ISO Advice - Best Location & Tips for Milky Way Timelapse in Utah?
Hey everyone!
I’m planning a 10-day astrophotography trip in Utah from mid to late April and want to capture a timelapse of the Milky Way moving across the sky with the landscape in the foreground. I’ll be there during the new moon (darkest skies of the month) and will have an SUV with AWD, so I can access more remote spots if needed.
📍 Planned Locations:
- Arches
- Canyonlands
- Capitol Reef
- Bryce Canyon
- Zion
- Conger Mountain
- Swasey Mountain
- Salt Flats
Questions:
Where would be the best location(s) along my route to set up for a Milky Way timelapse? Looking for dark skies with interesting foregrounds (rock formations, desert landscapes, etc.).
What gear settings do you recommend for a long-exposure timelapse? (Interval, shutter speed, ISO, etc.)
Any general tips for composing a Milky Way timelapse where the landscape is visible too?
Would a star tracker be useful for this, or should I keep it stationary to show the movement of the sky?
Would love any advice from those who’ve done something similar—thanks in advance!
EDIT: here is an example of the time lapse I’m hoping to capture - https://youtu.be/L8CdoMvSkw8?si=1TAKTN-30BAo-MNn