, in the direction of the Sunrise.

Fortunately, it's a good year to photograph the Lyrids: there is no Moonlight.

During April, make sure you don't miss...

• The Full Moon on April 6.

• On April 11, you can photograph Mercury at greatest eastern elongation.

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (April 20) to capture the Galactic Center of the

April 2023 celestial events, one by one 30

 Milky Way shining in the sky.

• The total (hybrid) solar eclipse on April 20. Take advantage of this unique opportu-
nity and travel to a place located in the path of totality. The next one won't be until
April 8, 2024.

• The Lyrids Meteor Shower on April 22-23. During those nights the Moon will be pretty
thin. So you won't have any Moonlight :)

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in April
2023.

April 6: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 04:36 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

April 11: Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 18:51 UTC, it's located 19.5º east of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of 0.0.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You
can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located east of the Sun, it rises and sets just after the Sun, and it's visible during
the Sunset. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly after Sunset.

April 16: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 3.3º north of the Moon at 03:49 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.0,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.8. At this time the Moon phase is 20.1%.

April 20: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 04:14 UTC.

April 2023 celestial events, one by one 31

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In April the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. Are you on the west coast of the
USA? Or of Mexico? Then you have the perfect opportunity to capture it on the horizon
thanks to a panorama.

And if you're in Chilean Patagonia, for example, you have the Milky Way forming a beautiful
diagonal or even a vertical...

You can also capture Star Trails including the Polaris or the south celestial pole... You can
create circumpolars, arches, diagonals... ;)

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

April 20: Total (Hybrid) Solar Eclipse.

A hybrid solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is almost too close to the Earth to completely
block the Sun. This type of eclipse will appear as a total eclipse to some parts of the world
and will appear annular to others.

The Moon passes in front of the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse from 01:34 to 06:59 UTC.
Totality occurs at 04:16 UTC. Although this information depends on your position within the
path of totality. So use PhotoPills to plan in detail the total solar eclipse.

The eclipse path will begin in the southern Indian Ocean and move across parts of west-
ern Australia and southern Indonesia. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of
Indonesia and Australia.

Please be cautious and use a solar filter along with a pair of solar eclipse glasses if you
plan to observe or photograph the total solar eclipse of the Sun.

To learn how to plan and photograph the solar eclipse, take a look at our detailed guide to
solar eclipses.

April 21: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 1.5º north of the Moon at 07:05 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.1,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 2.1. At this time the Moon phase is 1.8%.

April 22-23: Lyrids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from April 14 to 30.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between April 22 and 23. The peak is on
April 23 at 01:08 UTC with 20 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 9.5%, so the

April 2023 celestial events, one by one 32

conditions to enjoy it are very good (there is no Moon).

This Meteor Shower is visible from both hemispheres. Although it's a little weaker in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Use the Meteor Shower Pill and the Meteor Shower Layer in the Planner to figure out all
the key Meteor Shower info for your location or place you wish to photograph it.

Learn how to photograph a Meteor shower with our Meteor Showers photography guide.

April 23: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 1.2º south of the Moon at 13:03 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.3,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.1. At this time the Moon phase is 12.5%.

April 26: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 3.1º north of the Moon at 02:19 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.4, and
Mars at a magnitude of 1.3. At this time the Moon phase is 33.3%.

April 2023 celestial events, one by one 33

Section 6:
May 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon D500 | 500mm | f/5.6 | 1/13s | ISO 1250 | 6450K | 1.4x teleconverter

Stay tuned because May is a month full of astronomical events. Write them in your diary so
you don't miss a single one... ;)

And don't forget to keep in mind the New Moon week. It offers a fantastic opportunity to
capture the Galactic Center of the Milky Way (May is a great month for it!).

You can also try taking pictures of Star Trails. The results are amazing and you can play
with your creativity in many ways.

Unfortunately, this year the conditions to photograph the Eta Aquariids are not very good.

And if you can treat yourself with a trip to New York, Manhattanhenge is a very curious and
tremendously photogenic phenomenon that occurs approximately three weeks before and
after the June solstice.

May 2023 celestial events, one by one 35

But above all, don't miss...

• The penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5 or 6, depending on your location…

• The Full Moon on May 5.

• The Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower on May 6-7. During those nights the conditions to
enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight. But it all depends on your
location!

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (May 19) to capture the Galactic Center of the
Milky Way shining in the sky.

• On May 29, you can photograph Mercury at greatest western elongation.

• The Manhattanhenge of May 30. It's a fantastic spectacle by which the Sun aligns it-
self during Sunset with some of the streets that form a grid on the island of Manhattan
in New York (USA).

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in May
2023.

May 5-6: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse (and Full Moon).

Full Moon is at 17:35 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

Moreover, in certain areas of the Earth, the Moon passes through the Earth's penumbra,
creating a penumbral lunar eclipse from 15:15 to 19:32 UTC.

It happens on May 5 or 6 depending on your longitude (e.g. in Australia, Eastern Indone-

sia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Japan it happens on the 6th). The penumbral lu-
nar eclipse is visible throughout Southeast Europe, much of Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific
Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the penumbral lunar eclipse in your location (section
14).

May 6-7: Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from April 19 to May 28.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between May 6 and 7. The peak is on May
6 at 14:38 UTC with 50 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 99.8%, so the con-
ditions to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight.

May 2023 celestial events, one by one 36

But this depends on where you are on the planet or plan to photograph it. To figure out
whether it's worth it or not to photograph it, use the Meteor Shower Pill or the Meteor
Shower Layer in the Planner to check local Moonset times, local peak time and forecasted
local meteors/h.

This Meteor Shower is visible from both hemispheres. Although it's best visible in the
Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere it has a lower intensity.

You have all the information you need in our Meteor Showers guide.

May 13: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 3.2º north of the Moon at 13:07 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.7,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.8. At this time the Moon phase is 39.4%.

May 17: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter (and occultation).

Jupiter passes at 0.5º south of the Moon at 13:18 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.4,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.1. At this time the Moon phase is 5.1%.

In addition to this, Jupiter goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

May 18: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 3.4º south of the Moon at 01:36 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.8,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 1.6. At this time the Moon phase is 2.9%.

May 19: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 15:54 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In May the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. From Spain for example, you can cap-
ture a beautiful diagonal with the Galactic Center shining. Or if you're in South Africa, try to
work a composition with the Milky Way completely vertical.

You can also capture Star Trails. However, take care of your composition because often-
times the foreground is as important (or more) than the background. So take a good look
at the sky, how you're going to paint with the stars, and how you're going to combine those
trails with a catching subject.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

May 23: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

May 2023 celestial events, one by one 37

Venus passes at 2.1º south of the Moon at 12:09 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.4,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.2. At this time the Moon phase is 14.6%.

May 24: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 3.5º south of the Moon at 17:33 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.0,
and Mars at a magnitude of 1.5. At this time the Moon phase is 23.8%.

May 29: Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 07:44 UTC, it's located 24.9º west of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of 0.4.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You
can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located west of the Sun, it rises and sets just before the Sun, and it's visible be-
fore the Sunrise. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly before the Sunrise.

May 30: Manhattanhenge at Sunset.

Manhattanhenge occurs when the Sun, at Sunset, aligns with the grid formed by the streets
of Manhattan Island in New York (USA).

On May 29 and 30 the Sun aligns with the streets of Manhattan. But on May 30 it’s perfectly
aligned. So if the weather conditions are not ideal, you can always try the day before.

The best locations are 14th Street, 34th Street (where the Empire State Building is located),
42nd Street (where the Chrysler Building and Tudor City Bridge are located), 57th Street and
79th Street.

May 2023 celestial events, one by one 38

Section 7:
June 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon Z6 | 14mm | f/2.8 | 15s | ISO 6400 | 3150K | 6-photo panorama

Even though the nights in the Northern Hemisphere are shorter than ever, you'll surely find
the opportunity to photograph some of the astronomical events that occur.

Conversely, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, make the most of the long winter nights.
They're perfect for capturing tack sharp stars!

Oh, and remember to look at the date of the New Moon and look for locations to photograph
the Galactic Center of the Milky Way and/or Star Trails. June is a perfect month to do so in
both hemispheres.

But above all, don't miss...

• The Full Moon on June 4 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

• On June 4, you can photograph Venus at greatest eastern elongation.

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (June 18) to capture the Galactic Center of the
Milky Way shining in the sky.

• The summer (or winter) solstice on June 21 marks the longest (or shortest) day of the
year.

June 2023 celestial events, one by one 40

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in June
2023.

June 4: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 03:43 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

June 4: Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation.

When Venus reaches its greatest elongation at 16:11 UTC it's located 45.4º east of the Sun,
and it's shining at a magnitude of -4.3. This is the best time to view Venus since it's so
bright that it becomes the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon.

It's often known as the morning star or the evening star. When it's located east of the Sun, it
rises and sets just after the Sun. The best time to photograph it is shortly after Sunset.

June 9: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.6º north of the Moon at 20:22 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.2,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.7. At this time the Moon phase is 61.1%.

June 14: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 1.3º south of the Moon at 06:36 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.6,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.2. At this time the Moon phase is 15.5%.

June 16: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 4.2º south of the Moon at 20:40 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.3,
and Mercury at a magnitude of -0.8. At this time the Moon phase is 1.9%.

June 18: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 04:38 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In June the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. From Patagonia, where the skies are
extremely clean, you can capture a beautiful vertical. And from the USA you have the option
of capturing a panorama at the beginning of the night and a vertical one before Sunrise ;)

You can also capture Star Trails.

June 2023 celestial events, one by one 41

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

June 21: June solstice.

The June solstice is at 14:54 UTC. This is also the first summer day (summer solstice) in the
Northern Hemisphere and the first winter day (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, take advantage of the longest golden hour and blue
hour of the year!

June 22: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 3.4º south of the Moon at 00:48 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.3,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.4. At this time the Moon phase is 3.5%.

June 22: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 3.5º south of the Moon at 10:10 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.5,
and Mars at a magnitude of 1.7. At this time the Moon phase is 4.9%.

June 2023 celestial events, one by one 42

Section 8:
July 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon D4s | 18mm | f/2.8 | 25s | ISO 6400 | 3800K | 6-photo panorama

Since the Delta Aquariids are relatively weak (25 meteors per hour) and there are no good
conditions, this year it will be a challenge trying to capture them.

Morever, you can make the most out of the days around the New Moon and look for loca-
tions: July is a great month to photograph the Galactic Center of the Milky Way.

Or would you prefer to work on creating Star Trails? Use the PhotoPills Night Augmented
Reality view to decide in which direction you want to point your camera and work on differ-
ent Star Trails' patterns.

But above all, don't miss...

• The Full Moon on July 3.

• The Manhattanhenge of July 12. It's a fantastic spectacle by which the Sun aligns it-
self during Sunset with some of the streets that form a grid on the island of Manhattan
in New York (USA).

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (July 17) to capture the Galactic Center of the
Milky Way. It's the last month of optimal visibility!

• On the night of July 30-31, the peak of the Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower occurs.
During those nights the Moon will be pretty thin. So you won't have any Moonlight :)

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in July
2023.

July 3: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 20:56 UTC.

July 2023 celestial events, one by one 44

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

July 7: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.4º north of the Moon at 03:09 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.5,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.6. At this time the Moon phase is 81.4%.

July 11: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 2.1º south of the Moon at 21:21 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.3,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.3. At this time the Moon phase is 31.0%.

July 12: Manhattanhenge at Sunset.

Manhattanhenge occurs when the Sun, at Sunset, aligns with the grid formed by the streets
of Manhattan Island in New York (USA).

On July 11 and 12 the Sun aligns with the streets of Manhattan. But on July 12 it’s perfectly
aligned. So if the weather conditions are not ideal, you can always try the day before.

The best locations are 14th Street, 34th Street (where the Empire State Building is located),
42nd Street (where the Chrysler Building and Tudor City Bridge are located), 57th Street and
79th Street.

July 17: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 18:33 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In July the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. In the Northern Hemisphere the
nights are short but if you take good advantage of them and you're in the south of Europe,
for example, you can photograph the Galactic Center completely vertical. And if you're in
Brazil, you can play with the elevation of the Galactic Center and place it almost anywhere
you want... ;)

You can also capture Star Trails. Have you ever captured a circumpolar? No? Then it's a
good time to try.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

July 19: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 3.3º south of the Moon at 08:57 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.5,

July 2023 celestial events, one by one 45

and Mercury at a magnitude of -0.4. At this time the Moon phase is 2.5%.

July 20: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 7.5º south of the Moon at 08:38 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.5,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.4. At this time the Moon phase is 6.2%.

