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One photographer shot star trails through an attic window during lockdown. Another stitched 254 frames into a Milky Way arch over a Dorset bay. The third used a star tracker to capture the galactic core in a 12–15 mph wind. These are the three first-person accounts in Peter Dench’s interview feature for Amateur Photographer (published 24 September 2026) with Andrew Fusek Peters, Abby Moule (Astro Abby) and Josh Dury. This guide covers what each did, the settings and software they report, and what the three approaches teach about planning and capture. They are individual case studies, not a controlled test of cameras or techniques.
Andrew Fusek Peters: star trails from an attic window
The image and why he made it
Peters photographed three hours of star trails from inside his attic window, facing roughly north, during the first Covid lockdown in 2020. The trails circle Polaris. Ordinary astro outings were impossible, so he wanted a picture expressing hope and harmony while people were confined at home.
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How he captured it
- Mode: Live Composite, layering more than 600 exposures.
- Settings reported: f/2.8, ISO 800, a series of 30-second exposures.
- Support: a “rock-solid” tripod, which he says is essential for star trails.
- Light control: he switched off a digital clock in the room to stop its glow reaching the frames.
What made it feasible
He credits three things: the north-facing window, relatively low local light pollution, and the fact that shooting through double glazing worked. These are his reported settings and circumstances. They are not a recipe guaranteed to work through other windows or under brighter skies.
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Abby Moule: a Milky Way arch over Mupe Rocks
The goal and the window
Moule went to Mupe Bay, on a day the Lulworth Ranges were open, to place the full Milky Way arch behind the jagged limestone of Mupe Rocks. She had only 45 minutes of Milky Way visibility. The whole image took more than an hour.
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Sequence of the shoot
- Shoot the foreground panorama first, while the Milky Way was not yet in position.
- Wait for the Milky Way to reach the planned alignment, then capture the sky frames.
- Finish before astronomical twilight, because changing light can leave a panorama unevenly bright.
She used a planning app (unnamed in the interview) to calculate the alignment. The final capture was 254 frames: an eight-panel sky panorama plus a focus-stacked panoramic foreground.
Composition and kit
She used leading lines in the limestone and placed an anchor subject about a third of the way into the frame. Focus stacking gave front-to-back sharpness. Her reported gear was a Sony A7III and a Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens. She says the camera handles low light well and the fast aperture gathers detail. Processing used Sequator, Photoshop and Capture One, including stacking Milky Way exposures to reduce noise and bring out finer detail. This is her kit, not a recommendation of best-in-class gear.
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Obstacles
The short window was the main constraint. Cloud, sea mist or unexpected light pollution could have ended the sequence, and Earth’s rotation moves the Milky Way during a long panorama. She says a daylight recce would have helped at an unfamiliar bay with hazardous terrain.
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Her basic kit is a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a wide fast lens and a sturdy tripod. She says getting away from light pollution can matter more than upgrading gear, and that many people already own enough equipment to start. In her words: “I firmly believe astrophotography is all about practice, planning and patience.”
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Josh Dury: a personal view of the Milky Way core
Intent
Dury wanted a personal interpretation of the galactic core rather than a repeat of the familiar low-horizon view. He treats the image as a self-portrait, and as a prompt to value dark skies.
Technique in wind
Conditions were windy, 12–15 mph. He reports choosing a shorter exposure, high ISO and wide aperture, and using a star tracker for a stable setup that allowed longer exposure while limiting wind movement. Satellite trails crossed the frames, so the final image is a stacked composite built to remove them. His shrug at the unpredictability of it all: “You win some, you lose some.”
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His seasonal guidance for the UK
Dury describes the Milky Way season as February through September, with the core’s apparent height depending on latitude and time of year. June and July can bring reduced clarity or a lack of darkness, especially at higher UK latitudes. Moonlight, weather, haze, light pollution and location make every opportunity conditional. The interview also gives broader timing: March to May suits a full UK Milky Way arch, while August and September favour more vertical compositions. These are the photographers’ practical observations, not a location-independent calendar.
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The three approaches side by side
| Peters | Moule | Dury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject and motivation | Star trails around Polaris; hope during lockdown | Full Milky Way arch over Mupe Rocks; inspiring first steps in astrophotography | Galactic core as a personal self-portrait |
| Capture strategy | Live Composite, 600+ layered 30-second exposures | Eight-panel sky panorama plus focus-stacked panoramic foreground (254 frames) | Short exposure, high ISO, wide aperture, star tracker |
| Time and conditions | Three hours indoors; north-facing window, low local light pollution | 45 minutes of Milky Way visibility; finished before astronomical twilight | Wind of 12–15 mph; seasonal darkness |
| Post-processing | Layering of exposures | Stitching, focus stacking, Milky Way stacking (Sequator, Photoshop, Capture One) | Stacked composite to remove satellite trails |
What to take from them
- Plan before you travel. Moule calculated alignment in advance because the arch window was so narrow. Moon phase, weather and darkness all decide whether a night is usable.
- Scout the foreground. A daylight visit saves precious minutes and reduces risk on rough terrain.
- Match the support to the technique. A rock-solid tripod suits star trails and panoramas; a star tracker suits longer tracked exposures. They are not interchangeable requirements, and a Milky Way landscape does not automatically need a tracker.
- Treat editing as part of the picture. These are composites, as each photographer says: layered, stitched or stacked rather than single frames. The interview offers no comparison of the software.
- Prioritise location over gear. Both Moule and Peters point to dark, quiet surroundings as a bigger advantage than new equipment.
- Know why you are shooting. Peters wanted hope, Moule wanted to encourage newcomers, and Dury wanted a self-portrait. Each purpose shaped the composition and timing. Peters’s remark on his wider work: “risk is what makes me feel alive.”
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