tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5212068215504063622024-03-05T01:08:49.581-08:00Bright Stars Wildomarjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.comBlogger342125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-81024798620858616782024-01-07T15:46:00.000-08:002024-01-08T09:08:10.613-08:00Big Bad Wolf<p>Yesterday, my son and I returned to Red Rocks Canyon, NV to conquer the 4-pitch route called "Big Bad Wolf". I may also have conquered my big wall, multi-pitch anxiety. He wanted to lead his first 4-pitch route and I wanted mostly to not hold him back. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGFKDb0P8_DNWDI8AsHBN88g5sX8OCISW9AXe_E-49s1dG2TaJIT9fzNaiWApN_Ngk_aYsJfw7QXp5n2_B8GacGdj6anNZOfWcqpb7auk8EaA0pGjKwpk_ThcDi9aTxUVe0AzRbch_p4_kMGltmV7tvFK8U837L0yTQ68AsEawN8ddf832Ehyphenhyphen6VkAwvU/s4032/0_bigbadwolf3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGFKDb0P8_DNWDI8AsHBN88g5sX8OCISW9AXe_E-49s1dG2TaJIT9fzNaiWApN_Ngk_aYsJfw7QXp5n2_B8GacGdj6anNZOfWcqpb7auk8EaA0pGjKwpk_ThcDi9aTxUVe0AzRbch_p4_kMGltmV7tvFK8U837L0yTQ68AsEawN8ddf832Ehyphenhyphen6VkAwvU/w480-h640/0_bigbadwolf3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pitches 1-3 of Big Bad Wolf, Red Rocks Canyon, NV</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The total distance vertically is 250 feet and my son described it as his most challenging lead climb yet. The first pitch is rated 5.9 (I'd done two 5.8s at Red Rocks the previous week). Pitches 2 and 3 are 5.8; and pitch 4 a 5.0. In free climbing, you use the equipment to catch a fall and not to assist your ascent. I'm guilty of grabbing one anchor that I was trying to remove, so technically, I did not complete the route as a pure free climb, but I think any 61-and-a-half-year-old trying to keep up with an 18-year-old Gumby is allowed to pre-empt one fall. In fairness to myself, I might succeed on a second try, because I'd know the route and use less energy getting to the crux, and then have more strength to work out the necessary maneuver. </p><p>This photo shows the entire first pitch with my son out of sight at the top setting up the anchor to support my climb. It is these moments when he sets up the anchor that I have a little down time and can take pictures.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b1MphjyyFr_zlEONOhhpks3hPqrhviVeSXQ1eROIcMAzSlKmcrpbNpm7vRk5CP7XUlt7HbqZCQUzS37EwRvQktNTxTD0xl-ZslWbXR6mh0I9owieKpLZTTSCZwKtBXjNawpbXFrwqDmv2_ImORaJXy8hq1UFQxSq3VjqJYV1_w0Z3KPQaPqrrkgzuxU/s1920/0_firstpitch_1194.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b1MphjyyFr_zlEONOhhpks3hPqrhviVeSXQ1eROIcMAzSlKmcrpbNpm7vRk5CP7XUlt7HbqZCQUzS37EwRvQktNTxTD0xl-ZslWbXR6mh0I9owieKpLZTTSCZwKtBXjNawpbXFrwqDmv2_ImORaJXy8hq1UFQxSq3VjqJYV1_w0Z3KPQaPqrrkgzuxU/w300-h400/0_firstpitch_1194.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pitch 1 waiting for me to follow the lead.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>3rd is a shot over my shoulder at the first belay station. There's a large flake that is the crest that obscures most of the first pitch. Just behind the flake you see our distant water bottles at the base of the climb.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1v0xtdpm-rjDMB0j6-OObOYjrb05UYeRmfLaX4RJsmofsBtj-q-O5G5LdHex6PQFyjN6DpIVPODj61JWJjJcVNV9Rj70CfoUK6QivAA0PtNeaVdzm45lq7jqJ4s0NDq3wI1c6l2JbsxpdOeZ3GEBtaCnC5cZMxVEwJlqFSxJpEm_zpx_RYxpK9STyTI/s1920/1_belaystation1_1200.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1v0xtdpm-rjDMB0j6-OObOYjrb05UYeRmfLaX4RJsmofsBtj-q-O5G5LdHex6PQFyjN6DpIVPODj61JWJjJcVNV9Rj70CfoUK6QivAA0PtNeaVdzm45lq7jqJ4s0NDq3wI1c6l2JbsxpdOeZ3GEBtaCnC5cZMxVEwJlqFSxJpEm_zpx_RYxpK9STyTI/w300-h400/1_belaystation1_1200.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view over my shoulder at belay station 1</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After pitch 2, I took a selfie. Pitch 2 is more of a slab, but there was a point where I thought I would fall. My son said I let out a "power yell" but according to him, I didn't put weight on the rope. I didn't grab any anchors either, so it was a clean free climb.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZW1ACBBH_njg3A6teFPV5FVhyzQz_ez_13U3yaSkynswaMGjzhGM2huYn6om2jWJgCV7zpS3y7HNlZeVpOBk9M1pTrhzddLk1R1lCogH6OR_YGlffxc93j9u9bX9Ij9PdbflskJIcu78I8THnIZ9fVJON6T4e97cA7eIS-nitZiuto6ZPtNg6KL9MHus/s1920/2_1215_belaystation2_selfie_1215.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZW1ACBBH_njg3A6teFPV5FVhyzQz_ez_13U3yaSkynswaMGjzhGM2huYn6om2jWJgCV7zpS3y7HNlZeVpOBk9M1pTrhzddLk1R1lCogH6OR_YGlffxc93j9u9bX9Ij9PdbflskJIcu78I8THnIZ9fVJON6T4e97cA7eIS-nitZiuto6ZPtNg6KL9MHus/w400-h300/2_1215_belaystation2_selfie_1215.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at belay station 2</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After my son finished pitch 3, I snapped a few pictures of the jagged wall to the left and scenic vista to the right. I also saw a fragment of desert varnish that looked like a horse. Still, I did not look down. (All my down shots while on the wall were taken blindly over my shoulder.)</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUSv55i7AdhP-Pb_TXHEWA2k15cO9epT0i5F0svgxWLw1w3Q6m6kmLJndc96NKb9YnVv9jmDm2IitXDTzEC8zdddeZjJvr_BAQw9_2-Bbclo2enonOk9Y2lR2KTCkhd00tVqSluMSJa39-bQBUn9Pa_UoO7snkGyrqEBiFP6jPN3vyxQ1dBMpmbgCIDE/s1920/2_1227_jaggededge_1227.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUSv55i7AdhP-Pb_TXHEWA2k15cO9epT0i5F0svgxWLw1w3Q6m6kmLJndc96NKb9YnVv9jmDm2IitXDTzEC8zdddeZjJvr_BAQw9_2-Bbclo2enonOk9Y2lR2KTCkhd00tVqSluMSJa39-bQBUn9Pa_UoO7snkGyrqEBiFP6jPN3vyxQ1dBMpmbgCIDE/w300-h400/2_1227_jaggededge_1227.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View left of belay station 2</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-SE7b8BE92PgvRVnO0_wK-o6iY4jsuPNvMKjBkslsg-_v70IX_cezGTI9Z721VJdmybbTSi6gnCDwV_iy1L5slujE5SQ78_Vo4rGxTR041hjLB5FT5zs0xXUhrmQ3ChQ_gbkRi2VLswBULR-KEkeKhMNdIafcl7mVOCdxbygIz3oKeaVfoe6sICVB0k/s1920/2_1223_belaystation1_view_1223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-SE7b8BE92PgvRVnO0_wK-o6iY4jsuPNvMKjBkslsg-_v70IX_cezGTI9Z721VJdmybbTSi6gnCDwV_iy1L5slujE5SQ78_Vo4rGxTR041hjLB5FT5zs0xXUhrmQ3ChQ_gbkRi2VLswBULR-KEkeKhMNdIafcl7mVOCdxbygIz3oKeaVfoe6sICVB0k/w400-h300/2_1223_belaystation1_view_1223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View right of belay station 2</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhYZ0zY1YgiuGP8dL8QMz-sD3ZqsMIP-b-E9ohrH6JyGjYtBj-BHAgT5hSvg8ue6vfbGUHw9YFiq4gh75PDsj2DoWD0iVwwsNNxvWV3WegK6K0ZxMlZi7YuXiSj6FttSu7tEbvPqNmPAn0dXbmLLRksbGf0DRFKI-0M1bPP7hsbBeBODwZk6_ogNWbL4/s1920/2_1226_desertvarnish_horse_1226.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhYZ0zY1YgiuGP8dL8QMz-sD3ZqsMIP-b-E9ohrH6JyGjYtBj-BHAgT5hSvg8ue6vfbGUHw9YFiq4gh75PDsj2DoWD0iVwwsNNxvWV3WegK6K0ZxMlZi7YuXiSj6FttSu7tEbvPqNmPAn0dXbmLLRksbGf0DRFKI-0M1bPP7hsbBeBODwZk6_ogNWbL4/w300-h400/2_1226_desertvarnish_horse_1226.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert varnish at belay station 2, looking like a horse</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Pitch 3 was the most enjoyable in that it started with a confidence building slab that reduced the feeling of being exposed to open air and ended with a wall that required some enjoyable effort and strategy. While my son setup the 4th belay, we were visited by bird -- a nice reminder of where we were, and a reminder to enjoy the moment. I started looking down.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS2xesR7T5AS-BWcDq-vTOlQzW6WFVyPtiuwzsafp083lAUL8KJIJJxPkiOJ9bpl0Ep-NBR_9-8LNEgcg7ZnJFSxU0h_2ykBqomarR-spRer5ZMctMu0H_1b-uc6vVMnAPAql6Oll2mHbF598hbLahS4XebEZQTgGxyFGxph85JmUXBwJmChL2BRHBXw/s1920/3_belay3_1244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS2xesR7T5AS-BWcDq-vTOlQzW6WFVyPtiuwzsafp083lAUL8KJIJJxPkiOJ9bpl0Ep-NBR_9-8LNEgcg7ZnJFSxU0h_2ykBqomarR-spRer5ZMctMu0H_1b-uc6vVMnAPAql6Oll2mHbF598hbLahS4XebEZQTgGxyFGxph85JmUXBwJmChL2BRHBXw/w300-h400/3_belay3_1244.