July 21: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 3.1º south of the Moon at 04:00 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.0,
and Mars at a magnitude of 1.8. At this time the Moon phase is 10.3%.

July 30-31: Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from July 12 to August 23.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between July 30 and 31. The peak is on
July 30 at 17:57 UTC with 25 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 95.6%, so the
conditions to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight.

But this depends on where you are on the planet or plan to photograph it. To figure out
whether it's worth it or not to photograph it, use the Meteor Shower Pill or the Meteor
Shower Layer in the Planner to check local Moonset times, local peak time and forecasted
local meteors/h.

This Meteor Shower is visible from both hemispheres. Although it's best visible in the
Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere it has a lower intensity.

You have all the information you need in our Meteor Showers guide.

July 2023 celestial events, one by one 46

Section 9:
August 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon Z6 | 18mm | f/2.8 | 25s | ISO 6400 | 3150K | 1 base shot and 27 meteor shots

Good news! This year one of the most popular events photographically speaking, the Per-
seids, are in full bloom. During the peak date of this Meteor Shower there will be some
Moonlight, but the sky is not too bright... :)

In August you can still photograph the Galactic Center of the Milky Way :P

At the end of August, the zodiacal light is visible again. In the Northern Hemisphere, it's
visible to the east, before the morning astronomical twilight, in the direction of Sunrise. On
the other hand, in the Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the west, at the end of the after-
noon astronomical twilight, in the direction of the Sunset.

As for Star Trails, you know they are a photographic opportunity I love to play with. They
are always the perfect excuse to go out and take pictures at night.

But above all, don't miss...

• The Supermoon on August 1. It's the first of the two 2023 Supermoons. In addition,
the Moon is at its closest point to Earth ("only" 358,797 kms or 222,946 mi away) so it
seems larger than normal.

August 2023 celestial events, one by one 48

 • On August 9 you can photograph Mercury at greatest east elongation.

• The Perseids Meteor Shower on August 12-13. During those nights the Moon is pretty
thin. So you don't have any Moonlight :)

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (August 16) to photograph the Galactic Center
of the Milky Way.

• On August 27, you can photograph Saturn at opposition. It's brighter than at any
other time of the year and is visible all night long.

• The Supermoon on August 31. It's the second of the two 2023 Supermoons. In addi-
tion, the Moon is at its closest point to Earth ("only" 357,284 kms or 222,006 mi away)
so it seems larger than normal.

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in August
2023.

August 1: Full Moon (Supermoon).

First Supermoon of the year. The Full Moon is at 18:33 UTC.

This Full Moon takes place when it's unusually near to that time of the month when it’s clos-
est to Earth – the perigee. I mean, it's "only" 358,797 kms (222,946 mi) away. So the Moon
appears slightly larger and brighter than on other occasions. This month it's larger than the
Moon's annual mean size. That's why it's called a Supermoon.

Use PhotoPills to learn how to photograph the Supermoon in your location (section 14).

August 3: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.3º north of The Moon at 10:25 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.7,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.5. At this time the Moon phase is 95.7%.

August 8: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 2.5º south of the Moon at 09:44 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.9,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.5. At this time the Moon phase is 50.5%.

August 9: Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 20:30 UTC, it's located 27.4º east of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of 0.3.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You

August 2023 celestial events, one by one 49

can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located east of the Sun, it rises and sets just after the Sun, and it's visible during
the Sunset. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly after Sunset.

August 12-13: Perseids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from July 17 to August 24.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between August 12 and 13. The peak is on
August 13 at 07:41 UTC with 110 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 10.0%, so
the conditions to enjoy it are very good (there is no Moon).

Use the Meteor Shower Pill and the Meteor Shower Layer in the Planner to figure out all
the key Meteor Shower info for your location or place you wish to photograph it.

This Meteor Shower is visible from both hemispheres. Although it's best visible in the
Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere it has a lower intensity.

Learn how to photograph a meteor shower with our Meteor Showers guide.

August 16: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 09:39 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.

In July the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. In the Northern Hemisphere the
nights are short but if you take good advantage of them and you're in the south of Europe,
for example, you can photograph the Galactic Center completely vertical. And if you're in
Brazil, you can play with the elevation of the Galactic Center and place it almost anywhere
you want... ;)

You can also capture Star Trails. Have you ever captured a circumpolar? No? Then it's a
good time to try.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

August 18: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

August 2023 celestial events, one by one 50

Mercury passes at 6.6º south of the Moon at 11:26 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.0,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 0.6. At this time the Moon phase is 3.9%.

August 19: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 2.1º south of the Moon at 23:07 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -9.4, and
Mars at a magnitude of 1.8. At this time the Moon phase is 11.1%.

August 27: Saturn at opposition.

At 08:20 UTC, Saturn is at its closest approach to Earth and its visible face is completely
illuminated by the Sun at a magnitude of 0.3.

It's brighter than at any other time of the year and is visible throughout the night. This is
the best time to observe and photograph Saturn and its rings, which are inclined at an an-
gle of 13º. This is almost the maximum inclination they can have so you can clearly observe
them.

However, even being at its closest approach to the Earth, you can only distinguish Saturn as
a star-shaped spot of light with the naked eye. Use a telescope to see the planet along with
its rings.

August 25: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.3º north of the Moon at 18:07 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.8,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.4. At this time the Moon phase is 99.7%.

August 31: Full Moon (Supermoon).

Second and last Supermoon of the year. The Full Moon is at 01:37 UTC.

This Full Moon takes place when it's unusually near to that time of the month when it’s clos-
est to Earth – the perigee. I mean, it's "only" 357,284 kms (222,006 mi) away. So the Moon
appears slightly larger and brighter than on other occasions. This month it's larger than the
Moon's annual mean size. That's why it's called a Supermoon.

Use PhotoPills to learn how to photograph the Supermoon in your location (section 14).

August 2023 celestial events, one by one 51

Section 10:
September 2023
celestial events, one
by one
Nikon Z6 | 18mm | f/3.5 | 30s | ISO 800 | 3850K | 586 photos stacked with Star Trails

In September the visibility of the Galactic Center of the Milky Way in both hemispheres be-
comes shorter and shorter until it's no longer visible in November.

You can also capture the zodiacal light. In the Northern Hemisphere, it's visible to the east,
before the morning astronomical twilight, in the direction of the Sunrise. On the other
hand, in the Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the west, at the end of the afternoon as-
tronomical twilight, in the direction of the Sunset.

And, as always, don't forget the Star Trails... They'll help you get magical images!

Moreover, this month marks a change of season, from summer to fall in the Northern Hemi-
sphere and from winter to spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

Depending on your location, the Aurora Borealis season begins (Northern Hemisphere) and
the Aurora Astralis season ends (Southern Hemisphere).

But above all, don't miss...

• Take advantage of the New Moon week (September 15) to capture the Galactic Center

September 2023 celestial events, one by one 53

 of the Milky Way shining in the sky.

• On September 19 you can photograph Neptune at opposition. It's brighter than at any
other time of the year and is visible all night long.

• On September 22, you can photograph Mercury at greatest western elongation.

• The fall or spring equinox on September 23 is the best time to photograph the zodia-
cal light.

• The Full Moon on September 29 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in
September 2023.

September 4: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 3.2º south of the Moon at 19:47 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.3,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.7. At this time the Moon phase is 71.6%.

September 13: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 5.6º south of the Moon at 17:41 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.1,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 2.0. At this time the Moon phase is 1.7%.

September 15: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 01:41 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky. In September the
Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. You can also capture Star Trails.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

September 16: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars.

Mars passes at 0.4º south of the Moon at 19:20 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.7, and
Mars at a magnitude of 1.7. At this time the Moon phase is 2.8%.

September 19: Neptune at opposition.

At 11:09 UTC, Neptune is at its closest approach to Earth and its visible face is completely
illuminated by the Sun at a magnitude of 7.8.

It's brighter than at any other time of the year and is visible throughout the night. This is
the best time to observe and photograph Neptune.

September 2023 celestial events, one by one 54

However, even being at its closest approach to the Earth, you can only distinguish Neptune
as a star-shaped spot of light with the naked eye. Use a telescope to see the planet.

September 22: Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 11:27 UTC, it's located 17.9º west of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of -0.5.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You
can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located west of the Sun, it rises and sets just before the Sun, and it's visible be-
fore Sunrise. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly before Sunrise.

September 23: September equinox.

The September equinox is at 00:58 UTC. This is also the first fall day (fall equinox) in the
Northern Hemisphere and the first spring day (spring equinox) in the Southern Hemi-
sphere.

It's the time when the Sun "crosses" the Earth's equator going from the Northern Hemi-
sphere to the Southern Hemisphere.

September 27: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.4º north of The Moon at 01:29 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.7,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.4. At this time the Moon phase is 91.9%.

September 29: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 09:59 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

September 2023 celestial events, one by one 55

Section 11:
October 2023 celestial
events, one by one
Nikon Z6 | 110mm | f/2.8 | 10s | ISO 6400 | 3400K

October is here. It's a month of transition and changes in both hemispheres.

After the September equinox, the different parts of the world are gradually changing sea-
sons. In the Northern Hemisphere, first comes fall and then winter. Conversely, in the
Southern Hemisphere first comes spring and then summer.

So light is decreasing in some parts of the world while increasing in others.

At the beginning of October you can still capture the zodiacal light. In the Northern Hemi-
sphere, it's visible to the east, before the morning astronomical twilight, in the direction of
the Sunrise. On the other hand, in the Southern Hemisphere it's visible to the west, at the
end of the afternoon astronomical twilight, in the direction of the Sunset.

Fortunately, this year the conditions to photograph the Orionids are very good (if you start
shooting after the Moon sets).

October 2023 celestial events, one by one 57

And finally, hurry up! This is the second-to-last month in which you can photograph the
Galactic Center of the Milky Way above the horizon. When the season is over you'll have to
wait 2-3 months before you can do it again.

Although you can always capture Star Trails! ;)

But above all, don't miss...

• The New Moon week (October 14) to capture the Galactic Center of the Milky Way
shining in the sky.

• The annular solar eclipse on October 14 is the perfect opportunity to photograph a

moment that rarely happens (the next one will be on October 2, 2024). Are you going to
miss it?

• On the night of October 21-22, the peak of the Orionids Meteor Shower occurs. Dur-
ing those nights the Moon will be pretty intense, but it will set before the show starts.
So you can get a good picture :)

• On October 23 you can photograph Venus at greatest western elongation.

• The partial lunar eclipse on October 28 or 29, depending on your location...

• The Full Moon on October 28.

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in Octo-
ber 2023.

October 2: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 3.2º north of the Moon at 03:19 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.6,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.8. At this time the Moon phase is 90.1%.

October 10: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 3.2º south of the Moon at 09:45 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.6,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.5. At this time the Moon phase is 16.7%.

October 14: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 17:56 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky. In October the
Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible. You can also capture Star Trails.

October 2023 celestial events, one by one 58

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

October 14: Annular Solar Eclipse.

The Moon passes in front of the Sun, creating an annular solar eclipse from 15:05 to 20:52
UTC. The maximum annular eclipse occurs at 17:59 UTC.

The annular solar eclipse is visible in the USA, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Panama, Colombia and Brazil. A partial eclipse will be visible in most of North America and
South America.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the annular solar eclipse at your location (section 14).

October 21: Comet 2P/Encke at perihelion.

Comet 2P/Encke at perihelion makes its closest approach to the Sun. At perihelion, the
comet coordinates are: right ascension 12h 57m and declination 6°23’S.

It becomes visible around 07:30 UTC. It then sinks towards the horizon, setting at 19:02
UTC. With a magnitude of 6.2, this comet is not expected to be visible to the naked eye, but
might be visible through bird-watching binoculars.

October 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from October 2 to November 17.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between October 21 and 22. The peak is
on October 22 at 00:02 UTC with 20 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is 51.2%,
so the conditions to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight. You can try
to capture them after the Moon sets though… ;)

This Meteor Shower is visible and intense in both hemispheres.

Use the Meteor Shower Pill and the Meteor Shower Layer in the Planner to figure out all
the key Meteor Shower info for your location or place you wish to photograph it.

Learn how to photograph a meteor shower with our Meteor Showers guide.

October 23: Venus at Greatest Western Elongation.

When Venus reaches its greatest elongation at 00:05 UTC it's located 46.4º west of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of -4.4. This is the best time to view Venus since it's
so bright that it becomes the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon.

It's often known as the morning star or the evening star. When it's located west of the Sun,
it rises and sets just before the Sun. The best time to photograph it is shortly before Sun-

October 2023 celestial events, one by one 59

rise.

October 24: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.5º north of The Moon at 07:55 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.4,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.5. At this time the Moon phase is 74.2%.

