Stargazing at Siding Spring Observatory

The Australian Astronomical Observatory joins Stargazing Life #StargazingABC releasing the time-lapse video "Stargazing at Siding Spring Observatory".

This time-lapse video compiles new sequences showing the espectacular dark sky over Siding Spring Observatory (Coonabarabran, NSW), where our 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope is located.

See the breathtaking Milky Way setting and rising, the telescopes moving chasing different targets, the majestic Magellanic Clouds revolving near the South Celestial Pole, the stars travelling across the sky as the Earth rotates, the Moon illuminating the observatory, and a colourful sunset.

All the sequences have been filmed and processed in high resolution (4K) by astronomer Ángel R. López-Sánchez (Australian Astronomical Observatory / Macquarie University) while observing at the AAT between September 2015 and May 2018. He uses a CANON 5D Mark III with different lenses, all at f2.8. The night sequences tipically have 24 frames per second, each frame lasting 30 seconds in real time. Therefore 1 second of the night sequences corresponds to 12 minutes in real time.

We recommend you watch this video in high-resolution (4K if possible).

Credits of the video: Ángel R. López-Sánchez (Australian Astronomical Observatory / Macquarie University).
Music: Epic Cinematric Trailer, by Alex Che (2016).