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belay station 3, view left</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6tM_YLVYYNzGd9qE4Wqe9xJen7eTpY5O1wjRxVyp7VkXP1cjiT7YaWo07yT39RaAbFi8r5kclH25anGxiVpb4H0Dt5VpQp4__p4G6T9tAynd_Er6WiaeUK1AueBn7TjifkvICxlMcChyphenhyphenVorRNyvaWr7sq-WMBaBjspS2z4tJ74FX3DIn2W9e7OzkVTE/s320/3_1246_belaystation3_bird_1246.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bird visiting me at belay station 3</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6tM_YLVYYNzGd9qE4Wqe9xJen7eTpY5O1wjRxVyp7VkXP1cjiT7YaWo07yT39RaAbFi8r5kclH25anGxiVpb4H0Dt5VpQp4__p4G6T9tAynd_Er6WiaeUK1AueBn7TjifkvICxlMcChyphenhyphenVorRNyvaWr7sq-WMBaBjspS2z4tJ74FX3DIn2W9e7OzkVTE/s1920/3_1246_belaystation3_bird_1246.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0wda4IEmn0YyPMJVAb-C5mHQqxF5Yx7kuz501LlpLRL6N3db8XeMQhropVXqy3dhroMEhqE4K1H_YoJPudfB3zP9qjoCG15gyIyCLr-CoRuFoxG1m5xZ9_dqnevRA0SuiXzmGb1Y94E6cbenyWcIC3CQ2MKEdpGdBl5e9ZF8AdqkLCZkkK6CA2NioR0/s1920/3_1247_bird_1247.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0wda4IEmn0YyPMJVAb-C5mHQqxF5Yx7kuz501LlpLRL6N3db8XeMQhropVXqy3dhroMEhqE4K1H_YoJPudfB3zP9qjoCG15gyIyCLr-CoRuFoxG1m5xZ9_dqnevRA0SuiXzmGb1Y94E6cbenyWcIC3CQ2MKEdpGdBl5e9ZF8AdqkLCZkkK6CA2NioR0/w400-h300/3_1247_bird_1247.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same bird</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8LJwx1uvqWby0MuFDY3JbJwcDk_55OLMOfWTyxPP3CUVs3bvGqSlTbE3Ny_PJA0lQk5USKXpqMu-6YS9IC8rkXWzwkCwYtDRJAI_c49bW-fzri6sS5Acd2rm61pz3sJpSO6PW1dgMIaNa-p67Hz221WtIKsf0sKRWnuDQ6CmGBFfsO58N8xwSfaWDSo/s1920/3_1230_belay2or3_view_1230.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8LJwx1uvqWby0MuFDY3JbJwcDk_55OLMOfWTyxPP3CUVs3bvGqSlTbE3Ny_PJA0lQk5USKXpqMu-6YS9IC8rkXWzwkCwYtDRJAI_c49bW-fzri6sS5Acd2rm61pz3sJpSO6PW1dgMIaNa-p67Hz221WtIKsf0sKRWnuDQ6CmGBFfsO58N8xwSfaWDSo/w400-h300/3_1230_belay2or3_view_1230.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View right at belay station 3</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pitch 4 was an easy 30-foot scramble, but after the previous pitches and the January cold, our legs suffering the "sewing machine leg" effect, it's best to go through all the motions: set up anchor, belay the first climber, place gear, and setup the last anchor, and follow safely to the top. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfky4UQTDFTqLsgdy74MIdm_0NyrtfEDwM4xgFLsX5E4y-Bx8sK-3QhjfSLJggoWOlPCdvkENxpF9jVFf4E6fEoJnA5bjFAh8uqEESBLfql-XfUj33VFTYNoaFBEJjW892CO42Dr1LmB75e2qmp_5GICru5MmCdjHBYjFECB2lUb0K3xhQ8tFapTynws/s1920/5_1258_belaystation3_view.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfky4UQTDFTqLsgdy74MIdm_0NyrtfEDwM4xgFLsX5E4y-Bx8sK-3QhjfSLJggoWOlPCdvkENxpF9jVFf4E6fEoJnA5bjFAh8uqEESBLfql-XfUj33VFTYNoaFBEJjW892CO42Dr1LmB75e2qmp_5GICru5MmCdjHBYjFECB2lUb0K3xhQ8tFapTynws/w400-h300/5_1258_belaystation3_view.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of pitch 4</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusLQqNBJb78FzFNdCWqNzX4ok8sQKx0auue0Fmr1X8E9bTKSLJJOmNttDJTDKqtbxL5U7xJvP_xjtn5lIhwPr8NQftBzKlEU1UdPv4OJ3bVSzpkcLjFPag72S93Y2dO0ZaymJ7KeFBwRF4xCqekOEZ0IWGbPNzuWk3QT8FZhEJnYxK-197GxHgJwaoJ8/s1920/5_1260_belay4_1260.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusLQqNBJb78FzFNdCWqNzX4ok8sQKx0auue0Fmr1X8E9bTKSLJJOmNttDJTDKqtbxL5U7xJvP_xjtn5lIhwPr8NQftBzKlEU1UdPv4OJ3bVSzpkcLjFPag72S93Y2dO0ZaymJ7KeFBwRF4xCqekOEZ0IWGbPNzuWk3QT8FZhEJnYxK-197GxHgJwaoJ8/w300-h400/5_1260_belay4_1260.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leader collecting the rope for the descent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWkmCoyI9-nC1-EN0BMYZWzGCRq9-BFOrT1Lk3dwXxU9KonpUiLuxF67zieToyNj9LkfaI7KtBo25jX9W7CTjzjmi6vYUwdh-VYNP7DDJhWlrHSzXhXAwvbtCkIL6yL59ksBJsMGZ_xuN8fz3rb2bVu8sbDlcEBVO4ONUdt8FPug774sluRdgeL8LW2w/s1920/5_1270_attopselfie_1270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWkmCoyI9-nC1-EN0BMYZWzGCRq9-BFOrT1Lk3dwXxU9KonpUiLuxF67zieToyNj9LkfaI7KtBo25jX9W7CTjzjmi6vYUwdh-VYNP7DDJhWlrHSzXhXAwvbtCkIL6yL59ksBJsMGZ_xuN8fz3rb2bVu8sbDlcEBVO4ONUdt8FPug774sluRdgeL8LW2w/w400-h300/5_1270_attopselfie_1270.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvKmpe2CS9JhYB2yJEOjogJq9HaXxltKHT0abI5Nn-Spx5MJX35NuVVGObbUCjzXiWk9pMJrXEhbMBAQwpZdZTwDedU766cOVVPjBViDYsZu4HVFlv0jjPiQmXZsxbS0KlNQJAUEdFDEL3xdZgq6pPvAlkq43XdJJRe0G1q0JrN32m6ACzOxXQ4cOnQY/s1920/5_1283_packingupfortheDownclimb_1283.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvKmpe2CS9JhYB2yJEOjogJq9HaXxltKHT0abI5Nn-Spx5MJX35NuVVGObbUCjzXiWk9pMJrXEhbMBAQwpZdZTwDedU766cOVVPjBViDYsZu4HVFlv0jjPiQmXZsxbS0KlNQJAUEdFDEL3xdZgq6pPvAlkq43XdJJRe0G1q0JrN32m6ACzOxXQ4cOnQY/w400-h300/5_1283_packingupfortheDownclimb_1283.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I've compared the joy of a well executed climbing move to a flying dream, I'd compare climbing a multi-pitch route to the closest any of us will get to going to the moon. Once you start, you can't bail out quickly. It's safe but you have to go through all the best practices, the equipment check, the careful setups at each belay station, the standard communication commands, the focus, the safety checks, taking turns, and repeat. Doing this, we covered 250 feet in about 3-4 hours. It was maybe a half hour scramble to get down, plus time for pictures.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvWaMKjXiRcaOIPJ51jfmJzJ4k250ZPoci44zEs8KmRK9xR2ZkFFGz0pJKJZCepCHhYvlNSsD2DPFO_F3bluJBj34alq-iPoeBf1oZdXWr4XwrcSsKF_X9KUbeL9eVAtv-CimJmsgFc48lwTeCKi9X1E0ccB9cAgh-cjWUkq4FfY_VOacNWay6UF-ay0/s1920/5_ghostlies.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvWaMKjXiRcaOIPJ51jfmJzJ4k250ZPoci44zEs8KmRK9xR2ZkFFGz0pJKJZCepCHhYvlNSsD2DPFO_F3bluJBj34alq-iPoeBf1oZdXWr4XwrcSsKF_X9KUbeL9eVAtv-CimJmsgFc48lwTeCKi9X1E0ccB9cAgh-cjWUkq4FfY_VOacNWay6UF-ay0/w400-h300/5_ghostlies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghostly erosion on the walk-off descent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx023Hlb1gdHwzNqE855SmEY-Ni8TNR3gGAtIeDMc92RjuvFDZ4k7t3bmyKqBXfVs50IsHmikM43hSsYlRh13V2n-O5qrcdvGMzqYPgHYHZ0raNcZChJfBkwdSElJKaNrgn0YPn6DI3ZU5qlda4z87TPIouxAirAvPulW8vXs0NDW9gKexoNWgWtWemuc/s1920/5_holes_1293.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx023Hlb1gdHwzNqE855SmEY-Ni8TNR3gGAtIeDMc92RjuvFDZ4k7t3bmyKqBXfVs50IsHmikM43hSsYlRh13V2n-O5qrcdvGMzqYPgHYHZ0raNcZChJfBkwdSElJKaNrgn0YPn6DI3ZU5qlda4z87TPIouxAirAvPulW8vXs0NDW9gKexoNWgWtWemuc/w400-h300/5_holes_1293.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More ghostlies on the walk-off</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>jg (Jan. 5, 2024)<br /><br /><br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-20820588641253207492022-07-08T21:12:00.001-07:002022-07-08T21:13:41.718-07:00Tau Herculid Meteor Storm, May 30, 2022<p><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I can't confirm that the Tau Herculid meteor storm delivered as a storm, I think it qualified as a shower, and as good as any I've seen or probably will see from my backyard balcony since the LED lighting revolution.</span></p><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span face="Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The meteors were notably slow and dim. Since I was pointing my camera near the radiant (apparent origin in the sky), the trails appear short because I'm looking at their paths head on.
I also over saturated the color in the meteor images. The colors in the meteors, and the changes of color, confirm that these are burning light sources rather than reflected light sources from satellites. (I'm seeing more and more stock meteor photos that really are satellites, not meteors.)
