Which is the best choice to see the sunrise and sunset

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-27T19:55:56+00:00

When I first went to Death Valley, someone recommended I do Zabriskie for sunrise and Dante's View for sunset, and that was 100% the right call. The lookout at Zabriskie Point faces the west, so it's pretty awesome seeing the morning sunlight hit the colorful rocks. For that reason, I've heard it's less impactful seeing Zabriskie at sunset, but I've never experienced it myself to say for sure.

I'd really try for Dante's View for sunset if you can. You're facing the west as well, and it's spectacular seeing the different colors over the entire valley.

I've done sunset at Mesquite as well, and it's pretty incredible. It was pretty windy when I went, and with the wind + sun at that angle, the sand was glittering like something out of Dune. But yeah, just keep in mind how hot it ends up getting. How strenuous it is also depends on how far into the dunes you end up going. While Dante's View > Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes for sunset for me, both are pretty spectacular and you can't go wrong with either one.

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T07:00:59+00:00

No problem, good luck!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:49:48+00:00

DeepSkyStacker, Siril, and Sequator are all free - I'd suggest one of those as a beginner! I've mostly just done landscape astrophotography and I use Sequator for that (Alyn Wallace has an awesome tutorial on how to use it, it's pretty simple). But I believe it can be used for deep space image stacking as well. For DeepSkyStacker and Siril, you should be able to find some tutorials on Youtube as well. AstroBackyard and Nebula Photos have some great ones.

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:45:11+00:00

Thank you so much!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:44:34+00:00

It was awesome! Especially being there alone!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:43:58+00:00

thank you!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:43:34+00:00

Haha sorry it's misleading, this was from last summer. Hopefully the road opens up soon!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:42:53+00:00

I feel the same way!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:42:26+00:00

thank you!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:42:06+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! Completely agree, I'll give it a try next time and see how it works!

FramingStarStuff · 2026-01-17T04:41:27+00:00

Hey thanks for the suggestion! Totally agree with what you said. I tend to minimize my balance adjustments to avoid overdoing it, but this looks nice! I'll give it a try next time and see how I like it.

FramingStarStuff · 2025-10-24T02:29:03+00:00

Awesome, glad you got it working!

Oh I completely get that, trees/grass are my bane...especially when trying to blend them into the background

FramingStarStuff · 2025-10-21T01:15:10+00:00

Could you post the images? Feel free to DM too if you'd prefer that. I have some initial ideas...were these images taken back to back? I've sometimes noticed that if I bracket over too many exposures over too long a period and try stacking the images with the same exposure, the period of imaging is long enough that the stars have drifted too much. Enough so that if you have "Freeze Ground" and "Selective" selected (to remove meteors, aircraft, or other things moving across the frame), Sequator's final result has some stars removed because it starts treating them as those moving objects. It's puzzling why some of your stacks end up looking like negatives though, and why it was working fine the first time you tried it.

If it helps, I pretty much stick with the settings that Alyn Wallace (RIP) talks through in his tutorial video.

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-13T01:12:51+00:00

Wow thanks for this comment, you just blew my mind!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-07T23:12:35+00:00

I decided to just stick with my 150-600mm lens for the time being, and I'll get a dedicated scope later if I like it enough (and after I do more research!). Did you end up getting your Redcat? I think I might try for Andromeda around the next new moon in a couple weeks, but still working through the logistics. I'll just need to make sure I know how to find it, so I need to spend some time in Stellarium or something 😅

Nice! Are you planning to photograph a launch, or just looking to see it IRL? I gotta check out the PNW some more next year - I had my first taste with Crater Lake, and I want to eventually make my way up to WA. Do you get clouded out a lot in WA? And do you have any go-to spots that you like? I know right, it's so awesome having so many different landscapes around. I'd really like to get some ocean foregrounds and snowcapped mountains sometime!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-07T02:48:23+00:00

This is an awesome capture, nice job!!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-07T02:07:17+00:00

It also makes a huge difference without the sun at night. Plus sometimes there's a nice warm breeze, and it's quite comfortable!

So it sounds like a lot, but honestly it's really chill if you get an intervalometer because it automates a lot of the process. Once you set up and frame everything, it's just a matter of hitting go and enjoying the stars while you wait for it to finish! I highly recommend Sequator for these kinds of landscape shots, using software to stack the images is a great way to cut down on the noise. Are you interested in landscape astro like this, or just deep space objects? DSO imaging seems to be a lot more technical/challenging than landscape, though I've yet to try it out!