October 28-29: Partial Lunar Eclipse (and Full Moon).

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 20:25 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

Moreover, in certain areas of the Earth, the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow, cre-
ating a partial lunar eclipse from 18:02 to 22:27 UTC. The maximum lunar eclipse occurs at
20:15 UTC.

The partial lunar eclipse is visible throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America,
Northeast South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and
Antarctica.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the penumbral lunar eclipse in your location (section
14).

October 29: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 3.1º south of the Moon at 08:14 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.7,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.9. At this time the Moon phase is 99.7%.

October 2023 celestial events, one by one 60

Section 12:
November 2023
celestial events, one
by one
Nikon 300 | 500mm | f/8 | 100s | ISO 200 | 4500K

As I've already told you, November is the last month in which you can photograph the Galac-
tic Center of the Milky Way.

So you have to take advantage of its reduced visibility time. Another option is to focus on
other types of images, such as creating Star Trails.

Fortunately, this year the conditions to photograph the Leonids are very good.

But most importantly, don't miss...

• On November 3, you can photograph Jupiter at opposition. It's at its closest approach
to Earth and its visible face is completely illuminated by the Sun at a magnitude of -
2.9.

• The New Moon week (November 13) is your last chance to capture the Galactic Center

November 2023 celestial events, one by one 62

 of the Milky Way shining in the sky in 2023.

• On November 13 you can photograph Uranus at opposition. It's at its closest ap-
proach to Earth and its visible face is completely illuminated by the Sun at a magnitude
of 5.6.

• The Leonids Meteor Shower on November 17-18. During those nights the Moon will be
pretty thin. So you won't have any Moonlight :)

• The Full Moon on November 27.

• The Manhattanhenge of November 30. It's a fantastic spectacle by which the Sun
aligns itself during Sunrise with some of the streets that form a grid on the island of
Manhattan in New York (USA).

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in
November 2023.

November 3: Jupiter at opposition.

At 04:55 UTC, Jupiter is at its closest approach to Earth and its visible face is completely
illuminated by the Sun at a magnitude of -2.9.

It's brighter than at any other time of the year and is visible throughout the night. This is
the best time to observe and photograph Jupiter and its four largest moons, which appear
as bright spots on both sides of the planet.

However, even being at its closest approach to the Earth, you can only distinguish Jupiter
as a star-shaped spot of light with the naked eye. Use a pair of good binoculars to see the
planet more clearly as a light spot along with its moons.

November 9: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus (and occultation).

Venus passes at 1.0º south of the Moon at 09:30 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.6,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.3. At this time the Moon phase is 15.4%.

In addition to this, Venus goes behind the Moon on what's called an occultation.

November 13: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 09:29 UTC.

The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky. In November
the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is visible during a shorter period of time. You can also
capture Star Trails.

November 2023 celestial events, one by one 63

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

November 13: Uranus at opposition.

At 17:12 UTC, Uranus is at its closest approach to Earth and its visible face is completely il-
luminated by the Sun at a magnitude of 5.6.

It's brighter than at any other time of the year and is visible throughout the night. This is
the best time to observe and photograph Uranus.

However, even being at its closest approach to the Earth, you can only distinguish Uranus
as a star-shaped spot of light with the naked eye. Use a telescope to see the planet.

November 14: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 1.4º north of the Moon at 14:39 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.3,
and Mercury at a magnitude of -0.4. At this time the Moon phase is 1.8%.

November 17-18: Leonids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from November 6 to 30.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between November 17 and 18. The peak
is on November 18 at 05:22 UTC with 15 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is
26.5%, so the conditions to enjoy it are very good (there is no Moon).

Use the Meteor Shower Pill and the Meteor Shower Layer in the Planner to figure out all
the key Meteor Shower info for your location or place you wish to photograph it.

This Meteor Shower is visible and intense in both hemispheres.

Learn how to photograph a meteor shower with our Meteor Showers guide.

November 20: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.4º north of the Moon at 14:06 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.0,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.6. At this time the Moon phase is 51.7%.

November 25: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 2.5º south of the Moon at 11:14 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.7,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.8. At this time the Moon phase is 95.6%.

November 27: Full Moon.

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full

November 2023 celestial events, one by one 64

Moon is at 09:17 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

November 30: Manhattanhenge at Sunrise.

Manhattanhenge occurs when the Sun, at Sunrise, aligns with the grid formed by the
streets of Manhattan Island in New York (USA).

On November 29 and 30 the Sun aligns with the streets of Manhattan. But on November 30
it’s perfectly aligned. So if the weather conditions are not ideal, you can always try the day
before.

The best locations are 14th Street, 34th Street (where the Empire State Building is located),
42nd Street (where the Chrysler Building and Tudor City Bridge are located), 57th Street and
79th Street.

November 2023 celestial events, one by one 65

Section 13:
December 2023
celestial events, one
by one
Nikon Z6 | 18mm | f/4 | 15s | ISO 800 | 3500K

In 2023 December is full of surprises that go beyond the usual events that occur at this
time of year... :)

First and foremost, there is a total solar eclipse!

December is a month with two interesting Meteor Showers: the Geminids and the Ursids. In
2023, only the Geminids benefit from good conditions to be observed (and captured).

In December you can't photograph the Galactic Center of the Milky Way, so you have to do
your best with the thinnest part of the arch of our galaxy. At this time of year the Galactic
Center is above the horizon when it is daylight.

But don't be discouraged because this month brings other photographic opportunities that
are worthwhile. Also, don't forget about Star Trails because it's a type of astrophotography
that you can practice all year round.

December 2023 celestial events, one by one 67

But above all, don't miss...

• On December 4, you can photograph Mercury at greatest eastern elongation.

• The chance to photograph some Star Trails. Take advantage of the New Moon week
(December 13).

• On the night of December 14-15, the peak of the Geminids Meteor Shower occurs.
During those nights the Moon will be pretty thin. So you won't have any Moonlight :)

• The winter (or summer) solstice on December 22 marks the shortest (or longest) day
of the year.

• On the night of December 22-23, the peak of the Ursids Meteor Shower occurs. De-
spite the Moonlight conditions, you can always go for the challenge to capture them!

• The Full Moon on December 27 is always an opportunity to get a spectacular image.

Here you have the complete list of the most important celestial events happening in De-
cember 2023.

December 4: Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.

When Mercury reaches its greatest elongation at 17:26 UTC, it's located 21.3º east of the
Sun, and it's shining at a magnitude of -0.5.

Mercury's orbit is closer to the Sun than that of the Earth, which means that it always ap-
pears close to the Sun and is faded because of the Sun's brightness most of the time. You
can only observe it for a few days each time it reaches its greatest separation from the Sun
(greatest elongation).

This phenomenon repeats itself approximately once every 3-4 months and occurs alter-
nately during the morning or afternoon, depending on whether Mercury is to the east or
west of the Sun.

When it's located east of the Sun, it rises and sets just after the Sun, and it's visible during
the Sunset. The best time to photograph Mercury is shortly after Sunset.

December 9: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus.

Venus passes at 3.4º north of the Moon at 16:54 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.3,
and Venus at a magnitude of -4.1. At this time the Moon phase is 12.0%.

December 13: New Moon.

The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 23:33 UTC.

December 2023 celestial events, one by one 68

The days around New Moon are great for photographing the night sky and Star Trails. In
December the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is no longer visible, but you can photograph
the thinnest part of the arch of our galaxy.

Use PhotoPills to learn more about the Milky Way and Star Trails in your location (section
14).

December 14: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.

Mercury passes at 4.2º north of the Moon at 05:20 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -8.6,
and Mercury at a magnitude of 0.5. At this time the Moon phase is 2.2%.

December 14-15: Geminids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from December 4 to 17.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between December 14 and 15. The peak
is on December 14 at 19:15 UTC with 120 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is
5.6%, so the conditions to enjoy it are very good (there is no Moon).

Use the Meteor Shower Pill and the Meteor Shower Layer in the Planner to figure out all
the key Meteor Shower info for your location or place you wish to photograph it.

This Meteor Shower is visible in both hemispheres, although it's weaker in the Southern
Hemisphere.

Learn how to photograph a meteor shower with our Meteor Showers guide.

December 17: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn.

Saturn passes at 2.3º north of the Moon at 22:01 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -11.5,
and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.7. At this time the Moon phase is 29.4%.

December 22: December solstice.

The December solstice is at 03:24 UTC. This is also the first winter day (winter solstice)
in the Northern Hemisphere and the first summer day (summer solstice) in the Southern
Hemisphere.

If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, take advantage of the longest golden hour and blue
hour of the year!

December 22-23: Ursids Meteor Shower.

The Meteor Shower runs from December 17 to 26.

But the best night for photographing it is the one between December 22 and 23. The peak

December 2023 celestial events, one by one 69

is on December 23 at 03:41 UTC with 10 meteors per hour. At this time the Moon phase is
85.3%, so the conditions to enjoy it might not be very good because of the Moonlight.

But this depends on where you are on the planet or plan to photograph it. To figure out
whether it's worth it or not to photograph it, use the Meteor Shower Pill or the Meteor
Shower Layer in the Planner to check local Moonset times, local peak time and forecasted
local meteors/h.

This Meteor Shower is visible in both hemispheres, although it's weaker in the Southern
Hemisphere.

You have all the information you need in our Meteor Shower guide.

December 22: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter.

Jupiter passes at 2.4º north of the Moon at 14:24 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -12.5,
and Jupiter at a magnitude of -2.7. At this time the Moon phase is 79.5%.

December 27: Full Moon.

It's time to enjoy the last Full Moon of the year!

The Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth so the Sun illuminates it completely. Full
Moon is at 00:34 UTC.

Full Moon days are perfect for photographing it with an interesting subject. Get the most
out of the Full Moon with this article.

December 31: Comet 62P/Tsuchinshan reaches its brightest.

Comet 62P/Tsuchinshan reaches its brightest. The comet coordinates are: right ascension
11h37m50s and declination 12°18’N.

It becomes visible all night because it’s circumpolar, reaching its highest position in the
sky around 01:37 UTC. It then sinks towards the horizon, setting at 07:28 UTC. With a mag-
nitude of 7.9, this comet is not expected to be visible to the naked eye, but might be visible
through bird-watching binoculars.

And now that you know everything (absolutely everything!) that will happen in 2023 from an
astronomical point of view, it's time to...

You've guessed it!

It's time to plan one (or more) astronomical highlights of 2023.

December 2023 celestial events, one by one 70

Section 14:
How to plan the best
2023 astronomical
events
Imagine. Plan. Shoot!

That's what we PhotoPillers say (photography and PhotoPills freaks)...

We even designed a t-shirt so we don't forget it :P

And as expected, this workflow is the backbone of this guide.

With the help of the calendar, you chose the astronomical event you want to photograph...
And you have let your imagination run wild, trying to create in your mind a great picture (a
legendary one if possible).

Well, the time has come to go from the idea to reality, to check that the photo you dream of
is possible!

And to find out the exact shooting spot and the exact moment the photo happens.

It's time to plan the photo :)

And to do so, the best thing is to use PhotoPills, a tool that you can easily master reading
the super user guide and watching these video tutorials :P

Are you ready?

How to plan your Milky Way pictures (including the

Galactic Center!)
Photographing the Milky Way is magical.

But if you manage to do it in the way and the location you want, the result is even more re-
warding. That's why planning is so important.

But before we start, remember that,

• The Milky Way is visible every night. What's not visible every night is its center, the
brightest part of our galaxy. That's why I always say that there is a Galactic Center
hunting season.

• In many parts of the world the Galactic Center begins to be visible at the end of Jan-
uary and becomes invisible in November.

To plan the Milky Way in a location that I'm interested in, I use the PhotoPills Planner to
work on the different compositions that I can get during each of the New Moons of the year.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 72

In this video Rafa explains to you step by step the whole workflow that I follow. In addition
to this, at the end of this section I have added a link to a video detailing another example of
Milky Way planning.

Did you like the video?

Yes?

Great!

Now let's dive in a little more into the wonderful world of Milky Way planning with another
example :)

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 73

 PhotoPills Planner - The Red Pin is placed in PhotoPills Planner - Now you see Panel 8 above the
Nambung National Park (Australia). The Milky Way map. The icon tells you the inclination of the Milky
arch is displayed on the map (white dotted arch). Way arch in the sky. The blue energy bar is linked to
Above the map you see Panel 7, which shows the the Moon phase. When full, it means it's New Moon.
Galactic Center visibility times for the selected date. And when it is empty, it's Full Moon. You also have
the position (azimuth and elevation) of the Galactic
Center and the highest point of the Milky Way arch.