</span></span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhWpMx6IOJyrn1qpTgHyKo0Egi91ZyuQr6GRSZmX_IdyoZcXW4Hifq3s7j4_FC_bCEW6e80jKNVaybAy0koTK9N4TsdjKeMRfu0hWxxsDs_pbuaNhZ6ZePLwXxjs_xP0J-8NmsUtEqZMDhEWs3jYlyUkgEOfP-4QMGSMYJnQ9_Q5Pq4FKUak5rouK/s1920/meteors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1920" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhWpMx6IOJyrn1qpTgHyKo0Egi91ZyuQr6GRSZmX_IdyoZcXW4Hifq3s7j4_FC_bCEW6e80jKNVaybAy0koTK9N4TsdjKeMRfu0hWxxsDs_pbuaNhZ6ZePLwXxjs_xP0J-8NmsUtEqZMDhEWs3jYlyUkgEOfP-4QMGSMYJnQ9_Q5Pq4FKUak5rouK/w400-h249/meteors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-2812179117931191482022-05-17T10:32:00.001-07:002022-07-08T21:14:31.322-07:00Lunar Eclipse, 15 May 2022<p> After reviewing a hundred nearly identical images I took during the May 15 lunar eclipse, I decided none cleaned up better than this 5-second exposure:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGkWWng476z7lWzVSqvoS9BcmQv01cdkA0O5fhZfebKj2HnUy1vJaT_pudH2X8hw_6k3jQ6hn6JcSidxYS9zk5U0otY6SFHuOOVrVFT5lB0qh99miNheZNCve2odXyITFmz7ktoTFKlOiAoVzMvkPaOL4ZtlIdUn8jAj1JDEEH4KTvMk-56BNHKTW/s1920/lunareclipse_15may22_tv76f5_lunartracking_5sec_100iso_cropped_8892.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGkWWng476z7lWzVSqvoS9BcmQv01cdkA0O5fhZfebKj2HnUy1vJaT_pudH2X8hw_6k3jQ6hn6JcSidxYS9zk5U0otY6SFHuOOVrVFT5lB0qh99miNheZNCve2odXyITFmz7ktoTFKlOiAoVzMvkPaOL4ZtlIdUn8jAj1JDEEH4KTvMk-56BNHKTW/w400-h266/lunareclipse_15may22_tv76f5_lunartracking_5sec_100iso_cropped_8892.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>This image was taken with a 3-inch APO refractor at F5, 100 ISO and cropped to 1920x1280 pixels. The mount is a Losmandy G-11 and I used its lunar tracking rate. I believe the tracking rate made a difference in quality of fine detail, because I see motion blur in the background stars that is consistent across many images. If not for the lunar tracking rate, the motion blur would be in the moon image. The motion blur of the stars is detectable in my 5-second exposure but obvious in this 15-second exposure:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SPspJ8vVSYWJQC58bJNrY9DOpbaH-Mtki1yzimc97f3bJxXNAKsTuxN0__WWCh-G1V3SX_LSrdyUo3OtnRJ_Z2Vr9eoP5c0RQumKQBTi9USLrlPkEzuiQ0iovOxbMVTf-1enjQLFX_mqKn61r29PJtn-FTrnQtZ8OCIJbHhpDLSjA0pUcHqrWWCU/s1076/eclipse_8868_croppedformotionblur.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SPspJ8vVSYWJQC58bJNrY9DOpbaH-Mtki1yzimc97f3bJxXNAKsTuxN0__WWCh-G1V3SX_LSrdyUo3OtnRJ_Z2Vr9eoP5c0RQumKQBTi9USLrlPkEzuiQ0iovOxbMVTf-1enjQLFX_mqKn61r29PJtn-FTrnQtZ8OCIJbHhpDLSjA0pUcHqrWWCU/w396-h400/eclipse_8868_croppedformotionblur.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><br /><p>I've been seeing a number of eclipse composites, where the images of the entire eclipse event are superimposed on a scene. Most bother me, for the scale looks wrong. I prefer that composites be an honest depiction of scale and motion, or contain a caveat.</p><p>Here's the eclipse with a 28mm lens.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuNk2YPYu-qnGRt3LXxTwzUtje_TnWWsQZlQCDgcsMXdyvCMPa9xka1SG5JzIwpKS1aqYws-6JEZykPBNsU2FzjhavkIJx1ivkM7rN2FzxIOYSFoO1NaVtjYMuRqEQr-i0VBjxdhnOcLnlHFVbsFBu3gOaqBXgvtuaxpT18Qmwmv9FZLmgKvoQ3UE/s1920/eclipse14may22_28mm_lowres.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1920" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuNk2YPYu-qnGRt3LXxTwzUtje_TnWWsQZlQCDgcsMXdyvCMPa9xka1SG5JzIwpKS1aqYws-6JEZykPBNsU2FzjhavkIJx1ivkM7rN2FzxIOYSFoO1NaVtjYMuRqEQr-i0VBjxdhnOcLnlHFVbsFBu3gOaqBXgvtuaxpT18Qmwmv9FZLmgKvoQ3UE/w400-h263/eclipse14may22_28mm_lowres.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>This shows the size of the moon against the roof line of a two story house about 60 feet away. </p><p>A half hour earlier, the moon was in the trees:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1nFvIhYDkCyjPj670AsXHqMYyC-YlXKclIRvIUBoE-dF603bmZAoUuvTSFNF6o_-yzxkWjHy5d-59f8bWmDH_3ca0oI3z-yEaVmNqE0KmVw7Gwa-ZEGVd6vzYaI-_BINpI80_dsbgOK0ZZAxkJccE6_Og5YcakjkGDeOW532egYzve4PJqMcenRc/s3667/eclipseintrees_1132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2259" data-original-width="3667" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1nFvIhYDkCyjPj670AsXHqMYyC-YlXKclIRvIUBoE-dF603bmZAoUuvTSFNF6o_-yzxkWjHy5d-59f8bWmDH_3ca0oI3z-yEaVmNqE0KmVw7Gwa-ZEGVd6vzYaI-_BINpI80_dsbgOK0ZZAxkJccE6_Og5YcakjkGDeOW532egYzve4PJqMcenRc/w400-h246/eclipseintrees_1132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The distance the moon travels between my wide-field images and it's apparent size are hard to squeeze into these composites from other sources: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHakTvfQT_Tp2MaXrBw1HO3jBUZNVXZ986dbdGet9D-9a-WVkyfjioSfuTJVV454jaHJcp9EPFiJAIxmRX7a2lti_uSm1Uv4e6zxRWZzZ-WwPR3JkeINWBADoiGhBON08HNYNJ7AK2YyoSACCkB9TAIdWZcHqM_HzTuC_qyq_hPWgV6J-QX1YfUSB/s1300/badmoons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1300" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHakTvfQT_Tp2MaXrBw1HO3jBUZNVXZ986dbdGet9D-9a-WVkyfjioSfuTJVV454jaHJcp9EPFiJAIxmRX7a2lti_uSm1Uv4e6zxRWZzZ-WwPR3JkeINWBADoiGhBON08HNYNJ7AK2YyoSACCkB9TAIdWZcHqM_HzTuC_qyq_hPWgV6J-QX1YfUSB/w400-h295/badmoons.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>jg</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-15786659983036869212022-03-12T11:08:00.004-08:002022-03-12T11:08:52.607-08:00Circum-zenithal arc in Taurus from a 5-day crescent moon<p>This is one my most unusual images. I caught a circum-zenithal arc while taking a picture of the constellation Taurus:<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrQE5RItgWKIUoWqMCUVYvnv2WrjFP9RGjzvhC-0QXSg3ZvMZq2kiDAKB31XWL37IxqNX125KXhoCg63JMWFzhQ14s6IPAWTr6QE5jVZaB3fgEuL4SKVNGWzmjSEk2dnqS4pvvszODHDrGD7I6xHTTsIeKVqGiM6tYXGQ-g_hchejQ365wmU1_JOGu=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrQE5RItgWKIUoWqMCUVYvnv2WrjFP9RGjzvhC-0QXSg3ZvMZq2kiDAKB31XWL37IxqNX125KXhoCg63JMWFzhQ14s6IPAWTr6QE5jVZaB3fgEuL4SKVNGWzmjSEk2dnqS4pvvszODHDrGD7I6xHTTsIeKVqGiM6tYXGQ-g_hchejQ365wmU1_JOGu=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>This image was taken with a 50 mm lens, which has a field of view barely able to fit the arc.<br /><br /></div><div>For comparison, here is a circum-zenithal arc in front of my home:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnqIHO5hfjISG_F6Y6IedTChofLTQbi2IESqLOihkCsrTgKuIhTo1YMd7r6bbHLFj4Fj0Ktm1u6caLvsBP4gFofAHGPw08PRAM7_bDBchDLOd4PMmfUWRa8d6E14C6h9eLClx_-z5S3ZwWjNpE4F6dgzoHC67TYiWN8DbQvDSbvFxopielVRZ0NLqD=s900" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnqIHO5hfjISG_F6Y6IedTChofLTQbi2IESqLOihkCsrTgKuIhTo1YMd7r6bbHLFj4Fj0Ktm1u6caLvsBP4gFofAHGPw08PRAM7_bDBchDLOd4PMmfUWRa8d6E14C6h9eLClx_-z5S3ZwWjNpE4F6dgzoHC67TYiWN8DbQvDSbvFxopielVRZ0NLqD=w640-h429" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Until my Taurus arc, all images of circum-zenithal arcs I've seen are in daylight with the sun as the light source. I included my house when I took the photo so I could use it to identify the zenith.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my attempt to position Taurus in the same setting:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX8d3S25zCOw8pOqEsib1rwjr8h0tfR8iteYm7fvKrlzmiou8Zkz3vFNQrv55VQwdNB4_s4wvxq_xUhKzyAARMaBtLMWech7gLCdE28yxfAyypxyCH88CesWT9E5UabvZY5VrWN_ivf7mOod6swR7jwELdBnZbLMVVoDz8HqqtfacHLB7mtsgLz5ed=s5184" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX8d3S25zCOw8pOqEsib1rwjr8h0tfR8iteYm7fvKrlzmiou8Zkz3vFNQrv55VQwdNB4_s4wvxq_xUhKzyAARMaBtLMWech7gLCdE28yxfAyypxyCH88CesWT9E5UabvZY5VrWN_ivf7mOod6swR7jwELdBnZbLMVVoDz8HqqtfacHLB7mtsgLz5ed=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>This photo was taken a week after the arc and I wasn't diligent about the time, but I hope it shows that Taurus is well-positioned to host a circum-zenithal arc at dusk in early February.