Cheat sheet · Night & astro

Camera settings for meteor showers

Shoot continuous Milky Way-style frames for hours and keep the ones that caught a meteor.

ModeManual
ApertureWidest
Shutter15–25 s
ISO1600–3200
FocusManual on star
DriveIntervalometer, 1 s gap
Quick start: Shoot continuous Milky Way-style frames for hours and keep the ones that caught a meteor.

Starting exposures#

Typical scene brightness for this situation is around EV -6. Use these as a first test shot, then check the histogram.

ApertureISO 100ISO 400ISO 1600ISO 6400
f/1.42 min30 s8 s2 s
f/2.8> 4 min2 min30 s8 s
f/5.6> 4 min> 4 min2 min30 s
f/8> 4 min> 4 min> 4 min1 min
f/11> 4 min> 4 min> 4 min2 min

Step by step#

  1. Aim about 45° away from the radiant.
  2. Shoot continuously for the peak hours (usually after midnight).
  3. Composite the best meteors into one frame afterwards.

Gear checklist#

  • Wide lens (14–24 mm)
  • Tripod
  • Intervalometer
  • Power bank

Pro tips#

  • Perseids (Aug), Geminids (Dec) and Quadrantids (Jan) are the strongest showers.
  • A wider lens catches more sky but shows smaller meteors.

Common mistakes#

  • Pointing directly at the radiant where trails are shortest.
Milky Way photographyCapture the galactic core with a fast wide-angle lens, the widest aperture you have and th… Star trailsStack many 20–30 s exposures (or one very long one) while the Earth rotates to draw circle…

Frequently asked questions#

What are the best camera settings for meteor showers?

Aperture: Widest · Shutter: 15–25 s · ISO: 1600–3200. Shoot continuous Milky Way-style frames for hours and keep the ones that caught a meteor.

What gear do I need for meteor showers?

Wide lens (14–24 mm), Tripod, Intervalometer, Power bank.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources