Rick Whitacre
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rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Rick Whitacre
@rick-whitacre.bsky.social
210 followers 310 following 57 posts
Photographer specializing in night sky, eclipses, and auroras. Tech info is on my Flicker page and TL videos are on Vimeo. I teach a workshop at the Ansel Adams Gallery

https://flic.kr/ps/uFQvd
https://tinyurl.com/56nxrbrr
https://tinyurl.com/4f66zfhc
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rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Cosmic Volcano - Cathedral Peak and the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex
A Deepscape image of the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex setting over Cathedral Peak from Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. Antares is the bright yellow star at the center of the frame A timelapse video of the frames taken is here: <a href="https://vimeo.com/1105606262?share=copy#t=0" rel="noreferrer nofollow">vimeo.com/1105606262?share=copy#t=0</a> Deepscapes are made by using an Equatorial Tracker to track the nebulae as they move through the night sky to gather enough data to bring out more detail than can be captured in a single image. Planning is required to determine where the Deep Sky object will rise or set and then place yourself at the right spot to capture them with a dramatic earth-based foreground. The location of the camera and the focal length used does not change. The relative size and place of the Cloud Complex to Cathedral Peak have been preserved. Sony A7IV astro modified, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8, 163mm, f/4, ISO3200, 60 sec. Sky stacked using Siril and then composited with a Blue Hour foreground taken from same location and focal length. Over 2 hours of Lights collected to bring out the detail. Full set of Darks, Bias, and Flat frames were also captured.
August 1, 2025 at 12:10 AM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Flame and Horsehead Nebulae over Mount Whitney

A Deepscape image taken from Lone Pine, CA. The location and relative sizes of the nebulae and Whitney have been preserved.

Tech details: flic.kr/p/2qK1cJQ
Timelapse video: vimeo.com/1053583172
Sony A7IV astro modified, Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3, 500mm, f/6.3, ISO3200, 90 sec. Sky stacked using Siril and then composited with a Blue Hour foreground taken from same location and focal length. Over 4 hours of Lights collected to bring out the detail. Full set of Darks, Bias, and Flat frames were also captured.
February 5, 2025 at 5:01 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Sunset Toroweap

This is one of the panos that went into my Night to Day image posted below. Taken at Toroweap Overlook on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
January 25, 2025 at 8:05 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Night to Day - Toroweap

It was actually taken from Sunset to after astro-dark, but Western readers like going left to right, hence titled Night to Day. The crescent moon shows up in the Blue Hour section in the middle. Pre-BlueSky image taken a few summers ago
January 25, 2025 at 7:50 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Sunrise on Moonscape Overlook - Utah
January 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Pillars and Perseids - Tenaya Lake, Yosemite

I time-shifted and composited 8 of the best Perseid meteors onto my best foreground image of the aurora pillars. Taken during the Perseid Meteor Shower in August 2024.
Deets: flic.kr/p/2qa2idb
January 9, 2025 at 4:19 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Andromeda Setting at Owens Valley Radio Observatory

A deepscape image of Andromeda setting behind the 40m dish at OVRO. Follow links for details and Timelapse video

flic.kr/p/2o3ESth
vimeo.com/776793213
January 9, 2025 at 12:38 AM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Andromeda Rising - Lick Obs
I made this image from a location near Mount Hamilton. The relative size and position of Andromeda is accurate. For detail, I had to start my tracker when Andromeda was in position and then track it to accumulate sufficient data for detail. TL Video: tinyurl.com/3a3bzbrp
January 8, 2025 at 9:48 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Aurora and Perseids from Olmsted Point - YNP

I was shooting 3 cameras that night (as one does). This one was on a secluded outcropping near Olmsted Point. I was down at Tenaya Lake, so this one ran all night on its own. Magical night in August 2024
January 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Andromeda Galaxy and El Capitan
DeepScape image of the Andromeda Galaxy rising from behind El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.
Size and position of Andromeda relative to El Cap has been preserved. You can see a Timelapse video of the process here: vimeo.com/1004903852?s...
Details: flic.kr/p/2qdrBoC
January 8, 2025 at 4:37 PM
rick-whitacre.bsky.social
Happy Winter Solstice!!
Taken many years ago during an amazing workshop in Yosemite Valley with the incomperable Charles Cramer and Rex Naden. An early snow storm at the end of autumn made for some amazing images
January 8, 2025 at 4:33 PM