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here, I rotated the arc photo to match the orientation of my wide-field Taurus image. The arrow shows the direction of the 5 day crescent moon that was present at the time I took the photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhUkFeRXWJJBl4UgzfCMO-cMyaA4cc4P4BtNfvI5PS51UAXkcF6PZnqE8R3FxTEJ2GLrGaTxAyKspcmNY12JsxB7FAnfIWAdPgxgeJoha8I0ECsnCS5Igooha0Px28c_VzrLQrC9l_cYqwiWgvyPhTUXjWIOeta7Nwic5XESjwHtyAlPPnTZeWGv8J=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhUkFeRXWJJBl4UgzfCMO-cMyaA4cc4P4BtNfvI5PS51UAXkcF6PZnqE8R3FxTEJ2GLrGaTxAyKspcmNY12JsxB7FAnfIWAdPgxgeJoha8I0ECsnCS5Igooha0Px28c_VzrLQrC9l_cYqwiWgvyPhTUXjWIOeta7Nwic5XESjwHtyAlPPnTZeWGv8J=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>For additional verification that this is a circum-zenithal arc, and not the more common 22-degree halo, here is a view of my location and time when I took the image:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLmvw-1XH6rleakZmMP6ln6ZQZbeD4Ca-FBoWJjegn55jJEx93i9Fw_9qvh4Kwa3jzpe0cgq3zfsgfyF8mISPU7PIn6Tc4qGp3HdYl8qQ6LlMWBaIH6_vH5LSziieKREyP1F9Yjvo5TqdqEbrQj-hnkcON8msCyGJHU-t4TrvHnbl0UqncdSfJ-Hzb=s1496" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1496" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLmvw-1XH6rleakZmMP6ln6ZQZbeD4Ca-FBoWJjegn55jJEx93i9Fw_9qvh4Kwa3jzpe0cgq3zfsgfyF8mISPU7PIn6Tc4qGp3HdYl8qQ6LlMWBaIH6_vH5LSziieKREyP1F9Yjvo5TqdqEbrQj-hnkcON8msCyGJHU-t4TrvHnbl0UqncdSfJ-Hzb=w640-h466" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>jg</div>jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-20395379853634106502020-07-21T14:09:00.001-07:002020-07-24T07:13:41.563-07:00Comet NEOWISEThese are likely my final images of Comet NEOWISE unless something astronomically interesting happens, such as fragmenting or an outburst.<br />
<br />
These were taken in the California desert on July 19:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vbPCtBy0Gz-zHyZNUIEA8KOwUniFg1v-ChCMLujDs7d8qaTulQWvAyMOiGq3o-1Aypvre7IWXXb9j2GU59rfN2P5svw3s1eD3T3YCFjT-4n1U0GpvuIbUE750zXPVCyX0gp7xGYmqZE/s1600/neowise_jt_28mm_0143_1200w.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vbPCtBy0Gz-zHyZNUIEA8KOwUniFg1v-ChCMLujDs7d8qaTulQWvAyMOiGq3o-1Aypvre7IWXXb9j2GU59rfN2P5svw3s1eD3T3YCFjT-4n1U0GpvuIbUE750zXPVCyX0gp7xGYmqZE/s400/neowise_jt_28mm_0143_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet NEOWISE, 28mm, f3.2, 105 seconds, iso 400</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoMFAJW1ozKTE-A6WZmJMEnHa5fTTcBXRw5hakVjQC3bH0LV5qgwi9IAZ64sp9J-Aa3yKXrwHOxQc_4riT4-N6gLCtDPP3pKtxmjVt_Emi-lUNjLhjw00LFT6q9rdm-n53mEJ4W1suIw/s1600/neowise_jt_tv76f5_1904_1200w.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoMFAJW1ozKTE-A6WZmJMEnHa5fTTcBXRw5hakVjQC3bH0LV5qgwi9IAZ64sp9J-Aa3yKXrwHOxQc_4riT4-N6gLCtDPP3pKtxmjVt_Emi-lUNjLhjw00LFT6q9rdm-n53mEJ4W1suIw/s400/neowise_jt_tv76f5_1904_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet NEOWISE, 380 mm, f5, iso 400, 180 seconds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The first photo has two people in it who I think were facing the wrong direction.<br />
<br /><br />Update: I'm tracking the comet's fading:<br />
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03_EyVHO7wqzeBDdLa0BTGzgfICW6f_OA0G9-5SvvdC9L3JmI0u4alkVjVaHdMlZzQza3ijKoDu2RiRyqKFMFtXUv-EHAjBK4QIcOaF8ugFmpfD4QwchCMcUhDNCsvhnq3sT-RU5jfvo/s1200/neowise_comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1200" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03_EyVHO7wqzeBDdLa0BTGzgfICW6f_OA0G9-5SvvdC9L3JmI0u4alkVjVaHdMlZzQza3ijKoDu2RiRyqKFMFtXUv-EHAjBK4QIcOaF8ugFmpfD4QwchCMcUhDNCsvhnq3sT-RU5jfvo/w500-h244/neowise_comparison.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images of Comet NEOWISE taken with identical telescope and camera settings.<br />Height above the horizon varies and results in a change in the background.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">jg</div>jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-29670474112444020652020-07-10T08:43:00.003-07:002020-07-10T08:43:58.604-07:00Comet NEOWISE 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A modestly bright comet has made it around the sun in one piece. These photos are from Southern California the morning of July 9, 2020.<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyMyc3FgPMi9YUHFaLlUKfLHNDlbcf0Um-4Vai58nJOHHXyboSgjaVywFcDMuv7uZ2FlsZZ95DHZbOR_HJSjJimrWd8LthXwuXVGffOUipLiCRKYuIifg5sas6LQxfVY6wmWO5Beq-4I/s1600/neowise_9jul20_tv76f5_1600w_1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyMyc3FgPMi9YUHFaLlUKfLHNDlbcf0Um-4Vai58nJOHHXyboSgjaVywFcDMuv7uZ2FlsZZ95DHZbOR_HJSjJimrWd8LthXwuXVGffOUipLiCRKYuIifg5sas6LQxfVY6wmWO5Beq-4I/s400/neowise_9jul20_tv76f5_1600w_1707.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken through a 3-inch telescope at f5.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBn_02YL0wCPU07NxYTrxoZHZJxIJknAelvHUouTQDxOC25YnV_vWE2g5EErvqK9n0jzPSVihWrKFd1d0Bw-F7ZtKOjJs6qa7MhxtXPv2mHEuo-L8GchEEjT54Im9a3D4aAGKEyXN4ms/s1600/neowise_50mm_1752_1600w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBn_02YL0wCPU07NxYTrxoZHZJxIJknAelvHUouTQDxOC25YnV_vWE2g5EErvqK9n0jzPSVihWrKFd1d0Bw-F7ZtKOjJs6qa7MhxtXPv2mHEuo-L8GchEEjT54Im9a3D4aAGKEyXN4ms/s400/neowise_50mm_1752_1600w.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken with a 50 mm lens.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
jgjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-26280728559163065352019-05-22T12:44:00.002-07:002019-05-22T12:44:44.245-07:00Arcs narrow and wideMay 15 gave us spectacular displays of the 22 degree and 44 degree ice halos. Most remarkable, in my opinion, was that these unusually intense arcs were seen over a wide area. I had friends report seeing this affect though being nearly 20 miles apart at the time.<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpv1HlauA1SvWrE1_Z-TaHooaEpuS2zEtrg64wZlLv5r2MOzkDxe86JKUCeMHOqyNhITmoKfLVHwI_nbsYXZ8RMIdhLUSDJzKOLYSV9bg5CwHh0VBu7JWmgxMyHPg1PtYK755zBnp4TU/s1600/duelingArcs_0587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpv1HlauA1SvWrE1_Z-TaHooaEpuS2zEtrg64wZlLv5r2MOzkDxe86JKUCeMHOqyNhITmoKfLVHwI_nbsYXZ8RMIdhLUSDJzKOLYSV9bg5CwHh0VBu7JWmgxMyHPg1PtYK755zBnp4TU/s400/duelingArcs_0587.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKJUdlJyA0P4FoOx-1svXjlyYHgZ9-Lq87_ntgSVih8mwIhkkcejhG_m_tux67SbxZS0P8epXMTMslE-P425-2J1YbvsYDlHam7tRJ-DUF9WMv1VIa7rpE6t7nNyQ-iyRD3NIKkDD5Yc/s1600/duelingarcs_0590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKJUdlJyA0P4FoOx-1svXjlyYHgZ9-Lq87_ntgSVih8mwIhkkcejhG_m_tux67SbxZS0P8epXMTMslE-P425-2J1YbvsYDlHam7tRJ-DUF9WMv1VIa7rpE6t7nNyQ-iyRD3NIKkDD5Yc/s400/duelingarcs_0590.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOZfP6iCFRxOgY1gsM9onW6ZfhD8qvfKKi8t4GJFf1K8vbckFCTHkdwm5hGCZj9-JOfnEmfFCc6AdWmBZUYN0DBlwi9l9wbXK7NEQJSTMNNe_1LlhyvEpqu4RNzLREhLBV03XSei2ytU/s1600/deulingarcs_0577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1177" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOZfP6iCFRxOgY1gsM9onW6ZfhD8qvfKKi8t4GJFf1K8vbckFCTHkdwm5hGCZj9-JOfnEmfFCc6AdWmBZUYN0DBlwi9l9wbXK7NEQJSTMNNe_1LlhyvEpqu4RNzLREhLBV03XSei2ytU/s400/deulingarcs_0577.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWHXA3qSOhnyF6LBbmfDn2LenUa4mCr6shr7kjK8Spz2Lfg2ApuI9UwEM4Kl_jsgvnC-LOqLbmm78iIF7QCizySH71Bp4YlLxzRiSK6yjI6Ww7_8nRxIajZBBdAj05k7M4Q_NQsPsZnA/s1600/duelingarcs_0559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWHXA3qSOhnyF6LBbmfDn2LenUa4mCr6shr7kjK8Spz2Lfg2ApuI9UwEM4Kl_jsgvnC-LOqLbmm78iIF7QCizySH71Bp4YlLxzRiSK6yjI6Ww7_8nRxIajZBBdAj05k7M4Q_NQsPsZnA/s400/duelingarcs_0559.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHHFAEbD_oA-nPZWG8WyL7c1U31mw9gpFh8kxwMcW04rEzhfcPhCJx7WoD6btT4dDzXgJBt_SPjlFvJ-n_4E0eJppu6rmBNLh7Zjx_FAGGES4np2jQOKL7bhCH4ILOMtCzTJWYdDGbAE/s1600/duelingArcs_0570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHHFAEbD_oA-nPZWG8WyL7c1U31mw9gpFh8kxwMcW04rEzhfcPhCJx7WoD6btT4dDzXgJBt_SPjlFvJ-n_4E0eJppu6rmBNLh7Zjx_FAGGES4np2jQOKL7bhCH4ILOMtCzTJWYdDGbAE/s400/duelingArcs_0570.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-30775106104673059252019-01-20T22:37:00.000-08:002019-01-21T16:03:52.317-08:00Lunar Eclipse, Jan 21, 2019Here are some photos from tonight. I took over a hundred, and picked out a few that look typical. I hope to take a closer look in the next couple days.