Centering The North Star

[ElizaMM]

Sounds obvious, I know, but how do I find the north star at night? I see it, but it does not seem to show in the view finder. Finding a dark location is not difficult - there are no street lights where we live. I have tried temporarily turning the ISO up to max, with the aperture full open, which is F4 on my 24-105 lens, but still I cannot see the stars through the view finder, or in live view. I have to go to playback, view and enlarge each picture, then navigate around to each star in the image. It is hit and miss and I take many shots simply by guessing what the angle of the lens to my target should be, then moving the lens slightly and starting over again, until the north star is approximately centered. What am I missing?

 

[480sparky]

1. Purchase a GoTo telescope and piggyback your camera to it.
2. Shoot wider than you need to and crop in post.

 

[Big Red Dobie]

There are plenty of apps out there for the phone that will point you in the right direction and might even give you the right angle to point the camera.

Might be worth a shot at least -

Jim

 

[ElizaMM]

Thanks for the replies.
Forgot to mention that I used a Canon 7D.

 

[480sparky]

There are plenty of apps out there for the phone that will point you in the right direction and might even give you the right angle to point the camera.

Might be worth a shot at least -

Jim

Finding Polaris isn't the issue for the OP. It's getting it centered in the viewfinder.

 

[astroNikon]

The easiest way to find the North Star, or Polaris is to learn a little about the stars and certain star formations.

Specifically learn to identify the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. The end of the handle for the Little Dipper is Polaris.
Big Dipper to Polaris and Little Dipper | EarthSky.org

Remember, you can't just set up your camera and leave it ... the earth is rotating so it's going to move our of view in the viewfinder. It's not super fast moving but it is moving. When I'm taking fixed astro photos I'm constantly readjusting.

 

[480sparky]

Once again:

Finding Polaris isn't the issue for the OP. It's getting it centered in the viewfinder.

Y'all need to read past the first sentence!

.......... I see it, but it does not seem to show in the view finder...........

 

[astroNikon]

Once again:

Finding Polaris isn't the issue for the OP. It's getting it centered in the viewfinder.

Y'all need to read past the first sentence!

.......... I see it, but it does not seem to show in the view finder...........

maybe OP needs a longer lens other than 105 too see the stars as OP has to Enlarge and Move around to find Polaris. But if OP understands the start orientation OP may not have to search so much. So .. learn more about the orientation of the stars ... such as I posted.

longer exposure to make the stars brighter on after the fact photo?
maybe the viewfinder is dim on the 7d ?
maybe LCD is dim on the 7d?

Where does OP live? No streetlights doesn't mean there is no intense light eminating from around OP, or a city, etc. or clouds, atmospheric stuff, etc.

OP can visually see the star
a "dark location" is not descriptive enough.
More information is needed.

OP has ISO maxxed out in 1 photo.
Can OP provide an example image ??

what the objective here? To just get a zoomed up photo of just Polaris ? or of the Little Dipper ?

 

[astroNikon]

1. Purchase a GoTo telescope and piggyback your camera to it.
2. Shoot wider than you need to and crop in post.

OP states getting a photo of Polaris but has to enlarge and move around the image to find it.
Please read past the first sentence !!

 

[KmH]

You're missing patience and a systematic approach.
You also didn't convey your issue very clearly either.

FWIW - Polaris is a multiple star system and you can use it's brighter companion to verify it is Polaris. There is another companion in close to Polaris but that star is a lot dimmer than Polaris and so close a telescope is needed to see it separate from Polaris.

 

[ElizaMM]

Thank you everyone for your interest.
Perhaps I did not properly explain my question.
Knowing the sky is not the problem. I can see and am familiar with the big dipper. I can see and have no trouble locating the north star. The nearest small town (45.1406° N, 76.1465° W - don't know our coordinates) is a about 5 km from our location and the populated edge of biggest city is about 30 km. There are no lights on our road. So, ambient light (other when the moon is visible) is not a problem.

What I need to know is this: How can I aim the lens directly at the north star, when I cannot see it in the viewfinder/live view? I am doing star trails and I want to be able to predict, where in the finished photo, the NS (or anything else I want to photograph at night) will be located.

 

[astroNikon]

So you want to do a circular star trail, which requires Polaris as the center.
But you are unable to aim to it using the camera that you have ?

such as this .. not my photo
http://en.es-static.us/upl/2014/03/star-trail-2-15-2013-Ken-Christison-NC.jpeg

motorized, computerized mount.

If you just use a fixed camera that stars are moving.
You need a computerize/ motorized mount to keep the camera oriented to Polaris.

 

[TheLibrarian]

I've heard about these mounts that can track things across the sky but isn't the thing about the north star is that it doesn't change position. Once pointed at it it should stay there for tens of thousands of years at least.

I think the telescope mount is probably best especially if you're trying to get it exactly lined up. To be clever, (you can find it anyway) but can't you point north and then based on your latitude go up a certain number of degrees maybe with a tripod that has degree markings. Likely not as exact as eyeballing it or being able to line it up on the dot or even hip firing.

Lastly zooming apparently doesn't help? and maybe the little lights inside the view finder with your settings are enough to prevent you seeing the stars, can they be turned off?

 

[480sparky]

1. Purchase a GoTo telescope and piggyback your camera to it.
2. Shoot wider than you need to and crop in post.

OP states getting a photo of Polaris but has to enlarge and move around the image to find it.
Please read past the first sentence !!

I did. Hence, both of my solutions address the issue.

 

[KmH]

You might find this kind of accessory helpful for making more precise camera pointing adjustments.
Orion 7033 Precision Slow-Motion Adapter

Polaris is not at the earth's axis of rotation, it is only close to that point in the sky.
If you want star trails centered in the frame Polaris needs to be offset so the middle of the frame points at the north celestial pole (axis of rotation).