Cruise ships aren’t usually associated with astrophotography – unless there’s a remote total solar eclipse happening – but can present anyone with a camera or even just a smartphone with unique nocturnal opportunities.
Light pollution on land is now so bad that few can see – or will ever see – the arc of our own galaxy. While on a cruise ship, you’re in a privileged position, but you do need to plan your equipment in advance. For best results, use a tripod. Even a small tabletop tripod is helpful, or one that grips onto a deck railing. “I carry a collapsible carbon fiber tripod in my camera bag, but if you’re using a smartphone you can brace yourself against the ship, effectively using it as a tripod,” says Greg Redfern, author of Cruise Ship Astronomy and Astrophotography and a NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador. “Just always keep a hand on your camera – you're on a moving ship and you don't know what's going to happen.”