<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq8xzNu0df_41M6S47zAp-_SsR9kCAPbs13WbA6hRoHjS0ZjutrpIKRljSP883INoZPsPPOhaZBPE93IjnH3-vXQ9pr0OTgWWhMWVBYFssvBRurfgu7zbPLnMIQGrBi0xZE6YViJQlRE/s1600/eclipse_9184_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1200" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq8xzNu0df_41M6S47zAp-_SsR9kCAPbs13WbA6hRoHjS0ZjutrpIKRljSP883INoZPsPPOhaZBPE93IjnH3-vXQ9pr0OTgWWhMWVBYFssvBRurfgu7zbPLnMIQGrBi0xZE6YViJQlRE/s400/eclipse_9184_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP8_dZVI_JQuQNoC8AJzeETiKPjjaJiSd522o_bUR95qmtWEqGzJPTpE-dnumO7l735mbYc06exg84YIfhf-VQS2KZZi8obxxN3gxnqcvyEMJ0WTk9a4lAiz-9kVOhpzXqK5hWxHXh6M/s1600/eclipse_9206_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1200" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP8_dZVI_JQuQNoC8AJzeETiKPjjaJiSd522o_bUR95qmtWEqGzJPTpE-dnumO7l735mbYc06exg84YIfhf-VQS2KZZi8obxxN3gxnqcvyEMJ0WTk9a4lAiz-9kVOhpzXqK5hWxHXh6M/s400/eclipse_9206_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl7W7QeRYAbc-tCQtfvxajaK-bYbQ27etUM0QaS1GjUzdHF2Tn3w4yzCOXON-6ISYb9H-Kx7ovcWejTfwS51TUzA13nNsMgki30vug0Tx4S6uTHimdXLCVt3K_8Tr9aqglRMd-jijj4w/s1600/eclipse_9261_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl7W7QeRYAbc-tCQtfvxajaK-bYbQ27etUM0QaS1GjUzdHF2Tn3w4yzCOXON-6ISYb9H-Kx7ovcWejTfwS51TUzA13nNsMgki30vug0Tx4S6uTHimdXLCVt3K_8Tr9aqglRMd-jijj4w/s400/eclipse_9261_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjL3mpajgiLC3jcKwDKa1NUznF5Ubt8vyl4amoy3Qfj_FcsrmBredgtGW22Dx3b8Grli8CeUwt19wzAoD9Rj0qvNZi86XhZn55P5dZ2ToTP6EGuv0ELJWcq5PxxieN_6y7u-0wSgiTSNI/s1600/eclipse_9281_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1200" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjL3mpajgiLC3jcKwDKa1NUznF5Ubt8vyl4amoy3Qfj_FcsrmBredgtGW22Dx3b8Grli8CeUwt19wzAoD9Rj0qvNZi86XhZn55P5dZ2ToTP6EGuv0ELJWcq5PxxieN_6y7u-0wSgiTSNI/s400/eclipse_9281_1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Update: I reviewed my set of images and added these to the best of.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtmdXpmVLRyAyBrpfRqt_3YwS3AWs0tyyyR2sIi8ToJYNumdYsE4cBLESqad6Ayv2Wl5UYIu_-vO5gwder7PftPT2oaTz0zXFRzUUOiS2exa4PpYT5ioD6ihQL99I1b45OPdHESoGr-c/s1600/eclipse_9204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtmdXpmVLRyAyBrpfRqt_3YwS3AWs0tyyyR2sIi8ToJYNumdYsE4cBLESqad6Ayv2Wl5UYIu_-vO5gwder7PftPT2oaTz0zXFRzUUOiS2exa4PpYT5ioD6ihQL99I1b45OPdHESoGr-c/s400/eclipse_9204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj7R3XleEfk3TyJgggbEuhBTEmEsMRbEbad88Hgx4x150hP1NNClIMeIgoJNUm7WxXc2HWqVBjAd0EDqmvG4p7ouyjBe12Iq1YMBnTQowD6U8Ocef94zgEYqUyc1KozIs8iZyURZx-jw/s1600/eclipse_9215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj7R3XleEfk3TyJgggbEuhBTEmEsMRbEbad88Hgx4x150hP1NNClIMeIgoJNUm7WxXc2HWqVBjAd0EDqmvG4p7ouyjBe12Iq1YMBnTQowD6U8Ocef94zgEYqUyc1KozIs8iZyURZx-jw/s400/eclipse_9215.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU7bv5Aw8aabvA_rQL5P9PwSa1imqozO0OnqK8vsMhGrTkCMUwnR2JlYyIjjNe98wqijMTU6IvlH6AurldGptEtKiNiHepOy05dGuiccRHxyMVSxDJg7Yv4ftLhS0RB16i3WSbnPPgv4/s1600/eclipse_9217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU7bv5Aw8aabvA_rQL5P9PwSa1imqozO0OnqK8vsMhGrTkCMUwnR2JlYyIjjNe98wqijMTU6IvlH6AurldGptEtKiNiHepOy05dGuiccRHxyMVSxDJg7Yv4ftLhS0RB16i3WSbnPPgv4/s400/eclipse_9217.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfKKxonD8imTPy_G5JhpMoZdZFPzdI8813odJckqv_hK1UlQNZgMiVEDGI18hhTsclGNFXT4OKzoa0rdHud0p-PZXShm5sihh50GwpwiDVM0DaQcJb7EyOKwen15b-IYHYxYLZ554yzE/s1600/eclipse_9227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfKKxonD8imTPy_G5JhpMoZdZFPzdI8813odJckqv_hK1UlQNZgMiVEDGI18hhTsclGNFXT4OKzoa0rdHud0p-PZXShm5sihh50GwpwiDVM0DaQcJb7EyOKwen15b-IYHYxYLZ554yzE/s400/eclipse_9227.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12GzA6qSBBrgkcR_ywfCi3DdWFq2JHRYFKa0DadU91ftQNrqpDzKbFxoK7dtD8RgHE7cBwI9RMS8pSl_DPP44s6SIxfl9zQfBpaiT3AxriW4PWGMOxcP3RY2Ucm6LPYhETHYiNqqsbNU/s1600/eclipse_9236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12GzA6qSBBrgkcR_ywfCi3DdWFq2JHRYFKa0DadU91ftQNrqpDzKbFxoK7dtD8RgHE7cBwI9RMS8pSl_DPP44s6SIxfl9zQfBpaiT3AxriW4PWGMOxcP3RY2Ucm6LPYhETHYiNqqsbNU/s400/eclipse_9236.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOvDDEgDnRdsTHGGICDNxDIBMO_HLLylUzWXCYocdOp7xEaO-wepFBpNzn5t6r33_MuktGrBIABnrN4X9AO3X2PUqA7rZeKkMowt6pvCafheM_CfAkW2geWr8EQ6nh7GytsC-vI-Kebc/s1600/eclipse_9240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOvDDEgDnRdsTHGGICDNxDIBMO_HLLylUzWXCYocdOp7xEaO-wepFBpNzn5t6r33_MuktGrBIABnrN4X9AO3X2PUqA7rZeKkMowt6pvCafheM_CfAkW2geWr8EQ6nh7GytsC-vI-Kebc/s400/eclipse_9240.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvPwXAzHr5SIrie9FBQSlre1JEUe9o6ulNanPRby-jytZJ11T_GW8hUJ0an-Uaew-YosOG-uTjoPPLd7HhhDb06Kr1i2L9GyodUaA30s5aj1xrOC1vbFuFlX79lX212TAXpKpAueBajs/s1600/eclipse_9268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvPwXAzHr5SIrie9FBQSlre1JEUe9o6ulNanPRby-jytZJ11T_GW8hUJ0an-Uaew-YosOG-uTjoPPLd7HhhDb06Kr1i2L9GyodUaA30s5aj1xrOC1vbFuFlX79lX212TAXpKpAueBajs/s400/eclipse_9268.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g9MxVe0viN-DzUWxUAaJbJWje4nrH-UEr02g0hefQLSnU3cavITO03MLKB72mx8WoKMguT9yPBwdww-GSKZL2GoM27ZXpCuOFTbVt9Hhyphenhyphen5Sm_3hbg6GFt6lnEmYKQiBweXsjwO04b6s/s1600/eclipse_cloudstart_9123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g9MxVe0viN-DzUWxUAaJbJWje4nrH-UEr02g0hefQLSnU3cavITO03MLKB72mx8WoKMguT9yPBwdww-GSKZL2GoM27ZXpCuOFTbVt9Hhyphenhyphen5Sm_3hbg6GFt6lnEmYKQiBweXsjwO04b6s/s400/eclipse_cloudstart_9123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmoOGyZXjVBg6Y568PZi0ML8nZ6l1s7hBhR0BFwgkJgc9ZXkhmWGzUTq-bJrR6Y5Lcokwe-IZI1uEEQSDBLM_vI5zCKIr5oZ6TGgjokJ8Ja-nZ60xgubFgnu9w_wsu18vY9-d7y6dAX0/s1600/eclipse_partial_9160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmoOGyZXjVBg6Y568PZi0ML8nZ6l1s7hBhR0BFwgkJgc9ZXkhmWGzUTq-bJrR6Y5Lcokwe-IZI1uEEQSDBLM_vI5zCKIr5oZ6TGgjokJ8Ja-nZ60xgubFgnu9w_wsu18vY9-d7y6dAX0/s400/eclipse_partial_9160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzk7dIgi3WNel4w7_rYVUm6qdCcP3U822A_hq9wjTDcAq8066Ru3a2mFaMvLNMzfvQjK7LQH-_ptNM2Pe3aZNdIu8tXI-omu8sxGhjN09RD5qJGmrmbUGdJnHTPq9HeVDZQgEfozF2sA/s1600/eclipse_partial_9178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzk7dIgi3WNel4w7_rYVUm6qdCcP3U822A_hq9wjTDcAq8066Ru3a2mFaMvLNMzfvQjK7LQH-_ptNM2Pe3aZNdIu8tXI-omu8sxGhjN09RD5qJGmrmbUGdJnHTPq9HeVDZQgEfozF2sA/s400/eclipse_partial_9178.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-90908036171258826022019-01-20T11:19:00.002-08:002019-02-11T15:50:53.902-08:00Renewable LEAPS of Faith12 years ago I opposed a local pumped-storage/energy-battery project because it looked like ruse to establish a privately owned transmission line through the local forest. Since then, the proponents have dropped their request (or perhaps only suspended) to establish an interconnect on the grid and are now pursuing a license for a genuine pumped storage project. The proponents claim the following benefits: 1) stores otherwise wasted renewable energy, 2) load balancing between times of low energy demand and high, 3) makes money by buying power in off-peak hours to resell at peak demand, and 4) can use that profit to outbid other water users in parched Southern California for enough water to top off Lake Elsinore.<br />
<br />
I've been looking at the relationship between storing renewables, load balancing, and making a profit. It should be noted that this pumped storage project is very expensive (at least 2 billion) and the proponents have told me in person that a private consortium will operate it (and therefore I infer it must make a profit; an alternative would be to sell it to the public as infrastructure, which I still believe to be plausible).<br />
<br />
The plant (called LEAPS) will pump water from Lake Elsinore to a reservoir carved out of the Cleveland National Forest, storing electric energy, from the grid used to pump the water, as potential energy to be reclaimed by letting the water flow back through the turbines. 80% of the energy consumed is returned.<br />
<br />
I looked at this as an actual day-to-day scenario using daily energy data for 2018 supplied by CAISO. I'm making a few assumptions. The plant would likely pump one day and deliver the next day or later or would pump intermittently over several days, but as a simple thought exercise, I'm looking at each day and asking how un-used (curtailed) power from renewable energy could be returned on a similar day to provide load balancing and do so when energy rates are highest for maximum profit (or should I say maximum recovery of losses). I also assume the plant needs to deliver power nearly every day to recover losses. Later I hope to compare this to actual energy supplier prices.<br />
