How to plan Milky Way photos
You want the Milky Way above a particular mountain, not somewhere beside it. Celeris lets you bring location, timing and framing together before heading out in the dark.
01Choose your camera position
Find your location with the magnifying glass on the map. Then move the map until the crosshair sits where you intend to set up your tripod.
Choose your position on the map. “3D” with the cube at the top left opens the preview. 02Find a dark night
Tap the Milky Way symbol above the date – the third of the four symbols. Open “3D” with the cube icon at the top, then the lightbulb and “Galactic centre” to find a dark window. For a date of your own, set the date and time directly.
The lightbulb opens “Go to”. Start the search by choosing “Galactic centre”. 03Align the band and foreground
Let the terrain load in the 3D view. Drag the view until the band sits above your foreground. Move the time slider to see when its angle fits your composition.
Use the 3D view to place the band above your foreground. 04Set the frame
Pinch to adjust focal length. Start at 24 mm, for example. The rectangle icon on the right switches between landscape and portrait. The frame is your photograph; the dimmed area outside it will not be included.
05Check the window and save
Check that the Milky Way clears the terrain and whether the moon shortens your dark window. Save the finished plan with the bookmark. Assess clouds and light pollution separately, on location or using other sources.
Preview brightness is not a prediction of your photograph. The search follows the galactic centre; the shape of the whole band still matters for your composition.