• Look for a location with no light pollution and an interesting subject. Imagine you are
in Nambung National Park (Australia) to photograph some rock formations known as
the Pinnacles along with the Milky Way arch.

• Open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then place the Red Pin right in the loca-
tion where you want to plan the photo. If you don't know how to do it, this video shows
you how to move the Red Pin.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 74

 • Now, on the Planner, make sure you have the Moon and Milky Way map layers turned
on. Tap on the Map settings button, it's on the map, next to the (+) button.

• On the Map settings screen, check that the eye icon on the Moon and Milky Way map
layers is not crossed out. If it is, tap on it to turn the layer on. Tap OK (upper right cor-
ner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android. If you want to have a cleaner view on the
Planner, you can turn off the rest of the layers (tap on the eye icon to cross it out).

• Swipe the top panels to the left until you find the two Milky Way information panels
(Panel 7 and Panel 8).

• On Panel 7 you can see when the Galactic Center becomes visible or not and the light
grey line shows the direction in which it shows up.

• Take into account the Moon phase. It's easier to photograph the Milky Way if you avoid
any light source. So try to plan your session during the New Moon day and the 4 days
before and after.

• Tap on the center of the Time Bar twice to set the current date and time. Then, tap on
the Milky Way icon on Panel 8. The date will jump to the next New Moon.

• Now it's time to play with the Time Bar and the Milky Way layer to see if you can cap-
ture the Milky Way slightly above the horizon, forming a nice diagonal or completely
vertical. Swipe the time forwards (to the left) or backwards (to the right) until the white
dotted arch is where you want it to be in the sky. Then, adjust the position of the Red
Pin depending on the composition you want.

• Tap on the RA Night button to check the position of the Milky Way and the Galactic Cen-
ter. You can also use Panel 8 to check the inclination angle of the Milky Way and the
height of the energy bar: the higher and bluer, the more visible the Milky Way is (less
impact of the Moon).

• If the composition you're looking for is not possible on the date you're planning, skip to
the next New Moon and repeat the process until you find the photo you want!

• From the planning result you'll get the shooting spot (the position of the Red Pin) and
the date and time of shooting (shown in the Time Bar) allowing you to capture the
photo you want.

And that's it!

If you follow these steps, you can easily plan any Milky Way photo you want.

You'll finally be able to make that dream come true.

Anyway, if you need a more detailed explanation, you can read the planning section in the
Milky Way guide.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 75

Or if you prefer, you can see Rafa's explanation using a real case: a vertical Milky Way with
a 5,000-year-old Bristlecone Pine tree located in the White Mountains, California (USA).

How to plan your Full Moon (and Supermoon!)

pictures
Would you like to photograph the next Full Moon? Or better yet... the next Supermoon!

But you don't know what to do to get the photo you've been dreaming about for days.

Don't worry!

I'm here to help you with the planning using a spectacular example ;)

But first, you should watch the following video:

Here's another example of all the steps you should follow to plan a Supermoon :P

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 76

 PhotoPills Moon - Moon calendar where yellow PhotoPills Planner - Supermoon planning for August
circles show the Supermoons. 1, 2023. The center of the Moon will be aligned with
the roof of Torre Sevilla at 10:22 pm and will have a
diameter of 10 m. The Red Pin shows the shooting
spot and the Black Pin shows the Torre Sevilla
position. The thin blue line shows the position of the
Moon for the selected time.

• Choose a location with a special scenery, that has an interesting subject and where you
can move around easily.

• In this case, I want one of the 2023 Supermoons to be behind Torre Sevilla, the tallest
skyscraper in Seville (Spain).

• Tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then place the Red Pin near Torre Sevilla. If you don't know
how to do it, this video shows you how to move the Red Pin.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 77

 • Now let's find out the 2023 Supermoon dates. Exit the Planner tapping Back and then
tap Moon (Pills Menu). Tap on the Calendar button. Supermoons have a yellow circle
around them. Tap, for example, on the August 1, 2023 Supermoon. On the Moon screen,
press the Action button (bottom right) and select Send to planner. The Supermoon date
will be set on the Planner.

• On the Planner, zoom in on the map until you have enlarged the rooftop of Torre Sevilla
as much as possible. Swipe the top panels to the right until you find the Black Pin in-
formation panel (Panel 2). Tap on the Red Pin and the Black Pin icon to turn on the
Black Pin on the map. Drag the Black Pin to place it in the middle of Torre Sevilla's
rooftop.

• It's time to determine the shooting spot from which the Moon will have the size you
want compared to the subject (Torre Sevilla). Imagine you want it to be 10 meters.

• Tap on the Map settings button. It's on the map, next to the (+) button.

• On the Map settings screen, in the Map Tools section, tap on the Sun/Moon button. Tap
OK (upper right corner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android.

• On the map, you can now see a grey circle. It tells you the shooting distance you need.
Also, in the top box that just appeared, type the size you want the Moon to have (10 me-
ters). The circle diameter changes according to the size you enter.

• Place the Red Pin on the grey circumference, so that the Moonrise line (thick light blue)
or the Moonset line (thick dark blue) is not too far from the Black Pin. So, when the
Moon rises or sets, it goes over your subject.

• Now, you have to take into account the Moon's elevation relative to Torre Sevilla. The
building measures 180.5 meters. So it may be interesting that the Moon is somehow
higher than the top of the building. And that it's always aligned, of course.

• Look at the Panel 2, it displays the Moon's elevation relative to the Black Pin. So you
need to find out at what time the Moon's elevation will be about 190 or 200 meters
above the Black Pin. Move the Time Bar around Moonrise time until you find it.

• Now, adjust the position of the Red Pin on the grey circumference, taking into account
the direction in which the Moon will move, so that the white dotted line (between the
Red Pin and the Black Pin) and the thin blue line (direction of the Moon) match.

• While moving the Red Pin, the topography may have changed, so check the Moon's ele-
vation over the Black Pin in Panel 2.

• If it hasn't changed, great, your planning job is done. Otherwise, repeat the process.

And that's it!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 78

Now you know exactly where the shooting spot is and when you have to be there (date and
time).

Of all the plans, Moon ones require you to work a bit harder while being accurate.

If this explanation is not enough and you need more details, you can read the planning sec-
tion in the Moon guide.

Or if you prefer, you can see Rafa's explanation using a real case: a 10m Sun aligned and
inside the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (France).

And if you already know the shooting spot and want to quickly find out when the Moon will
be where you want it, use the Search option. In this article Rafa explains how to do it: 'How
to find Moonrises and Moonsets'.

How to plan your Meteor Showers pictures

When you're planning any Meteor Shower picture, there's one element you need to con-
sider: the radiant.

The radiant is a point in the sky from which meteors seem to radiate. Or, if you prefer,
sprout XD.

Each radiant is located in the constellation that gives its name to the Meteor Shower. For
example, the Perseids radiant is located in the Perseus constellation.

Our Meteor Showers guide let you know the radiants of the most spectacular Meteor
Showers. And here's a video in which Rafa teaches you how to plan a Meteor Shower with
PhotoPills (including how to locate the radiant in the Sky with the Augmented Reality view):

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 79

Did you know that meteors can appear randomly anywhere in the sky? This means that you
could frame wherever you want and you could end up photographing meteors...

Regardless of that fun fact...

You should always make sure that you locate the radiant in the sky. Depending on the im-
age you want to create, the radiant is the best indicator to find the shooting spot and where
you should point your camera at:

• There is a cool effect that you can get in post-processing which is having all the mete-
ors converging from one single spot in the sky. In order to create this image, you need
to have the radiant in your frame. You can learn this technique by watching this video
by David Kingham.

• The meteors that are far away from the radiant have longer tails than the rest. If you
want to capture meteors with long tails, frame your camera as far away from the radi-
ant as possible.

• Oh, and don't forget to use the shortest possible focal length (ideally, a wide angle lens)
so you can capture the maximum number of meteors. Try to include as much sky as
you can in the frame to have more meteors in your picture.

• And, finally, add a nice subject in the foreground. Your image will be much more pow-
erful if you connect all the elements of your composition!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 80

Even though you don't have to include the radiant in your composition, I like to do it be-
cause the effect you get is spectacular.

So let's see how to plan your photo, including how to locate the radiant in the sky. To do
that, let's take the Perseids for example.

Planner Settings > Meteor Showers Layer. The Planner. Map view of the Meteor Shower radiant and
calendar of the most important Meteor Showers for path, and the Meteor Shower information on Panel 11
the selected year (2023). Swipe left or right to at the beginning of the shooting session.
change the year.

• Open PhotoPills, and tap Planner (Pills Menu).

• On the Planner, place the Red Pin where you want to plan the Meteor Shower.

• Tap the Map Settings button. You'll find it on the Map, next to the (+) button.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 81

 • Switch off the map layers you don't need (like the Sun layer for example). To do it, tap
the eye icon you have next to each of the layers.

• Tap the Meteor Shower layer.

• Choose the Meteor Shower peak you want to plan (ie. the Perseids) from the calendar.
Tap OK (upper right corner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android.

• On the map you can see:

– The path the radiant will follow during the night (the arch).
– The radiant position (the circle on the path).
– The elevation of the radiant (the concentric circumferences).

• Swipe the panels on the map to the left until you find the Meteor Showers information
panel (Panel 11).

• Now you know that:

– The peak of the Perseids is on August 13, 2023 at 03:36 UTC.

– The Moon phase is 10.0% (the New Moon is on August 16, 2023 at 11:39 UTC). So the
conditions to take the photo are excellent.
– The radiant coordinates are: right ascension 03h 12m and declination +58.0º.

• When the Meteor Shower peak day arrives, go to the location and explore the surround-
ings to select one or more shooting spots. Imagine you are next to the Favàritx light-
house, in Menorca (Spain).

• Now, position yourself at the shooting spot.

• Once there, open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and make sure that your Perseids
plan is loaded.

• Tap the RA Night button to find the right ascension and declination. It's very easy.

• But, throughout the night, the radiant moves across the sky. To see how it moves, drag
your finger from right to left to move time forward.

• This way, you can know exactly where to frame so that the radiant is always in your
photos throughout the session.

If you want to know more about Meteor Showers and the mysterious radiant, take a look at
the Meteor Showers guide that we update every year.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 82

How to plan your lunar eclipse pictures
The best way to learn how to plan lunar eclipses is to use an example.

And what better example than the total lunar eclipse that occurred on May 16, 2022? ;)

In the following video you'll learn how to plan the total lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022 and
capture it from a location in San Francisco (USA) ;)

Let's see another example... this time in Lisbon (Portugal)!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 83

PhotoPills Planner - Eclipse calendar where you can PhotoPills Planner - Eclipse information on the map
select the eclipse you want to plan. and top panels. It's very easy to visualize where you
can photograph all the phases of the eclipse (or the
phases you'll be able to see) from the Red Pin
position.

Let's get to work...

• The first thing you have to do is to select the eclipse you want to plan (and photo-
graph). In this case, the partial lunar eclipse of October 28, 2023.

• To do this, open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then tap the Map settings but-
ton, it's on the map, next to the (+) button.

• On the Map settings screen, tap the little arrow to the right of the Eclipse layer to go to
the eclipse calendar.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 84

 • In the calendar, tap the 10/28/23 eclipse to select it.

• On the Map settings screen, make sure you have the Eclipse layer turned on (the eye
icon doesn't have to be crossed out). If it is, tap it to activate the layer. Tap OK (upper
right corner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android. If you want to have a cleaner
view on the Planner, you can turn off the rest of the layers (tap the eye icon to cross it
out).

• On the map, zoom out to see at a glance in which areas of the world the eclipse will be
visible.

• You know that, if you are going to photograph a partial lunar eclipse, you should go to a
location from where you can see it...

• To find out where you need to go, look at the visibility zones you see on the map. Place
the Red Pin in a location within the area where the eclipse is visible, for example in Lis-
bon (Portugal). If you don't know how, this video shows you how to move the Red Pin.

• Swipe the panels on the map to the left until you find the two eclipse information pan-
els (Panel 9 and Panel 10).

• Panel 10 displays which phases are visible at the Red Pin position. Keeping this panel
visible, move the Red Pin wherever you want to quickly find out which phases will be
visible and when.

• According to the panel and taking into account the Red Pin position, the October 28,
2023 eclipse begins at 07:02 pm.

• Now you need to know the direction to which you need to point your camera to. Look
at the map, the thin blue line coming out of the Red Pin tells you the Moon direction
for the date and time selected in the Time Bar. And you know that the eclipse starts at
07:02 pm.

• If you press the eclipse icon on Panel 10, you'll jump from phase to phase. The Time
Bar will go forwards and the thin blue line will move.

