Hot take: People are stacking way too many photos for the Milky Way

I see so many shots where folks stack like 50 frames thinking more is better, but after 15-20 you're just adding noise from light pollution. I tested this last month from my backyard in Tucson, stacking 10 vs 30 vs 50 shots. The 30-shot stack looked worse than the 10-shot one because it pulled in more glow from the city. The sweet spot for a decently dark site is around 15 frames. Has anyone else found a specific number that works best for their location?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisa8391mo ago

Wow, I found the same thing with my backyard shots, 15 frames was perfect.

margaret_nelson1mo agoTop Commenter

@lisa839 what camera settings did you use for those 15 backyard frames?

margaret_nelson14d agoTop Commenter

Heard the 15 frame trick works best with f/8 @lisa839 keep it simple.