<br />
I created graphs for the first Monday of the months of May, June, July, Aug., Sept., and Oct. that compare hourly MW of energy production to demand and amount of wind and solar curtailed (unused). The graphs for April and Dec. have different data sources: April is for April 10, a Tuesday, because I couldn't find supply and demand data for April 2 in the same format. December uses curtailment data that is in hour intervals rather than 5-minutes intervals for the same reason.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Of these sample dates, only May 7, Nov. 5, and Dec 2 have enough curtailed renewables to be a noticeable part of the daily energy storage of LEAPS, making up about 1/2 the full capacity of LEAPs during midday and being returned in the afternoon. On June 4, most of the wasted renewables occurred during peak use hours, so this would be the most expensive time for a private consortium to fill the reservoir. On July 2, there is no significant renewables available, and Aug. 6 offers even less renewables and this continues through Oct. So, just on the banking renewables question for these days, LEAPS succeeds three halves out of nine, and so to operate at full capacity it would have to use another energy source if it were to fill its reservoir at non-peak hours. I believe the most likely source will be natural gas and since LEAPS returns only 80% of the energy it uses, this makes the natural gas emissions greater by 20%.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvqleAky4xtFPTVYmTeDJD6jTeF_qn_YNL7Y21L34UIKuvNl9ld17AQbbT5ULjpZYMLRb9fVwiK4tORHutcFkxtatgOWTRS49SgJwVsFr79HsnXZJg8V6VJPyv-WzHqfyHade02Y4k6g/s1600/graphs_04_10apr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvqleAky4xtFPTVYmTeDJD6jTeF_qn_YNL7Y21L34UIKuvNl9ld17AQbbT5ULjpZYMLRb9fVwiK4tORHutcFkxtatgOWTRS49SgJwVsFr79HsnXZJg8V6VJPyv-WzHqfyHade02Y4k6g/s640/graphs_04_10apr.jpg" width="531" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_us3vbgPF9bRNgpR-n2g1igdTFjlRAc9cP_Yu3jLzU42K-ubS-mqFLNY0dL3BKrI5FyHyHntvWyi7WEI0VTDWpfsFEZ5c7NrPRqRVEzXMj6JnTbAJ-ma9ZlI3m0bLcBLRmWovV9dj3Uo/s1600/graphs_05_7may.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_us3vbgPF9bRNgpR-n2g1igdTFjlRAc9cP_Yu3jLzU42K-ubS-mqFLNY0dL3BKrI5FyHyHntvWyi7WEI0VTDWpfsFEZ5c7NrPRqRVEzXMj6JnTbAJ-ma9ZlI3m0bLcBLRmWovV9dj3Uo/s640/graphs_05_7may.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KGMvMssOeJZgJmgv5l5hu-YsrOKZvuEkikMm0BiGvGu7iBw9w-P3G5N4Tss3jPB9jAT_i8HLjic2oiYJpkAClLSWpTsvmEIirG7zGR4O0RxNq4GJYVj5xpVa2R6wQIpgnFPxnKhdZi4/s1600/graphs_06_jun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KGMvMssOeJZgJmgv5l5hu-YsrOKZvuEkikMm0BiGvGu7iBw9w-P3G5N4Tss3jPB9jAT_i8HLjic2oiYJpkAClLSWpTsvmEIirG7zGR4O0RxNq4GJYVj5xpVa2R6wQIpgnFPxnKhdZi4/s640/graphs_06_jun.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsy2ntnZJZH3fKgQJmHHKf_sUDO6SrUSDvdY-lTlgLq0bJAifa68jXnSbei_aQyjV2a0T3J1jB8z1-_XqmAz0g1IRW6Ri0XOkQiWrrD32th5IA1el7ACGRs4SRXITgGyQ139z-WlYbhA/s1600/graphs_07_2jul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsy2ntnZJZH3fKgQJmHHKf_sUDO6SrUSDvdY-lTlgLq0bJAifa68jXnSbei_aQyjV2a0T3J1jB8z1-_XqmAz0g1IRW6Ri0XOkQiWrrD32th5IA1el7ACGRs4SRXITgGyQ139z-WlYbhA/s640/graphs_07_2jul.jpg" width="533" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZguRSGUwJ-wRBJIVeAIMgpmY6di3JS_n_RoZGiMDx2IbDdM2EGm6q9NlzNRsnCEB2xAkC70a0JgAQWmRhyRpDVdHaEn_eM9-3WThmivpVeBHEHct-zMh7jzu7f5bTAMfwn-VUabsSJgE/s1600/graphs_08_6aug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZguRSGUwJ-wRBJIVeAIMgpmY6di3JS_n_RoZGiMDx2IbDdM2EGm6q9NlzNRsnCEB2xAkC70a0JgAQWmRhyRpDVdHaEn_eM9-3WThmivpVeBHEHct-zMh7jzu7f5bTAMfwn-VUabsSJgE/s640/graphs_08_6aug.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvoh105L5UsckXV3jMo2KfOwzEqixnD4ghj49eyxDPmGsoCGcPH-YEbD-3-p_mVmvdupKcndJNYKPAHEFgzB13XjkV5ysJmBN329M-s60eabqIA3120E7rutsPtSN2ugZb-JIzdz5Opk/s1600/graphs_09_6aug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvoh105L5UsckXV3jMo2KfOwzEqixnD4ghj49eyxDPmGsoCGcPH-YEbD-3-p_mVmvdupKcndJNYKPAHEFgzB13XjkV5ysJmBN329M-s60eabqIA3120E7rutsPtSN2ugZb-JIzdz5Opk/s640/graphs_09_6aug.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0wFMlZCARKb3o6-9zW6bspfreIuE5TIQcFQoDHjGE-BKQtlPr2as_akHFG3bwN8XPk7Nf7_RQT8hOGyVdNHiVkCnyP_kDKaAsglewX4FN94wXTwE5wGzF06TpbFbNDhoqzZSfiwJfV8/s1600/graphs_10_1oct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0wFMlZCARKb3o6-9zW6bspfreIuE5TIQcFQoDHjGE-BKQtlPr2as_akHFG3bwN8XPk7Nf7_RQT8hOGyVdNHiVkCnyP_kDKaAsglewX4FN94wXTwE5wGzF06TpbFbNDhoqzZSfiwJfV8/s640/graphs_10_1oct.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj733pj6TOBw8az5w8x6sUEGNbVNuuDZX2Hpzs0Q9NxaffvNReHluS3hd5XarPJdniSb0crh24qdlq8-s0tIcPE4rVE7lEEAf5PZ3GoctSVje_o76JFiM3RduICHeDVNU9Kbpl2zKoYQ/s1600/graphs_11_5nov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj733pj6TOBw8az5w8x6sUEGNbVNuuDZX2Hpzs0Q9NxaffvNReHluS3hd5XarPJdniSb0crh24qdlq8-s0tIcPE4rVE7lEEAf5PZ3GoctSVje_o76JFiM3RduICHeDVNU9Kbpl2zKoYQ/s640/graphs_11_5nov.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMySoyA-lLBLwWTuSKPkq9Pnzc6sW9IwYy7tboXSMA1Qz79H9kNGKR6VnEjcRfgf61XWr4a7iGugtJthNflEmt2Z4aaS-LAVaCQiKSm4D7al992dIt9XkfVPaJcP0HHk90VnjivXodPLQ/s1600/graphs_12_3dec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMySoyA-lLBLwWTuSKPkq9Pnzc6sW9IwYy7tboXSMA1Qz79H9kNGKR6VnEjcRfgf61XWr4a7iGugtJthNflEmt2Z4aaS-LAVaCQiKSm4D7al992dIt9XkfVPaJcP0HHk90VnjivXodPLQ/s640/graphs_12_3dec.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-39735839640966062822018-09-16T08:44:00.002-07:002018-09-16T08:44:54.744-07:00Comet 21p tags M35The morning of Sept 15, Comet 21p passed in front of open star cluster M35:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPWzd1M3GP_DJZibUiSXYmSPW_KPKk0KOgGqfJNcPvOadmHvqELjr1ZFRwp2bRYBxdbm2np1JZMwT1QBkmVwUhjhQxXmmx_cRc9m9qIOc_VaA_1Yj-9jajG0NXQFSFU4Hy0Cr2fKpBW4/s1600/comet21p_inM35_15Sept2018_7861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPWzd1M3GP_DJZibUiSXYmSPW_KPKk0KOgGqfJNcPvOadmHvqELjr1ZFRwp2bRYBxdbm2np1JZMwT1QBkmVwUhjhQxXmmx_cRc9m9qIOc_VaA_1Yj-9jajG0NXQFSFU4Hy0Cr2fKpBW4/s400/comet21p_inM35_15Sept2018_7861.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Comet 21p with M35. Image was processed to accentuate the green color.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQqyjGQKMk1irnPpoDtny9PU7YmWIUrgy1Ygal4emvorXfgKLr__XQ-zChpoOdflaEcBC34OmhkGSvaz6UFMSEgGjEenuFXyl84UaZPPOkau-UaGXHQf7BoO8ebx8SaeUmawD74MH53M/s1600/comet21p_inM35_15Sept2018_7857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQqyjGQKMk1irnPpoDtny9PU7YmWIUrgy1Ygal4emvorXfgKLr__XQ-zChpoOdflaEcBC34OmhkGSvaz6UFMSEgGjEenuFXyl84UaZPPOkau-UaGXHQf7BoO8ebx8SaeUmawD74MH53M/s400/comet21p_inM35_15Sept2018_7857.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Comet 21p with M35</div>
<br />
My exposures spanned about 24 minutes. So, I put them together into an animated GIF to show the comets apparent motion over 24 minutes:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboaGgof3djS6Ukhs8yNIjRiWN_zJoSXiRN-RGwG14HW76akA6RWn0sXc9-UJ4lrhbFZ0jjP3ce3OcdTE2msDc30eCfBZ-JM0ZH6AglZ3evZe-_-g-s63PdKTmL3jy7vmf3M7PiLazriw/s1600/comet21p_15sep2018_motionAgainstM35.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="527" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboaGgof3djS6Ukhs8yNIjRiWN_zJoSXiRN-RGwG14HW76akA6RWn0sXc9-UJ4lrhbFZ0jjP3ce3OcdTE2msDc30eCfBZ-JM0ZH6AglZ3evZe-_-g-s63PdKTmL3jy7vmf3M7PiLazriw/s320/comet21p_15sep2018_motionAgainstM35.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
All photos were taken with a 3-inch refractor at F5. Exposure times and ISO settings varied, but my best results were with 1600 ISO at 30 seconds and 800 ISO at 60 seconds. Any longer, and I get too much light pollution. Still, I'm happy with what I can capture under my semi-urban sky.<br />
<br />
jgjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-43164934946821249532018-09-12T09:13:00.001-07:002019-01-20T11:21:28.973-08:00Holy Jim Canyon FireOn Monday, 6 Aug. 2018, an arsonist lit fire in Holy Jim Canyon, which quickly spread, and two weeks later burnt 22,986 acres. Since then, flareups have occurred within the burn perimeter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sxlBTYwDBRZTWrYReNfut9rp1sygdsFZK2qvpB4Nv73Y_-61PmFJknCzAvZRqFG2lpj51TERZcY-Qgt4YMyPOMQMGgNmgEzfSDKPbHgYPTNbtEFOBk-YDWav48VBLpXU-PLMY3R7Zq0/s1600/38756563_2266416920041570_3207407600136093696_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sxlBTYwDBRZTWrYReNfut9rp1sygdsFZK2qvpB4Nv73Y_-61PmFJknCzAvZRqFG2lpj51TERZcY-Qgt4YMyPOMQMGgNmgEzfSDKPbHgYPTNbtEFOBk-YDWav48VBLpXU-PLMY3R7Zq0/s400/38756563_2266416920041570_3207407600136093696_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Photo: Holy Fire on 6 Aug 2018.<br />
I consider this the most expensive solar filter I've ever used.)</div>
<br />
A local politician found the opportunity to remind us that the damages from this fire are a result of unchecked mental health issues in our society: <a href="https://patch.com/california/lakeelsinore-wildomar/op-ed-ignoring-fires-mental-illness-we-need-change">Lake Elsinore Councilman Bob Magee on the fires of mental illness</a><br />
<br />
While unhinged persons are a threat, and such persons started two recent conflagrations in Riverside County, Magee's argument downplays the contribution of climate, weather, and topology in making fire devastating, whether it starts by arson or by accident.<br />
<br />
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has suggested that <a href="https://apnews.com/60cb625542184d58addf9bb774eb3514/Science-Says:-'The-warmer-it-is,-the-more-fire-we-see?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP_Politics">environmentalists </a>are to blame for not allowing forest thinning, claiming that an increase in fire severity is due to a build up of dead trees. In the case of the Holy Fire, steep terrain and abundance of chaparral makes thinning difficult. It's also not clear to me how thinning operations would make forests less prone to fire. Heavy equipment, for example, disturbs undergrowth, promotes erosion, and invites invasive weeds that can make fire more likely.<br />
<br />
Yet others, suggest that California's governing political party is to blame for severity of recent wildfires. It's unclear to me how State Officials can be directly responsible for management of Federal forests, but that doesn't stop any finger pointing.<br />
<br />
To examine the connection between dead trees and fire, I superimposed a map of the Holy Fire on a Forest Service map of tree mortality. It shows little correlation between the Holy fire and dead trees:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DnbyrTjG_cnyT7Y-w1P8FcK4GUPGwx-gPLMjT60s5TPfNLWDrYEBlLa7W8zOP9eCU6Ah_txnv1k11fRp9lQH-ia16fPblSkkDneYDLLv3oH1dqiUNsTE8FjSr0is4_dairk0VGvFNlc/s1600/holyfire_vs_TreeMortality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1340" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DnbyrTjG_cnyT7Y-w1P8FcK4GUPGwx-gPLMjT60s5TPfNLWDrYEBlLa7W8zOP9eCU6Ah_txnv1k11fRp9lQH-ia16fPblSkkDneYDLLv3oH1dqiUNsTE8FjSr0is4_dairk0VGvFNlc/s400/holyfire_vs_TreeMortality.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Note that the large pink area on the left is a Tier 2 hazard zone defined by the Forest Service. I believe this definition is based on threat to a region such as a watershed. So, in this zone, should a fire break out, it will likely not be contained till it reaches the perimeter of the watershed. Combined with the presence of high-density tree mortality, this warrants a Tier 2 designation. At least, that's how I interpret the map, yet, there is something odd about tree mortality maps. They are based on aerial surveys from 2012-2017, but close-ups of the region show mostly oak woodlands, chaparral and riparian canyons. So, it is not clear to me how how these fire designations are determined -- a project for further research<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
Links<br />
https://patch.com/california/lakeelsinore-wildomar/op-ed-ignoring-fires-mental-illness-we-need-change<br />
<br />
<a href="http://egis.fire.ca.gov/treemortalityviewer/">Tree Mortality Viewer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1HacmM5E2ueL-FT2c6QMVzoAmE5M19GAf&hl=en&ll=33.73511849579845%2C-116.65017145878909&z=12">CalFire Incident map</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://apnews.com/60cb625542184d58addf9bb774eb3514/Science-Says:-'The-warmer-it-is,-the-more-fire-we-see?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP_Politics">Hotter weather turbocharges US West wildfires</a><br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-84110710006597256762018-09-10T09:11:00.002-07:002018-09-10T09:11:28.250-07:00Meteors, comets and clusters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Comet 21P is visible in the morning sky. Over the past week it has moved through the constellation Auriga. Here are images taken with a 3" telescope and digital camera.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaERpeSXdo5wu0Qg0Pp6JQIC3dWeCDzBKJpO0mKxWXjXwitzVMURf8gHEaTGl8AlY-7b-0eshIrhn65Bd_5DJx-sq-_uk-NW7vMO8FuU_4hNI_fvLbwAtqqGouR5o738upRaheAtAN-68/s1600/comet21p_8Sept2018_tv76f5_1600iso_30sec_7788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaERpeSXdo5wu0Qg0Pp6JQIC3dWeCDzBKJpO0mKxWXjXwitzVMURf8gHEaTGl8AlY-7b-0eshIrhn65Bd_5DJx-sq-_uk-NW7vMO8FuU_4hNI_fvLbwAtqqGouR5o738upRaheAtAN-68/s320/comet21p_8Sept2018_tv76f5_1600iso_30sec_7788.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
8 Sept. 2018, 30 seconds, 1600 iso, f5</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHLId8Ey9IQ8rnikDKtAhtRjkAAtlZzciH7YgLOHCJUSNfU903qn6p3F5RSt1NpSlltMn-nkxxDzC8Mm-9XCgb2MYskk6eEWzUZH_cMSORS6vYSBLlGX4wuF-8pJnzcVx70vQR8zRmeg/s1600/comet21p_10Sept2018_tv76f5iso32exp20sec_2_7838_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1200" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHLId8Ey9IQ8rnikDKtAhtRjkAAtlZzciH7YgLOHCJUSNfU903qn6p3F5RSt1NpSlltMn-nkxxDzC8Mm-9XCgb2MYskk6eEWzUZH_cMSORS6vYSBLlGX4wuF-8pJnzcVx70vQR8zRmeg/s320/comet21p_10Sept2018_tv76f5iso32exp20sec_2_7838_cropped.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
10 Sept 2018, 21P near M37, ISO 3200, F5, 20 seconds.</div>
<br />
Meteors remain one of my favorite targets, being that the equipment set up is simple, tracking errors are easily forgiven, and success is related to opportunity. I've seen meteors brighten, dim, and then brighten, but this is first I caught on camera:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2GwJkKCkfE9mOqS7v9lSKZxfGA11CG9fpOvugQhaptRab4Bmd3QKKaKROX5oyJDaNHKW5pmkPRcBaRr6B0MsleyWpnWUn9VBS6fkWBlstyvf3UmZMTskblquTHdc7bDR4uvbunf7shg/s1600/meteor_wSag_8Sept2018_palomar2_7809_1800w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2GwJkKCkfE9mOqS7v9lSKZxfGA11CG9fpOvugQhaptRab4Bmd3QKKaKROX5oyJDaNHKW5pmkPRcBaRr6B0MsleyWpnWUn9VBS6fkWBlstyvf3UmZMTskblquTHdc7bDR4uvbunf7shg/s320/meteor_wSag_8Sept2018_palomar2_7809_1800w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sagittarius with meteor. 28mm, F3, 60 seconds</div>
<br />
jgjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-24387201032871843292017-12-28T09:30:00.000-08:002017-12-28T09:30:08.086-08:00What goes up vs what comes downThis past weekend was action-packed, so to speak, of objects making the upward or downward trip to and from space.<br />
<br />
First, the upward trip:<br />
<br />
On Friday, Dec. 22, the southwest United States enjoyed the launch of a Falcon 9 two-stage rocket. The twilight was perfect for illuminating the exhaust plume. From my vantage point, the event lasted about 5 minutes, from seeing the rising glow in the north until the rocket disappeared behind mountains to the west. This was enough time for neighbors to alert each other and run into the street and for friends to start texting. It was enough time for me to correct my original poor choice of camera location , run downstairs and across the street barefoot, dodge one car, and get numerous shots.<br />
<br />