• You also need to know the Moon's elevation. To do this, swipe the top panels to the
right until you find the Sun/Moon position (azimuth and elevation) panel (Panel 3).

• According to Panel 3, the Moon will have an elevation of 5.20º at the beginning of the
eclipse (07:02 pm). And its azimuth will be exactly 77.5º.

• Once you're in the location, use the PhotoPills Augmented Reality view to check the
exact position of the Moon and its path.

This is how you can plan the partial lunar eclipse of October 28, 2023. If you follow these
simple steps you will be able to plan (almost) any lunar eclipse photo you can imagine...

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 85

If you want to learn much more about how to plan your own photos of a lunar eclipse, take a
look at the lunar eclipses guide.

How to plan your solar eclipse pictures

To learn how to plan the eclipses of the Sun it is best to use a real example.

And what better example than the partial solar eclipse that occurred on October 25, 2022?
;)

In the following video you'll learn how to plan the partial solar eclipse of October 25, 2025
visible in most of Europe, Southwest Asia and Northeast Africa ;)

Let's see another example... this time in Dallas (USA)!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 86

PhotoPills Planner - Eclipse calendar where you can PhotoPills Planner - Eclipse information on the map
select the eclipse you want to plan. and top panels. It's very easy to visualize where you
can photograph all the phases of the eclipse (path of
totality) or the phases you'll be able to see from the
Red Pin position.

Come on, let's get to it...

• The first thing you have to do is to select the eclipse you want to plan (and photo-
graph). In this case, the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.

• To do this, open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then tap the Map settings but-
ton, it's on the map, next to the (+) button.

• On the Map settings screen, tap the little arrow to the right of the Eclipse layer to go to
the eclipse calendar.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 87

 • In the calendar, tap the 04/08/24 eclipse to select it.

• On the Map settings screen, make sure you have the Eclipse layer turned on (the eye
icon doesn't have to be crossed out). If it is, tap it to activate the layer. Tap OK (upper
right corner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android. If you want to have a cleaner
view on the Planner, you can turn off the rest of the layers (tap the eye icon to cross it
out).

• On the map, zoom out to see at a glance in which areas of the world the eclipse will be
visible.

• You know that, if you are going to photograph a total solar eclipse, you should go to
a location within the path of totality from where you can see (and photograph) the
total solar eclipse.

• To find out where you need to go, look at the dark central band you see on the map.
Place the Red Pin in a location within the path of totality, for example along the blue
line near Dallas (USA). If you don't know how, this video shows you how to move the
Red Pin.

• Swipe the panels on the map to the left until you find the two eclipse information pan-
els (Panel 9 and Panel 10).

• Panel 10 displays which phases are visible at the Red Pin position. Keeping this panel
visible, move the Red Pin wherever you want to quickly find out which phases will be
visible and when.

• According to the panel and taking into account the Red Pin position, the April 8, 2024
eclipse begins at 12:23 pm.

• Now you need to know the direction to which you need to point your camera to. Look
at the map, the thin orange line coming out of the Red Pin tells you the Sun direction
for the date and time selected in the Time Bar. And you know that the eclipse starts at
12:23 pm.

• If you press the eclipse icon on Panel 10, you'll jump from phase to phase. The Time
Bar will go forwards and the thin orange line will move.

• You also need to know the Sun's elevation. To do this, swipe the top panels to the right
until you find the Sun/Moon position (azimuth and elevation) panel (Panel 3).

• According to Panel 3, the Sun will have an elevation of 60.55º at the beginning of the
eclipse (12:23 pm). And its azimuth will be exactly 145.5º.

• Once you're in the location, use the PhotoPills Augmented Reality view to check the
exact position of the Sun and its path.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 88

This is how you can plan the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024. If you follow these simple
steps you will be able to plan (almost) any solar eclipse photo that you imagine...

If you want to learn in much more detail how to plan your own photos of a solar eclipse, take
a look at the solar eclipses guide.

How to plan your Star Trails pictures

Planning a picture of Star Trails is very (very) easy. Seriously!

You don't believe me?

Ok, let me prove it...

Take a look at this video:

And here is the whole workflow step by step:

• Choose a location you're familiar with that has little light pollution.

• During daytime, go to the location and explore the surroundings to select one or more
shooting spots.

• Now, position yourself at the shooting spot.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 89

 • Once there, open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then place the Red Pin right
where you are. If you don't know how to do it, this video shows you how to move the
Red Pin.

• Choose a night near the New Moon. This will prevent the Moonlight from influencing
the exposure of your photos.

• Exit the Planner tapping Back and then tap Moon (Pills Menu). Tap on the Calendar but-
ton. Tap the next New Moon. On the Moon screen, press the Action button (bottom
right) and select Send to planner.

• Tap the RA Night button to find the Polaris, the celestial equator and any potential Star
Trails patterns. Depending on the shooting direction, you will get one pattern or an-
other.

If you're an advanced PhotoPiller, you can also choose to plan it from home. It's a little more
work, but it's not hard at all.

You can read everything about how to plan a Star Trails photo in the Star Trails guide.

How to plan your Moon-planet conjunction pictures

The conjunction between a planet and the Moon occurs when you have the impression that
they are very close to each other while observing them from the Earth.

This phenomenon occurs because both stars are in the same celestial longitude. But be-
cause they're not at the same celestial latitude you suffer the optical illusion that they're
close to each other.

Throughout 2023 there are many conjunctions between a planet and the Moon. You can
find details of each one of them in this guide's monthly calendar.

If you want to photograph one of them, you should plan it first. It will help you know all the
information you need to take the picture.

And to explain how you can plan this type of photos, the best thing is to use an example. So
I'm going to focus on a conjunction that occurs on September 4, 2023 at 19:47 UTC between
Jupiter and the Moon.

Since the Moon is involved in the conjunction, let's find out where the Moon will be on the
day and time of the conjunction.

Let's look at this example...

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 90

 PhotoPills Planner - Red Pin placed in Amman PhotoPills Planner - On the map, the thin blue line
(Jordan) the day and time of the Jupiter and Moon shows the direction of the Moon at 10:47 pm local
conjunction (September 4, 2023 at 19:47 UTC or time on the same day. Panel 3 shows the Moon
10:47 pm local time). According to Panel 4, the Moon elevation (11.12º) and phase (71.6%).
sets at 10:52 am so it will be above the horizon when
the conjunction occurs.

• Open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then place the Red Pin in one of the areas
where the Jupiter-Moon conjunction is visible. In this example, I'm going to put it in
Amman (Jordan). If you don't know how to do it, this video shows you how to move
the Red Pin.

• Now, on the Planner, make sure you have the Moon and Twilights map layers turned on.
Tap on the Map settings button, it's on the map, next to the (+) button.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 91

 • On the Map settings screen, check that the eye icon on the Moon and Twilights map
layers is not crossed out. If it is, tap on it to turn the layer on. Tap OK (upper right cor-
ner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android. If you want to have a cleaner view on the
Planner, you can turn off the rest of the layers (tap on the eye icon to cross it out).

• Amman is in the GMT+3 time zone, so the conjunction occurs on September 4, 2023 at
10:47 pm local time. This is the exact moment when the Moon and the planet are on the
same celestial longitude, but a few hours before and a few hours after they will still be
very close.

• On the Planner, tap the clock below the Time Bar. On the Date and time screen, tap Date
and set September 4, 2023. Tap Time and set 10:47 pm. Tap OK (upper right corner) in
iOS or the arrow to go back in Android.

• If you're stuck with UTC times, you can always move the Red Pin to Iceland, change the
time using UTC time (Iceland is always in the GMT+0 time zone and doesn't apply Day-
light Save Time), and then move the Red Pin back to your location. The time will be au-
tomatically converted to local time.

• Swipe the top panels to the left until you find the two Sun and Moon information panels
(Panel 3 and Panel 4).

• According to Panel 4, the Moon sets on September 4, 2023 at 10:52 am so it will be

above the horizon when the conjunction occurs.

• Moreover, Panel 3 tells you that at that time (10:47 pm) it will have an elevation of
11.12º. The Moon phase is 71.6% so it will have a nice rounded shape in your photo.

• Moreover, tap the RA button to use the Augmented Reality view and check in situ the
position in which the Moon will be at all times during the conjunction. Remember that
if in the Augmented Reality view you use your thumb to press and swipe to the left, you
move time forward and the Moon moves ;)

• If at the exact time of the conjunction the Moon is below the horizon, you can move the
Time Bar forwards or backwards until it's above the horizon.

– If the event occurs before the Moonrise, move time forwards until the Moon rises.
– If the event occurs after the Moonset, move time backwards until the Moon sets.

• In a conjunction, the planet and the Moon are close for several hours, so if you look for
the closest instant to the conjunction, but having the Moon above the horizon, you can
also capture both the Moon and the planet very close one from another. A good time to
photograph a conjunction is during twilight, for example :)

See how easy that is?

Being able to use the Moon as a reference makes the process much easier ;)

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 92

How to plan your pictures of a conjunction of
planets or planet conjunction with a Deep-Sky
Object (DSO)
Unfortunately, PhotoPills doesn't have information about planets yet.

However, here's how we planned the 2020 Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

Alternatively, you can use a free program called Stellarium to plan your photos before a
conjunction of planets occurs.

How to plan your comet pictures

In the previous section I have recommended you Stellarium, a free program to make simu-
lations of the celestial vault. You can observe all kinds of celestial bodies and astronomical
objects: planets, satellites, asteroids, meteors and comets, among others.

Therefore, I recommend that you install it on your computer and look for the comet you
want to photograph. Stellarium will give you the date and time when that particular comet
will be visible (or not).

Here's a complete tutorial for you to set up Stellarium and search for comets.

How to plan your pictures of a planet transit across

the Sun
The transit of a planet across the Sun occurs when the planet passes between the Earth
and the Sun, casting its shadow on the solar surface.

In fact, only Venus and Mercury transits can be observed from the Earth. So it's a very rare
event that occurs once every many years.

Next November 13, 2032 Mercury will transit across the Sun. Will you be able to photograph
it?

Let's find it out by planning it!

But before we start, a couple of facts:

• The Mercury transit across the Sun occurs from 06:40 to 11:08 UTC.

• This transit is completely visible, from start to finish, in Europe, Africa, the Middle East,

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 93

 western Russia and India. In South America, southeast Asia, China, Japan, Australia,
and New Zealand only a portion of the transit will be visible, as the beginning or end of
the transit will occur before Sunrise or after Sunset.

And now, it's time to plan.

PhotoPills Planner - Red Pin placed in Durban (South PhotoPills Planner - On the map, the thin yellow line
Africa) on the day and time of the beginning of the shows the Sun direction at 01:07 pm local time (11:07
Mercury transit across the Sun on November 13, UTC) on the same day, when the transit ends. Panel 3
2032 at 08:41 am local time (06:41 UTC). On the map, shows the Sun elevation.
the thin yellow line shows the direction of the Sun.
Panel 3 shows the Sun elevation.

• Open PhotoPills, tap Planner (Pills Menu) and then place the Red Pin in one of the areas
where the whole transit is visible. In this example, I'm going to put it in Durban (South
Africa). If you don't know how to do it, this video shows you how to move the Red Pin.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 94

 • Now, on the Planner, make sure you have the Sun and Twilights map layers turned on.
Tap on the Map settings button, it's on the map, next to the (+) button.

• On the Map settings screen, check that the eye icon on the Sun and Twilights map lay-
ers is not crossed out. If it is, tap on it to turn the layer on. Tap OK (upper right cor-
ner) in iOS or the arrow to go back in Android. If you want to have a cleaner view on the
Planner, you can turn off the rest of the layers (tap on the eye icon to cross it out).

• Durban is in the GMT+2 time zone, so the November 13, 2032 transit begins at 08:41 am
and ends at 01:07 pm.

• On the Planner, tap the clock below the Time Bar. On the Date and time screen, tap Date
and set November 13, 2032. Tap Time and set 08:41 am. Tap OK (upper right corner) in
iOS or the arrow to go back in Android.

• Swipe the top panels to the left until you find the two Sun and Moon information panels
(Panel 3 and Panel 4).

• According to Panel 4, the Sun rises at 05:36 am so it will be above the horizon when
the transit begins.

• Moreover, Panel 3 tells you that at that time (08:41 am) it will have an elevation of
36.77º.

• If you move time forward, to 01:07 pm, by swiping the Time Bar to the left, you'll see
how the thin yellow line moves. It shows you the Sun direction. At that time its eleva-
tion will be 67.76º.

• Moreover, tap the RA button to use the Augmented Reality view and check in situ the
position in which the Sun will be at all times during the conjunction. Remember that if
in the Augmented Reality view you use your thumb to press and swipe to the left, you
move time forwards and the Sun moves ;)

As you can see, it's very easy to check from where, when and in which direction you have to
frame to capture the transit of a planet across the Sun.