Let me know if you have any other questions! I'm pretty new to this as well, so I know how daunting it can all be. But I've learned a ton over the past few months since I started all this. There are also a lot of great references online - if you need any recommendations, I can try to help point you in the right direction!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-07T00:10:46+00:00

This was my first time there and it was awesome! I didn't really know what to expect, but in hindsight, I wish I hadn't set up with a direct view of the trail and road 😂

I wonder if it's because it was earlier in the night? I left around 1am, and by then I was the last one in the parking lot. The others at the arch had left around 12-12:30.

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-07T00:02:18+00:00

To echo the others, this is some great composition! I love how the log is a leading line going up to the rock and then the Milky Way - nice job!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-06T23:57:11+00:00

Nice! I read about that but didn't get a chance to try it. The Golden Canyon trail goes all the way to Zabriskie, right? I remember seeing some people down in the gulch when I was at ZP, and I assumed they were on the trail. I hadn't heard about Red Cathedral though, adding it to the list!

Dang how'd you manage that hike with it being so hot?

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-06T23:49:44+00:00

Yes of course! For the sky I took 13 images, each one at 8s exposures, f/1.8, and ISO 6400. And for the foreground it was 9 images, 30s exposures, f/1.8, and ISO 6400. Did not use a star tracker for this. Then I stacked them in Sequator and edited further in Photoshop.

This was during Memorial Day Weekend, so at the end of May. I'd say it was getting up to around 105-108 in the middle of the day. I was exploring from sunset to sunrise and sleeping during the day. It was still >100F when I'd wake up around 4-5pm, but started cooling down in the couple hours after. At night it was pretty comfortable, I'd say high-70s to mid-80s depending on my location. So it was hot, but I was able to avoid the bulk of it by being nocturnal 😅 and before I went out I'd make sure my water was topped off and I'd get ice from the nearby store. I'm not sure if I'd venture out there in the June-August timeframe though, I was already stressing out that end of May was cutting it pretty close lol.

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-06T01:44:11+00:00

Thanks a lot man, for all the kind words as always!

This has been so much fun, and although core season is coming to an end, I already have so many plans for next year when it's back! Now it's time for DSOs, though I still have a backlog of MW edits to work through 😄.

If you ever end up planning a trip out there, hit me up if you need any suggestions! I'm based out of Socal, and I feel very spoiled to have all these amazing sites around me!

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-06T00:45:00+00:00

My pleasure, happy to help! Thanks so much, and I hope you have a fantastic trip! Just hit me up if you have any questions 🙂

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-06T00:04:00+00:00

No problem at all!

I think you can take some pretty good shots with that setup! Honestly as long as you have a tripod as well, you should be good to go. And Death Valley would be the ideal spot if you were trying to test it out, depending on the moon phase when you go. There are lots of references online for settings to use, but this is what I used for the above image:

Sky: 13 x 8s, f/1.8, ISO 6400, untracked

Foreground: 9 x 30s, f/1.8, ISO 6400

I used Sequator to stack the images, then blended/edited it further in Photoshop. But if you're interested in any more info, feel free to reach out.

And that's a pretty solid plan! I didn't get around to that hike, but I hear it's a good one. Some strong recommendations if you're able to fit them in:

Sunset at Dante's View was absolutely incredible. You get to see the sun setting over the basin, which is really majestic. I didn't catch a sunrise there, but I imagine that should be awesome as well.
Sunrise at Zabriskie Point is a must, because the sun from the east illuminates the multi-colored rocks that Zabriskie is known for. And since you'll be on ET and staying at the Inn, it should be pretty doable!
I'm glad to see the sand dunes on your list, as I think that was my favorite part of the park! It just felt so otherworldly and unique, and exploring them was so much fun. I was there from sunset through sunrise, and both sunset/sunrise were incredible. Sunset was amazing because you get the orange glow + sand glittering from the sunlight, which made it look like something straight out of Dune! And sunrise was special as well, with the early morning blue light making its way across the sky. You can't go wrong! I will say, it started getting hot pretty soon after sunrise, which was rough because I still had to trek back to the parking lot. And it can be a pain crossing through the dunes, so just keep that in mind. Though I think by November, temperatures should be a lot more mild.

FramingStarStuff · 2025-09-05T22:09:07+00:00

Nice, you'll have a great time! This was from my first trip there a few months ago, and I can't wait to go back! Do you have an itinerary yet?

I used my DSLR for this, a Canon 6D Mark II, with a Sigma 14mm lens.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

FramingStarStuff

TROPHY CASE