thea_mitchell20•8d ago

Three hours to figure out why my star photos all had weird streaks... was just a dirty lens cap the whole time

4 comments

4 Comments

morgan_ramirez8d ago

Not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme.

haydenbutler8d agoMost Upvoted

Actually "rite of passage" is the phrase you're looking for, not "right of passage.

sagew508d ago

Did you check online forums before you started troubleshooting? I remember reading a post where someone spent days adjusting their telescope mount for star trails, only to realize their tracking was off by a tiny amount. Your lens cap story is way more relatable though. At least you didn't have to recalibrate anything, just wipe it off and try again. Those little things can drive you crazy when you're learning.

the_joseph8d ago

@sagew50 Yeah, I actually did check a few forums after that. Found a thread where a guy spent three weeks chasing a ghost in his photos, turned out his tripod was slightly loose. Felt better knowing I wasn't the only one making basic mistakes. The lens cap thing is almost a right of passage at this point, everyone I know has done it at least once. Still stings a little when you realize it though, especially after driving an hour to a dark spot.