PhotoPills rocks!

How to plan your zodiacal light pictures

The zodiacal light is a relatively unknown astronomical phenomenon.

And it's truly surprising because it can produce a spectacular effect on your images gener-
ating an almost surreal glow. Like in a science fiction movie!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 95

But it's not. It's very real.

However, the zodiacal light is shy and elusive. You won't always be able to see and/or pho-
tograph it. In fact, as with the Milky Way, everything depends on the location from which
you want to take the photo.

In the Northern Hemisphere, you can photograph it in:

• Spring, around the March equinox (late February, March and early April). The zodiacal
light is visible to the west, at the end of the astronomical twilight, after Sunset and in
the Sunset direction.

• Fall, around the September equinox (late August, September and early October). The
zodiacal light is visible to the east, before the astronomical twilight, before dawn and
in the Sunrise direction.

In the Southern Hemisphere, you can photograph it in:

• Fall, around the March equinox (late February, March and early April). The zodiacal
light is visible to the east, before the astronomical twilight, before dawn and in the
Sunrise direction.

• Spring, around the September equinox (end of August, September and beginning of
October). The zodiacal light is visible to the west, at the end of the astronomical twi-
light, after Sunset and in the Sunset direction.

The zodiacal light starts on the horizon from the Sun position and extends up along the
ecliptic. Its trajectory passes through all the constellations of the zodiac.

Moreover, depending on the time of day and the time of year, the zodiacal light orientation
varies. This means that at the best observation moment, when the Sun is below -18º eleva-
tion, the zodiacal light may be more or less inclined.

Therefore, the zodiacal light can appear inclined above the horizon. And its inclination,
height and width will vary throughout the night. The zodiacal light reaches its maximum
height when the Sun elevation is -18º. Therefore, the lower the Sun elevation, the less
height and width the zodiacal light will have.

During the equinoxes, just before Sunrise or after Sunset, the ecliptic is more vertical with
respect to the horizon. Therefore, the days around these dates are the perfect time to pho-
tograph the zodiacal light: most of this light will be above the horizon.

At that time, the zodiacal light above the horizon can reach a width of about 40º and a
height from the Sun of about 60º or 70º. It has a triangular shape.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 96

To plan it, the first thing you have to do is to choose a time frame around the March or
September equinox.

But let me explain it to you with an example...

Imagine you're in the Northern Hemisphere and the September equinox is coming up.

So you need to determine a shooting date from late August, September or early October.
Remember that in this case, in the Northern Hemisphere, the zodiacal light is visible before
the astronomical twilight (i.e. before Sunrise) and in the Sunrise direction.

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 97

 PhotoPills Sun - Tap Seasons to see the exact date PhotoPills Planner - According to the position of the
and time of the solstices and equinoxes in the Sun Red Pin (Cala Presili in Menorca, Spain) and the
Pill. shooting date (September 18, 2023), the zodiacal
light will be visible in the Sunrise direction (thick
yellow line), before the astronomical twilight begins
at 05:54 am, just before Sunrise.

In this example, follow these steps to plan the zodiacal light:

• Choose the shooting date. Keep in mind that it should be a day around the September
equinox and, if possible, there should be a New Moon to avoid any light source so the
zodiacal light is as visible as possible.

• Open PhotoPills, tap Sun (Pills Menu) and then tap Seasons. This screen tells you that
the September equinox is on 09/23/23 at 08:52 am (current time of your current posi-

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 98

 tion, not the Red Pin).

• Tap the date and time of the September equinox. Now, on the main Sun screen, tap Ac-
tion and select Send to planner from the drop-down menu.

• Pn the Planner, move the Red Pin to a location with:

– Little light pollution. This is essential because zodiacal light is very weak and any
light pollution can make it disappear completely.
– A clean horizon in the Sunrise direction, in this case. This way you make sure you
can include as much zodiacal light as possible in the frame.

• In this example, place the Red Pin in Cala Presili, a beautiful beach to the west of the
island of Menorca (Spain). If you don't know how to do it, this video shows you how to
move the Red Pin.

• Swipe the top panels to Panel 3. On September 18 the Moon is increasing and its phase
is 55.4%.

• You're interested in locating the shooting date on the closest New Moon in time. To do
this, swipe the top panels to the left until you see Panel 4. Then, tap twice the Moon
icon to make PhotoPills jump backward to the previous Moon phase. Do it again until
you get to the New Moon of 09/15/23 at 03:41 am.

• Now you have to swipe the Time Bar until the beginning of the astronomical twilight
of the previous or next morning. It's the deadline from which the sunlight starts, mak-
ing the zodiacal light disappear. As the potential shooting date approaches, check the
weather forecast. It will help you choose the final shooting date. Any night when there
is no Moon before the astronomical twilight is fine.

• But first, swipe the top panels to the left to get to Panel 5. It tells you the hours of the
astronomical twilight.

• Swipe the Time Bar to the left, for example, to jump 2-3 days forward in time
(09/18/23).

• Panel 5 has been updated with the twilight hours of 09/18/23. And it tells you that the
morning astronomical twilight starts at 05:55 am. Now you know that your photo ses-
sion will end on 09/18/23 at 05:55 am :)

• Moreover, the thick yellow line tells you the direction in which you should point your
camera to. In this case, to the direction in which the zodiacal light is centered with the
beach.

Well, that's it.

You've just planned your next photo of zodiacal light ;)

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 99

Great! Now you should be an expert in planning (almost).

Learning to plan requires some study and practice. But it's easier than it looks. I plan my
photos in seconds... And so can you!

Once the photo is planned, let's see how to successfully capture it.

Keep reading!

How to plan the best 2023 astronomical events 100

Section 15:
How to photograph
the best 2023
astronomical events
You just learnt how to plan one of these amazing space events.

Now, it's time to find out how to shoot it!

How to photograph the Milky Way (including the

Galactic Core!)

Nikon D4s | 17mm | f/2.8 | 30s | ISO 3200 | 3400K

You had the idea, you planned it, maybe a few months ago, and finally you find yourself in a
spectacular location, outdoors, in the middle of the night, ready to live and photograph the
moment...

But before pressing the shutter button, you have to prepare everything thoroughly.

Follow the steps below to photograph the Milky Way:

• Use the PhotoPills Night Augmented Reality view to check you're in the right place.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 102

 • If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the shortest focal length you can (14mm, 18mm, 24mm,...). Try to keep it below
35mm.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field.

• Frame at night cranking up the ISO to 3200 or 6400.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing is correct.

• Use the NPF rule to adjust the shutter speed and avoid Star Trails. It's easy with Pho-
toPills and the Spot stars calculator.

• Adjust the ISO depending on how much noise your camera produces.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and take a couple of test shots to check if you like what you see and adjust ac-
cordingly.

• Depending on the light pollution you find in the location, illuminate the foreground
with an artificial light (optional).

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

That's it!

Once you find an exposure you like, simply enjoy photographing the fantastic moment na-
ture is offering you.

You can find the whole workflow explained in great detail in our super guide on how to
photograph the Milky Way.

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph the Milky Way.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 103

How to photograph a Full Moon (and a Supermoon!)

Nikon D4s | 340mm | f/5.6 | 1/320s | ISO 3200 | 6000K

Photographing the Full Moon is a challenge. But the prize you can get in return is so re-
warding that you shouldn't have cold feet.

That's why it's important that you follow these recommendations carefully. A slight devia-
tion when positioning yourself at the shooting spot can be fatal!

Follow the steps below to photograph a Full Moon:

• Use the PhotoPills Planner to check that you are in the right place. You can activate
the option to see your position on the map by pressing the (+) button on the map. Then,
press the eighth toolbar button that shows up (it's a compass icon). Now you see a blue
circle on the map: it displays your current position. Walk to the Red Pin location. To
do this, it's important to zoom in on the map and check that the blue dot is actually
aligned with the base of the Red Pin (where the stick is pinned).

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 104

 • If your lens has an image stabilization system, turn it off.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Select the focal length depending on the composition:

– Moon as a dot, use a wide-angle lens (10-35mm).

– Small Moon, use intermediate focal lengths (35-200mm).
– Large (or huge!) Moon, select long focal lengths (>200mm).

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• The exposure will depend on the natural light you have at the time of the photo (and
the photo you want to capture). Imagine, for example, that it's golden hour before Sun-
set (the elevation Sun is between 6º and 0º).

• In this case, use a medium (f/8) or slightly large (f/5.6) aperture.

• Frame and focus.

– With a wide angle lens, focus at the hyperfocal distance.

– With intermediate/long focal lengths (foreground in the composition), focus on
the subject as long as the hyperfocal distance is shorter than the distance to the
subject. If not, focus directly on your subject and leave the Moon slightly out of
focus.
– With long focal lengths (no foreground in the composition), focus directly on the
Moon.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing and the focus are correct.

• The shutter speed can range from 1/200s to 1/8s.

• Use an ISO as low as possible considering the exposure triangle. Start with ISO 100
and crank it up depending on the light conditions (usually between 100 and 1600).

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 5000K to boost blue tones or
between 6000 and 7500K to boost golden ones.

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

• Do a 1-stop bracketing of 3 shots to get the perfect shot.

If you want to learn (or review) the whole shooting workflow, especially when deciding the
exposure triangle according to the light conditions, take a look at the Moon guide where I
explain it step by step.

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph the Moon with a foreground.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 105

If a Supermoon is approaching, the shooting workflow is very similar. You just need an idea,
a powerful location, and the right gear.

Moreover, PhotoPills will give you all the information you need so you can nail your shot ;)

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph the Supermoon.

How to photograph a Meteor Shower

Nikon D4s | 14mm | f/2.8 | 30s | ISO 5000 | 120 photos stacked

Photographing a Meteor Shower is a magical experience. You're outdoors, in a beautiful lo-

cation, enjoying the sky waiting for the show to begin.

But it can also be a very profitable shooting session from a creative point of view.

You can take advantage of the shots to:

• Stack them and create an effect like the one in the cover photo of 'The Definitive Pho-
tography Guide of the 2023 Meteor Showers'.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 106

 • Stack them and get a spectacular Star Trails picture. Later on, I'll explain to you step
by step how to photograph them.

• Create a timelapse to have a more dynamic scene.

Meteor Showers require long shooting sessions because you need several hours to capture
in full swing what is happening. But they are very profitable if the weather conditions are
good.

The idea is that you don't stop taking pictures during the whole session. Well, not you, your
camera... So I recommend you to use an intervalometer, program it and stop worrying ;)

Follow the steps below to photograph a Meteor Shower:

• Before leaving home, check the weather forecast to make sure there will be no clouds.

• Use the PhotoPills Night Augmented Reality view to check you're in the right place
and find out the Meteor Shower radiant in the sky.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the shortest focal length you can (14mm, 18mm, 24mm,...). Try to keep it below
35mm.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Crank up the ISO as much as possible without your camera producing a lot of noise
(ideally an ISO higher than 1600).

• Focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field.

• Use the NPF rule to adjust the shutter speed and avoid Star Trails (between 20 and 35
seconds). It's easy with PhotoPills and the Spot stars calculator.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 107

 • Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Take a test shot. Check the composition, the focus, and the exposure (for the latter, use
the histogram) and adjust accordingly.

• Select the Bulb shooting mode.

• Use an intervalometer to select the shutter speed and the time frame between the end
of one photo and the beginning of the next one.

• Turn off the LCD before starting the shooting session to save battery.

• Light paint the foreground in the last pictures of the shooting session (optional).

• Take a couple of dark frames (just cover the lens with the lens cover) at the end of the
session. Use them during post-processing to reduce the noise of the final image.

Anyway, if you want to learn (or review) the whole shooting workflow, take a look at 'The
Definitive Photography Guide of the 2023 Meteor Showers' where I explain it step by
step...

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph a Meteor Shower.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 108

How to photograph a lunar eclipse

Nikon D4s | 500mm | f/8 | 2s | ISO 1600 | 4300K

There are actually several ways to photograph a lunar eclipse.

In other words, you can get different types of photos, depending on the type of lunar
eclipse it is and the phase you want to capture.

A lunar eclipse can be total, partial or penumbral. And it can have up to 7 phases:

• Penumbral eclipse begins (P1).

• Partial eclipse begins (U1).

• Total eclipse begins (U2).

• Greatest eclipse (Max.).

• Total eclipse ends (U3).

• Partial eclipse ends (U4).

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 109

 • Penumbral eclipse ends (P4).

Let's see how you can capture, for example, the Blood Moon – the moment of the eclipse
during which the Moon turns red. It's spectacular!

