An experiment in HDR (high dynamic range) photography. HDR can let you capture some details that would be difficult to get with a single shot. This is a combination of 3 shots of the moon with an 18-200 zoom lens, f/9, exposures of 1/250 second, 1/500 second, and 1/1250 second. Shots were merged with Photomatix Pro 4.0. Click on the picture to see a larger version of the shot.
Tau Zero 
Did PhotoMatix compensate for the movement of the moon across the sky. I hate to say this but it looks a little blurred to me
Photomatix does a pretty good job of merging multiple images and compensating for objects in the images being in slightly different positions in each shot. In this case the blurry is probably more a factor of wind acting on the camera and tripod – I shot that picture through a gap in the clouds as a storm was passing and the wind was gusting while I was shooting. I’m happy with the result.
Terrific photo. So much detail.
Thanks. We’re supposed to have some clear nights here in the coming week, so hopefully I can keep practicing my night shooting. I’m really enjoying the challenge of it.
It’s a challenge alright. I’ve just done some moon-shots (not hdr) that I need for some art work. I kept messing it up and in the end I stuck the camera on auto.
Amazing precision, not just in the moon but in the stars which are pinpoint sharp. Great shot.
I’m surprised that the dynamic range of the moon would be higher than your camera’s sensor — did you find it made a difference over using a single shot?
eyegillian – it’s true, as I learn more about HDR I probably could have gotten this shot without it. I’m still figuring out camera settings and methods for good night sky shooting. I think the advantage of HDR in this case was that it let me combine 3 shots, none of which looked right, into an image that I liked.