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Welcome to a new section of Nightskyhunter where I will be showcasing a selection of talks and presentations on the subjects of Astronomy, Photography and Thunderstorms. These presentations are available to watch online via youtube for the small price of £4.99. If you are interested in purchasing a talk all you have to do is send payment via paypal to martinastro2005@hotmail.com, message me on Facebook or Twitter, or email me at the same address if you wish to use bank transfer. By watching these talks you are not only supporting me and my website but also learning first hand information about the sky with the intention of inspiring you to look up and enjoy the wonders of nature. Please click the subject of interest below for more information on each talk...
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'A Guide To Convective Clouds & Storm Structure' is the first time I've ever talked about my passion for storms within the setting of a public presentation. This talk was recorded during the Spring of 2023 at OM Dark Sky Park & Observatory and as far as I'm aware it's the only public talk on convective storms within N. Ireland. It seems that many people enjoy watching storms and capturing dramatic skyscapes on camera to share on social media, however based on the messages I receive they often don't know what they have captured or understand the processes which cause the phenomena. This talk is an introduction to the subject and will help you develop a solid foundation to identify convective clouds, understand storm structure and its severe weather potential and be better equipped to know when to keep your camera close to hand to catch that dramatic moment. - Read More
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'A Guide To Seeking The Northern Lights From N. Ireland' is the first public presentation I've ever gave on the Aurora Borealis, a subject I'm deeply passionate about. I observed my first Aurora in 1998 by accident and the sighting affected me profoundly. To date I've observed and photographed 178 Northern Light displays, all of which where captured from Ireland/N. Ireland. With this Aurora hunting background I feel I have something to say, however more importantly I feel I have something to share to help others in their quest to see the Northern Lights. Thanks to social media and advances in camera technology and mobile phones this subject has surged in interest in recent years.
This talk is intended as a primer for the inspiring Aurora hunter and photographer. My intention is to lay down a solid celestial foundation covering the background science needed to understand what the Aurora is, what causes it, and more importantly if it can predicted. The information in this talk covers a vast range, from Aurora trigger mechanisms, sunspot observing, visual Aurora structures to basic photography advice. There's sufficient substance here to understand your subject and greatly improve your chances of ticking the Aurora off your bucket list, and not just any Aurora, the more rare spectacular events which can change your life forever, as they did for me. - Read More
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'Celestial DSLR Photography & Sky Phenomena' is the second talk I've ever gave in my life and the very first presentation I done at OM Dark Sky Park & Observatory during 2022. This presentation is aimed at beginners who perhaps own a bridge camera or DSLR but who feel overwhelmed by the various functions and menus yet just want to learn how to take their own images of the night sky. This extensive talk covers the basics on what you need to know and provides a solid foundation for starting your own passion for Astrophotography. Not only are the camera and technical basics covered but I also provide a detailed overview on a wide range of sky phenomena that you can shoot with your own camera and obtain spectacular results. - Read More
Martin McKenna