Follow the steps below to photograph a Blood Moon:

• Use the PhotoPills Planner to check that you are in the right place.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• If your lens has an image stabilization system, turn it on.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the longest focal length you can (300mm, 450mm, 600mm,...).

• Focus directly on the Moon. Use the Live View function. And if your camera has the
Focus Peaking and/or Focus Magnifier functions, turn them on too because they will
help you to be even more precise.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing and the focus are correct.

• Use the spot metering mode and meter light directly on the surface of the Moon be-
fore the eclipse begins. If you have a mirrorless camera, now is the time to use the live
histogram option.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Use a shutter speed from 1/2s. Make sure it is not slower than 1s to avoid capturing the
Moon in motion.

• Select the lowest ISO possible taking into account that, since you can't exceed a shut-
ter speed of 1s, you may have to crank it up to 1600 or even more.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it to a temperature between approximately 4300K
and 5500K.

• To make sure you get a properly exposed final photo, do a 1-stop bracketing. Again, if
you have a mirrorless camera, now is the time to use the live histogram option.

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 110

Anyway, if you want to learn (or review) the whole shooting workflow of any of the phases
of a lunar eclipse, take a look at the guide to the best lunar eclipses where I explain it to
you step by step!

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph a partial lunar eclipse.

So don't miss the next chance and do your best to photograph a Moon eclipse. PhotoPills
will help you to be in the right place at the right time.

In 2023, you actually have 2 chances: a penumbral one on May 5, and a partial one on Octo-
ber 28.

How to photograph a solar eclipse

Nikon D500 | 500mm | f/8 | 1/30s | ISO 100 | 6450K

Photographing a solar eclipse is an adventure... And a great challenge!

It's a magical event that nature rarely offers you and that happens for a very short time. So
you have to be nimble and fast. And don't stress out while trying, of course... ;)

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 111

Similarly to a lunar eclipse, you can get different types of photos, depending on the type
of solar eclipse it is and the phase you want to capture.

A solar eclipse can be total, partial or annular. And it can have up to 5 phases:

• Partial eclipse begins (1st contact - C1).

• Total eclipse begins (2nd contact - C2).

• Total and maximum eclipse (Max.).

• Total eclipse ends (3rd contact - C3).

• Partial eclipse ends (4th contact - C4).

Let's see how you can capture, for example, totality – the moment of the eclipse when the
Moon covers the Sun completely. It's spectacular!

Follow the steps below to photograph totality:

• Before leaving home, check the weather forecast to make sure there will be no clouds.

• Use the PhotoPills Planner to check that you are in the right place.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• Before the solar eclipse starts, put the solar filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the longest focal length you can (300mm, 450mm, 600mm,...).

• Frame and focus directly on the Sun's edge. Use the Live View function. And if your
camera has the Focus Peaking and/or Focus Magnifier functions, turn them on too be-
cause they will help you to be even more precise.

• If it's on, remove the solar filter a few seconds before the partial eclipse ends.

• You don't have time to meter... We'll see right away how you can complete the expo-
sure triangle. If you have a mirrorless camera, now is the time to use the live his-
togram option.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use a relatively small aperture (f/8) to get the Sun and the Moon tack sharp.

• Select the lowest ISO you can (nominal, that is 100 or 200).

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 112

 • You haven't metered. Nor do you have time to calculate the shutter speed. To calculate
the exposure you can use Fred Espenak's exposure table to choose a base shutter
speed (1/30s for example) and then do a 1-stop bracketing. Again, if you have a mirror-
less camera, now is the time to use the live histogram option.

• Set the white balance to manual. In this particular case, I used a color temperature
of 6450K. There is no time to take test shots during totality, so I chose this particular
temperature as a base and then I could adjust it in post-processing if necessary.

• Take the photos.

I've explained to you the shooting workflow that you should follow during totality (the Sun's
corona).

But during a solar eclipse you can capture bands of shadows, the partial eclipse, the dia-
mond ring, the Baily's beads and the chromosphere. Take a look at the guide to the best
solar eclipses where I explain step by step how to take each photo!

So don't miss the next opportunity and make the most of PhotoPills so that solar eclipse
becomes a unique experience you'll never forget.

In 2023, you actually have 2 chances: a total (hybrid) one on April 20 and an annular one on
October 14.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 113

How to photograph Star Trails

Nikon D4s | 20mm | f/4 | 30s | ISO 1600 | 3000K | 168 photos stacked with Starstax

People can't help but look at any Star Trails picture. Because it's something that's happen-
ing out there in the universe, but no one can see it with the naked eye.

And as difficult as it may seem, it's not.

You just need a good location with an interesting foreground, a clear night with no Moon
and to decide the Star Trails pattern you want to capture.

To capture Star Trails, you can do it in two ways:

• In one exposure.

• With multiple exposures (stacking pictures).

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 114

I almost always use this second option. So let's use it as an example to explain the workflow
you should follow.

Follow these steps to photograph Star Trails with multiple exposures (the more shots you
take, the longer the trails):

• Before leaving home, check the weather forecast to make sure there will be no clouds.

• Use the PhotoPills Night Augmented Reality view to check you're in the right place to
get the Star Trails pattern and composition that you have in mind.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the focal distance you prefer depending on the composition you like.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• It's not mandatory, but I like to use the same exposure time that I use when pho-
tographing the Milky Way. So I use PhotoPills and the Spot stars calculator to calcu-
late it.

• Crank up the ISO to 1600 or 3200. If you want to capture the true color of the stars
don't use an ISO higher than 1600.

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and level the camera.

• Depending on the light pollution you find in the location, illuminate the foreground
with an artificial light (optional).

• Take a test shot. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure by changing the expo-
sure time or ISO.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 115

 • Set the Bulb shooting mode.

• Use an intervalometer to select the shutter speed and the time frame between the end
of one photo and the beginning of the next one.

• Take a few test shots until you get the light in the scene that you want.

• Turn off the LCD before starting the shooting session to save battery.

• Before the end of the shooting session, light again the foreground and take the last
shot to have two foreground shots to choose from.

• Take a couple of dark frames (just cover the lens with the lens cover) at the end of the
session. Use them during post-processing to reduce the noise of the final image.

• Include a model in the photo (optional).

• Use a second camera during the session to capture the Milky Way.

Anyway, if you want to learn (or review) the whole shooting workflow, take a look at the
Star Trails guide where I explain it to you step by step!

How to photograph a Moon-planet conjunction

Nikon D4s | 35mm | f/1.8 | 1s | ISO 400 | 5000K

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 116

This type of photography has a great advantage: you can always use the Moon as a refer-
ence. So the planning (section 14) is easier than for other images.

The nice thing about a conjunction between the Moon and a planet is that you have the op-
portunity to capture a star that is not always visible in the night sky. Also, depending on its
magnitude (ie. how much it shines), it may stand out strongly in the sky.

So the result, if you combine it with an interesting scene and subject, can be striking.

Follow the steps below to photograph a Moon-planet conjunction:

• Use the PhotoPills Night Augmented Reality view to check you're in the right place.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Depending on what you want to include in the frame, use the shortest focal length
you can (14mm, 18mm, 24mm,...) to have the landscape or use a longer focal length
(200mm, 300mm, 400mm,...) if you only want to have the stars in your composition.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field if you include the
landscape and shoot with a wide angle or short lens. If you use a telephoto lens, focus
directly on your subject or on the Moon.

• Crank up the ISO to 3200 or 6400.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing is correct.

• The Moon will probably be the brightest object in your scene. In this case use the spot
metering mode and meter directly on the surface of the Moon to calculate the shutter
speed. Overexpose by 1 or 2 stops (+1EV or +2EV), or respecting your camera's overex-
posure limit. Avoid using a speed greater than 1s. Otherwise you risk getting a blurred
Moon. If you need to use a slower speed (more exposure time), as you're already using
the maximum aperture, you'll have to crank up the ISO (remember how the exposure
triangle works).

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 117

 • Adjust the ISO depending on how much noise your camera produces.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and take a couple of test shots to check if you like what you see and adjust ac-
cordingly.

• Depending on the light pollution you find in the location, illuminate the foreground
with an artificial light (optional).

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

How to photograph a planets conjunction or a planet

conjunction with a Deep-Sky Object (DSO)

Nikon Z6 | 200mm | f/4 | 90s | ISO 1600 | 5500K | Pure Night light pollution filter | iOptron SkyGuider Pro | 14
photos stacked

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 118

The workflow is very similar to the one I described in the previous photo. The added diffi-
culty in this case is that you can't use the Moon as a reference.

But, as I explained in the plan (section 14), there are tricks to know where to point the cam-
era to.

Follow the steps below to photograph a planets conjunction:

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter. If you use a motorized equatorial
mount (with tracking) with a telephoto lens it may be interesting to leave it on: in some
cases it removes the purple halos around the stars. You can also remove them with
Photoshop.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Depending on what you want to include in the frame, use the shortest focal length
you can (14mm, 18mm, 24mm,...) to have the landscape or use a longer focal length
(200mm, 300mm, 400mm,...) if you only want to have the stars in your composition. If
you use a long focal length, you should use a motorized equatorial mount (with track-
ing) to increase the exposure time (use a slower shutter speed) without producing Star
Trails.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible. If you use a mo-
torized equatorial mount (with tracking), close the maximum aperture 1 or 2 stops, to
get a better image quality. Thanks to this mount and its tracking system, the shutter
speed will no longer be a problem.

• If you use a wide angle lens and you include the landscape in the frame, focus at the
hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field.

• If you use a telephoto lens you can focus directly on the planets. Use the Live View
function on the LCD of your camera to focus accurately. And if your camera has the
Focus Peaking and/or Focus Magnifier functions, turn them on too because they will
help you to be even more precise. Zoom in the image, always with the Live View func-
tion on, until you see the planet. Then, turn the focus ring of the lens slowly until the
planet is a tack sharp spot. If you're not used to focusing manually, turn the focus ring

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 119

 very subtly and when you notice that your subject (the planet) is focused, keep turning
the ring until you go a little out of focus and then, turn the ring in the opposite direc-
tion to get everything in focus again. This way you'll see very clearly how everything is
now in focus again.

• Crank up the ISO to 3200 or 6400. You may have to crank it up to 10000 if your camera
allows it and you don't use a star tracking system.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing is correct.

• If you don't use a motorized equatorial mount (with tracking), use the NPF rule to ad-
just the shutter speed and avoid Star Trails. It's easy with PhotoPills and the Spot
stars calculator.

• If you use a motorized equatorial mount (with tracking), you need to take a test shot to
calculate the shutter speed. Follow the same workflow as for capturing a Star Trails
picture with a single exposure:

– Crank up the ISO to maximum, use the maximum aperture and select a shutter
speed of about 10 seconds.
– Take a picture.
– If the photo is too dark, use a slower shutter speed. If the stars are overexposed,
increase the shutter speed (reduce the exposure time).
– Repeat the process until you get the correct exposure.
– As soon as you have it, apply the reciprocity law by lowering ISO and increas-
ing the exposure time (you can use the PhotoPills Exposure calculator to do the
math).

• Adjust the ISO depending on how much noise your camera produces.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and take a couple of test shots to check if you like what you see and adjust ac-
cordingly.

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph the great conjunction of Jupiter
and Saturn.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 120

How to photograph a comet

C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy) comet. Nikon D700 | 85mm | f/1.4 | 6s | ISO 6400 | 4000K | 20 photos stacked

Photographing a comet is a challenge. For starters because comets are celestial bodies
whose behaviour, and above all their brightness, is quite unpredictable.

Actually, the most important thing is to find out in which direction you have to point your
camera so that you can get a better framing. And since that's something you already found
out during the planning (section 14), all you have to do is take the picture... ;)

Follow the steps below to photograph a comet:

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter. If you use a motorized equatorial
mount (with tracking) with a telephoto lens it may be interesting to leave it on: in some
cases it removes the purple halos around the stars. You can also remove them with
Photoshop.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 121

 • Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use a medium (70mm, 85mm,...) or long (100mm, 150mm...) focal length. The longer
the focal length, the bigger the stars will come out. But, at the same time, you'll have
to use a faster shutter speed to avoid Star Trails. So for this type of photography you
should use a motorized equatorial mount (with tracking) to increase the exposure time
(use a slower shutter speed). Depending on the equatorial mount, you can use focal
lengths between 200mm and 500mm without a problem thanks to its tracking system.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible. If you use a mo-
torized equatorial mount (with tracking), close the maximum aperture 1 or 2 stops, to
get a better image quality. Thanks to this mount and its tracking system, the shutter
speed will no longer be a problem.

