Glossary

S

Shadow Ratio

The ratio of an object’s height to its shadow length. Multiply the height of any object by the shadow ratio to calculate the length of the object's shadow.

Sun

The star at the center of the Solar System. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Sunrise

The instant at which the upper edge of the sun appears on the horizon in the morning. In fact, sunrise occurs before the sun actually reaches the horizon because the sun's image is refracted by the Earth's atmosphere. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Sunset

The instant at which the upper edge of the sun disappears below the horizon in the evening. Sunset occurs after the upper edge of the sun reaches the horizon because the sun's image is refracted by the Earth's atmosphere. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Star Trail

When taking a long exposure photo of the stars in the nighttime sky using a camera on a fixed mount, a star trail is the line of light recorded on the photographic medium caused by the rotation of the Earth during the period of time when the camera's shutter is held open. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Solstice

An astronomical event that happens twice each year as the sun reaches its highest or lowest excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. As a result, on the day of the solstice the sun appears to have reached its highest or lowest annual altitude in the sky above the horizon at local solar noon. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Super moon

The coincidence of a full moon with the closest approach the moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit (perigee), resulting in the largest apparent size of the moon's disk as seen from Earth. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Shutter Speed or Exposure Time

The effective length of time a camera's shutter is open. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Sunny 16 rule

A method of estimating correct daylight exposures without a light meter. The basic rule is, "On a sunny day set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed to the [reciprocal of the] ISO film speed [or ISO setting] for a subject in direct sunlight. For example; On a sunny day and with ISO 100 film / setting in the camera, one sets the aperture to f/16 and the shutter speed to 1/100. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Subject Distance

The distance between the lens of a camera and a subject being photographed.

Subject Height

Height of the subject you want to fit in the frame.

Subject Width

Width of the subject you want to fit in the frame.

Southern Hemisphere

The part of the Earth that lies south of the equator. Learn more on Wikipedia.

Shooting Interval (Time lapse)

Time between two consecutive shots or frames during the Event. A longer interval will result in a shorter, faster running video.