• Crank up the ISO to 3200 or 6400. You may have to crank it up to 10000 if your camera
allows it and you don't use a star tracking system.

• Focus directly on the stars. Use the Live View function on the LCD of your camera to
focus accurately. And if your camera has the Focus Peaking and/or Focus Magnifier
functions, turn them on too because they will help you to be even more precise. Zoom
in the image, always with the Live View function on, until you see the star. Then, turn
the focus ring of the lens slowly until the planet is a tack sharp spot. If you're not used
to focusing manually, turn the focus ring very subtly and when you notice that your
subject (the star) is focused, keep turning the ring until you go a little out of focus and
then, turn the ring in the opposite direction to get everything in focus again. This way
you'll see very clearly how everything is now in focus again.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing and the focus are correct.

• If you don't use a motorized equatorial mount (with tracking), use the NPF rule to ad-
just the shutter speed and avoid Star Trails. It's easy with PhotoPills and the Spot
stars calculator.

• If you use a motorized equatorial mount (with tracking), you need to take a test shot to
calculate the shutter speed. Follow the same workflow as for capturing a Star Trails
picture with a single exposure:

– Crank up the ISO to maximum, use the maximum aperture and select a shutter
speed of about 10 seconds.
– Take a picture.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 122

 – If the photo is too dark, use a slower shutter speed. If the stars are overexposed,
increase the shutter speed (reduce the exposure time).
– Repeat the process until you get the correct exposure.
– As soon as you have it, apply the reciprocity law by lowering ISO, adjusting the
aperture (I suggest you to use an aperture 1 or 2 stops smaller than your lens'
widest one because the stars will come out as spots thanks to the equatorial
mount tracking) and increasing the exposure time (you can use the PhotoPills Ex-
posure calculator to do the math).

• Adjust the ISO depending on how much noise your camera produces.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and take a couple of test shots to check if you like what you see and adjust ac-
cordingly.

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph a comet.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 123

How to photograph a planet transit across the Sun

Photo by Juan Cordero Valeriano

As with a conjunction between the Moon and a planet, if you want to capture the transit of a
planet through the Sun you have a very clear reference: the Sun.

From there, it's much easier to work on the composition and also get the right focus and
exposure.

Keep in mind that the size of the planet compared to the Sun will be teeny-tiny. So you need
a very long focal length.

The shooting workflow of this type of shot is very similar to a partial eclipse of the Sun
shooting workflow. So don't forget the solar filter and your solar eclipse glasses at home!

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 124

Follow the steps below to photograph a planet transit across the Sun:

• Before leaving home, check the weather forecast to make sure there will be no clouds.

• Use the PhotoPills Augmented Reality view to check that you are in the right place to
get the composition you want.

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

• Before the solar eclipse starts, put the solar filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the longest focal length you can (300mm, 450mm, 600mm,...).

• Frame and focus directly on the Sun's edge. Use the Live View function. And if your
camera has the Focus Peaking and/or Focus Magnifier functions, turn them on too be-
cause they will help you to be even more precise.

• Use the spot metering mode and meter light directly on the surface of the Sun before
the transit begins. If you have a mirrorless camera, now is the time to use the live his-
togram option.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use a relatively small aperture (f/8) to get the Sun and the planet tack sharp.

• Select the lowest ISO you can (nominal, that is 100 or 200).

• Taking into account the metering, the aperture and the ISO, adjust the shutter speed to
have the light meter centered at zero (correctly exposed). Then, do a 1-stop bracketing
of several exposures. Again, if you have a mirrorless camera, now is the time to use the
live histogram option.

• Set the white balance to manual. The color temperature depends on the filter you use.
Select a neutral temperature of 5500K, check the color you get and adjust. If the Sun
is very yellow, use a lower temperature (about 4300K) to make it whiter. On the other
hand, if you want to intensify the yellow, increase the color temperature (about 6500K).

• Take the photos.

If you need a complete explanation on the matter, have a look at the blog post I wrote
about the 2019 Mercury transit.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 125

How to photograph the zodiacal light

Nikon Z6 | 18mm | f/2.8 | 15s | ISO 1600 | 3800K

As I told you in section 14, the zodiacal light is a difficult phenomenon to photograph. You
need very specific conditions for it to happen.

Moreover, it's crucial that you look for a location without light pollution. Zodiacal light is
very dim and you need as much darkness as possible in order to photograph it successfully.

And speaking of pictures, do you want to know how you can capture it?

Fine, I'll explain it to you in a second.

Follow the steps below to photograph the zodiacal light:

• Use the PhotoPills Planner or the Augmented Reality (RA) button to check that you are
in the right place. To photograph the zodiacal light you need to know the Sunrise or
Sunset direction (depending on the case).

• Place the tripod on a solid surface and make sure the equipment is stable.

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 126

 • If you have it on, remove the ultraviolet (UV) filter.

• If there is light pollution in your scene from sodium vapor light sources (they generate
a yellowish glow), you should use a light pollution filter.

• Turn off the image stabilization system.

• If your camera has it, turn off the long exposure noise reduction option.

• Shoot in RAW.

• Use the shortest focal length you can (14mm, 18mm, 24mm,...). Try to keep it below
35mm.

• Select the Manual shooting mode (M).

• Use the largest aperture you can to capture as much light as possible.

• Focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize the depth of field.

• Crank up the ISO to 3200 or 6400.

• Take a test shot to check that the framing is correct.

• Use the NPF rule to adjust the shutter speed and avoid Star Trails. It's easy with Pho-
toPills and the Spot stars calculator.

• Adjust the ISO depending on how much noise your camera produces.

• Set the white balance to manual. Set it between 3400 and 3900K. If you use a light pol-
lution filter, I suggest you adjust the color temperature to 5000K as this type of filter
usually generates a bluish cast.

• Frame and take a couple of test shots to check if you like what you see and adjust ac-
cordingly.

• Depending on the light pollution you find in the location, illuminate the foreground
with an artificial light (optional).

• Take the picture. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure accordingly.

And in this video Rafa teaches you how to photograph the zodiacal light.

Sometimes it's known as false Sunrise or false Sunset, but I'm sure you'll photograph it as
soon as you aim for it.

I could hardly believe it when I saw it there, on the LCD of my camera!

Now you can photograph any of the astronomical events taking place in 2023.

You no longer have any excuse for not going out and hunting one of these wonders!

How to photograph the best 2023 astronomical events 127

Section 16:
Astronomical glossary
Throughout this guide I've been introducing a series of words and names that I had not ex-
plained before.

So I thought that the easiest way to help you understand everything in a clear and simple
way is to include this section: a glossary with definitions and explanations.

Let's go for it!

Bulge - The bulge is the area of the Milky Way (or any other galaxy) with the highest con-
centration of stars. It's located around the galactic center.

Conjunction - From the point of view of an observer on Earth, two stars are in conjunction
when they are in the same celestial longitude. However, since they're not at the same ce-
lestial latitude, you have the impression that they are very close in the sky. That is why one
passes over the other and in each of the events I tell you which one is north or south of the
other.

Ecliptic - It's the Earth's orbital plane around the Sun in the sky (or celestial sphere). It's
the line by which the Sun "moves" around the Earth, seen from the Earth.

Elongation - In astronomy, a planet's elongation is the angle between the Sun and a planet,
using the Earth as the reference point. In fact, it measures the distance between the Sun
and that planet, using the Earth as the reference point. Therefore, the maximum elongation
of a planet means that its separation from the Sun is the maximum possible. Furthermore,
being as far away from the Sun means that it's the brightest moment in the sky.

Galactic Center - The Galactic Center is the rotational center of the Milky Way. It's also its
brightest area.

Magnitude - In astronomy, magnitude is the measure of a star's brightness. Although in

this guide I always mention the apparent magnitude, which is the brightness measure of a
star as you can perceive it observing it from the Earth. The smaller the number, the brighter
a star looks to you. The Sun, for example, has an apparent magnitude of -27. The smaller
the magnitude number the brighter the object and vice versa, the larger the number the
less bright it is.

Magellanic Clouds - Magellanic Clouds are two very small galaxies. The largest one is
called the Large Magellanic Cloud and the smallest one is the Small Magellanic Cloud. You
can see them if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. They appear in the sky as two small
whitish spots, opposite the Southern Cross (or Crux constellation) if you take the South Ce-
lestial Pole as a reference point.

Opposition - From the point of view of an observer on Earth, two stars are in opposition
when they meet at two diametrically opposed points in the sky. When opposition occurs
near the perihelion, their distance from the Earth is the least possible. Therefore, you can

Astronomical glossary 129

observe it more easily.

Path of totality - A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun.
This event can only take place when the Moon is near perigee, the point of the Moon's or-
bit closest to Earth. But because the full shadow of the Moon (also called umbra) is not big
enough to cover the Earth completely, it only covers a portion. This area or path is called
the path of totality. In other words, it's the area from which the total solar eclipse can be
seen.

Perigee - The perigee is the closest point to the Earth in the orbit of the Moon or any artifi-
cial satellite.

Perihelion - The perihelion of a star is the nearest point in its orbit around the Sun. In the
case of a comet, for example, the fact of being in the perihelion facilitates its observation.

Summer Triangle - This is a triangle formed by the following stars: Vega of Lyra, Deneb of
Cygnus and Altair of Aquila. Each one is the main star of its constellation. In the Northern
Hemisphere, you can see it during most of the nighttime in summer. In the Southern Hemi-
sphere, you can see it upside down and at a lower elevation.

UTC - All dates and times in this guide are according UTC. That is, coordinated universal
time. It's the main worldwide time standard and it's based on the international atomic time.
This is a time standard calculated from a weighted average of the signals of the atomic
clocks located in 70 national labs around the world.

Winter Triangle - This is a triangle formed by the following stars: Betelgeuse of Orion, Sir-
ius of Canis Major and Procyon of Canis Minor. Each one is the main star of its constella-
tion. In the Northern Hemisphere, you can see it during most of the nighttime in winter. In
the Southern Hemisphere, you can see it upside down and at a lower elevation.

Zodiac - In astronomy, the zodiac is an 18º wide band of the sky through which the Sun
traces its course each year. That is, it's centered on the ecliptic.

Zodiacal light - The zodiacal light is a cone of very dim light that you can see before dawn
or after dusk is over. Regardless of your location, you can see it in the west in late winter or
early spring (known as false Sunset). While in the east you can see it before Sunrise in late
summer or early fall (called false Sunrise). In fact, zodiacal light is the result of the reflec-
tion produced by a large interplanetary cloud along the zodiac.

Astronomical glossary 130

Section 17:
Become a legend...
Well dear PhotoPiller, as you can see, this year is full of amazing astronomical events.

Each of them is an opportunity to test your creativity and your photographic skills. They
are a challenge to improve and to get that image you've been dreaming about for weeks,
months (or years?)...

And since I know that nothing eludes you, I want to make you a proposal.

Or rather, I'd like to challenge you.

How does it feel?

I see... That look says it all ;)

Well, this is my proposal:

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make a photo album with at least the fol-
lowing events: a Milky Way panorama, a vertical Milky Way, a Full Moon (or Supermoon), a
Meteor Shower, a solar or lunar eclipse, a Star Trails, a conjunction (Moon-planet or of plan-
ets) and a zodiacal light.

To do this, you'll have to give everything you've got.

Whether traveling to remote and inaccessible places or staying close to home... You must
push your creativity to the limit. You'll need to use all the tools (including PhotoPills) to al-
ways be in the right place, at the right time, and to capture the scene you dream of.

Actually, it won't be a single photo.

But a few ones. One per event.

Each of them will become a challenge...

A small challenge within a larger one: the PhotoPills 2023 Marathon.

And to complete it you have till the end of the year :P

As always, should you or any member of your team be caught in the attempt, the PhotoPills
team will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

Good luck PhotoPiller."

Are you ready for what's coming to you?

How exciting!

Become a legend... 132

It's going to be a year full of legendary photos. Don't forget to send them to the PhotoPills
Awards... You might even become a legend! :P

And as always, if you need help, I'm here for you. Just whistle or leave a comment below. I'll
do my best to solve your problem.

Imagine. Plan. Shoot!

Become a legend... 133

Antoni Cladera is a landscape photographer with commitment to the environment. Artist
of the Spanish Confederation of Photography and member of the Spanish Association of
Nature Photographers (AEFONA). He's part of the PhotoPills Team.

Special thanks to Sandra Vallaure, a great photographer and friend, for her tremendous
help in making this article possible.

Note: Some links on this page are affiliate links. What does this mean? If you buy/rent using
these links you're helping support us and it costs you nothing extra. Thank you for your
support.

Become a legend... 134

www.photopills.com