Falcon 9 launch viewed from in front of my home:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidIsTmJE44noJBSGeCVu7I2BTK3CbC-jhHDYLG3jEBgvF5v2SstvVCy0t5wReAjs1Bguu84DZoF1MCCV34S-IpQvMzHIccmdvhBA6iullko1GCtiNIp3daAI7s_CK-5lFFP1zlg26n2k/s1600/falcon9launch_22Dec2017_5296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidIsTmJE44noJBSGeCVu7I2BTK3CbC-jhHDYLG3jEBgvF5v2SstvVCy0t5wReAjs1Bguu84DZoF1MCCV34S-IpQvMzHIccmdvhBA6iullko1GCtiNIp3daAI7s_CK-5lFFP1zlg26n2k/s400/falcon9launch_22Dec2017_5296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Moon, stage 2, with stage 1 falling away:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRDlvjbgM9maW8O2ht_MyeDAmx4JCaKh2YLAOK8XFZ3AhBK3QK2lavbYF69W6GuirN6OcUCcgwU93XHRBlwwS0G54RqXYeRKOnguloYAEPUQDB5y_jgk2yRjIUEumEBfbG7yrP31XQwc/s1600/IMG_5301_secondStageRing_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRDlvjbgM9maW8O2ht_MyeDAmx4JCaKh2YLAOK8XFZ3AhBK3QK2lavbYF69W6GuirN6OcUCcgwU93XHRBlwwS0G54RqXYeRKOnguloYAEPUQDB5y_jgk2yRjIUEumEBfbG7yrP31XQwc/s400/IMG_5301_secondStageRing_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
A second burn from stage 1 occurred a second after the first:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x6SdE1Pd238haErJnpdbxA6QRtixIahjPHV-WnCrTDrOw8g-5R48JwXCmjYKS0-FdIq9Rkf7ON9M-3zRDHuJJNP4Rs0o6w4iqePQmS_7zrj3jcIkMuymg0-lbzDphEZMx8wpL97WRgY/s1600/IMG_5304_secondStageSmokeRing_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x6SdE1Pd238haErJnpdbxA6QRtixIahjPHV-WnCrTDrOw8g-5R48JwXCmjYKS0-FdIq9Rkf7ON9M-3zRDHuJJNP4Rs0o6w4iqePQmS_7zrj3jcIkMuymg0-lbzDphEZMx8wpL97WRgY/s400/IMG_5304_secondStageSmokeRing_1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And now the downward trip:<br />
<br />
On Christmas Eve, at 5:15pm, I saw an amazing fireball, or bollide. Like the Falcon 9 launch, the event lasted a long time, that is, long for a meteor. I was parked and about to exit my car when I saw it. I had time to contemplate grabbing my camera, and chose not to. As a result, I saw a colorful break-up and burn that reminded me of a newspaper bursting into flame and being sucked up the chimney in fragments. My wife and daughter also saw it from about 5 miles away from my location. They also reported a red color to the burn.<br />
<br />
However, my friend Andy Abeles from the Temecula Valley Astronomers, captured it from his dash camera. The full burn is cut off by the mountains, and I think most of what I saw is where it goes behind the mountain in this video.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztA7FkVyaBQbSQR2EDPn35yRxvn7nu4VHeUCWyNV0gJ4_tl4Klg2qwcmFf8G_NP2fJXD4-tWSAwx4IX9LWbQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
jg<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-33286536337809897402017-10-27T09:43:00.003-07:002019-02-11T15:52:34.564-08:00Wildomar Fire vis-a-vis the proposed LEAPS project's transmission line.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">Many of us in Wildomar and surrounding communities are rightfully giving thanks to CalFire and those fighting the fire at the front lines and from within the organization. We're also giving thanks to the tax base that makes such a response possible, but we should also remember that 10 years ago many local activists stood up to what was apparently a ploy by a small corporation to establish a transmission line for private gain. Activists like</span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span>Bridgette Moore<span style="background-color: white;">, </span>John Lloyd<span style="background-color: white;">, </span>Kristan Lloyd<span style="background-color: white;">, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">to name a few that I'm still connected with, were able to win a local election and expose the flawed plans of the chief enabler of the LEAPS project. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Also, our work halting the transmission line would not have been possible without Federal and State laws (NEPA and CEQA) that require environmental impact reports. Surprisingly, the backers of the transmission line have not given up, and have recently resubmitted their application. So, the fight continues. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My compilation photo shows a plane last night dropping fire retardant. Also in the photo is my simulation of the proposed transmission line. I dug this file up this morning. I had last labeled it "work-in-progress" so I still need to verify the vertical placement of the towers, but I'm confident of the locations where I placed them. (Update: I'll stand by this simulated view. My placement of towers and simulated view is good.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0SYWx59pAdtKXLdFjnwqHUDrU0dL_QX9oD3bxvT3mPCk2eEg5_pn2Cgx62AZnwc61rt1UBip_Sw53KXHpLT6ZE_gkzQh8inEX1nq6Pv44ohf12yjnPfKOMikyVcfDZULwZ5NV-7-9DY/s1600/TowersCollierUnion_smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1200" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0SYWx59pAdtKXLdFjnwqHUDrU0dL_QX9oD3bxvT3mPCk2eEg5_pn2Cgx62AZnwc61rt1UBip_Sw53KXHpLT6ZE_gkzQh8inEX1nq6Pv44ohf12yjnPfKOMikyVcfDZULwZ5NV-7-9DY/s400/TowersCollierUnion_smaller.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUYOJxghbuHmOP-jow9Xtp9TGn21ejiuNaIwpGvVVd9Hf1NFtUaE5kZeRQxUJmta9cB9xNhHamvM_1lvTffVeLLcRRRJ6SXxYwklIuJ9yq3xrSGNrJImR-NvoddEHYepA1SINR9D2Rb0/s1600/NewMap_Ridgeline_forWildomarFire_model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1200" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUYOJxghbuHmOP-jow9Xtp9TGn21ejiuNaIwpGvVVd9Hf1NFtUaE5kZeRQxUJmta9cB9xNhHamvM_1lvTffVeLLcRRRJ6SXxYwklIuJ9yq3xrSGNrJImR-NvoddEHYepA1SINR9D2Rb0/s400/NewMap_Ridgeline_forWildomarFire_model.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Z-pilmmhk5k6DHE3v20oW_KzZ28yAsheYGm-FuvX6KTnX1bNs55yDnAJ1qyPCih3GyY5617VEncKjQmU_Xu5wQDaQW2ukJYPdEUR0VophTpIjwdLjCPV6RSj_H2w9MGIzCxp07eX8w/s1600/firedrop_4341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Z-pilmmhk5k6DHE3v20oW_KzZ28yAsheYGm-FuvX6KTnX1bNs55yDnAJ1qyPCih3GyY5617VEncKjQmU_Xu5wQDaQW2ukJYPdEUR0VophTpIjwdLjCPV6RSj_H2w9MGIzCxp07eX8w/s400/firedrop_4341.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj-eLKT5wW6dv3k9yik7mp-Es6zV5KUU9WnDOrANXRibuA9JbAhLJT2X0jfzHIe0eStrO6YAUusRfACXCBuV25F-geVKkDQ18Blcss8GqUkJfRYUlcCWcKS7ivK9EjRMEmZfmOW0NF64/s1600/fireInMoonlight_4372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj-eLKT5wW6dv3k9yik7mp-Es6zV5KUU9WnDOrANXRibuA9JbAhLJT2X0jfzHIe0eStrO6YAUusRfACXCBuV25F-geVKkDQ18Blcss8GqUkJfRYUlcCWcKS7ivK9EjRMEmZfmOW0NF64/s400/fireInMoonlight_4372.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-58530070058619036052017-08-18T10:38:00.004-07:002017-08-18T10:38:56.940-07:00I can afford only a partial eclipseThe total eclipse is occurring for those willing to live in or travel to a 70-mile wide-band across the United States. I fear the desperate behavior that afflicts crowds, so I never made plans to attend. Astronomy offers my opportunity to relax, get away from bustle, and I can enjoy it any time. Though a total eclipse would leave me saying, "why didn't I do this before", I'm content to stay local and help others see the partial eclipse.<br />
<br />
If you want to see the partial eclipse, come to Wildomar's Marna O'Brien park on Monday, Aug. 21, 9-11 am. If you have any doubt about the quality of your eclipse glasses, please attend and look through my safely filtered telescopes instead of dubious glasses. My solar filters are professional grade, and I've looked through them many times.<br />
<br />
I hope to see you on Monday. Look for me and say hello. I'll be the frazzled guy trying to keep his sanity during the excitement.<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
Marna O'Brien Park:<br />
20505 Palomar Road,<br />
Wildomar, CAjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-82962018219028655712017-07-21T12:46:00.000-07:002017-07-21T12:46:55.428-07:00Best ever circumzenithal arc,...Best ever circum-zenithal arc and my worst camera met on the early evening of July 19, 2017. I drove to Riverside, and on the way, I became interested in the clouds and dispersal of a contrail. It looked like the conditions were right for hole punch clouds. I couldn't take any pictures, because I was driving.<br />
<br />
Two hours later I emerged from a building and the sky over head smiled with the brightest and most long lasting arc I'd ever seen. I took numerous pictures with my aim-and-shoot camera and my iPhone. Neither of these devices captures the full color range of bright cloud effects.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgb7DWyV_fBHkpAqwx_Ag5ITztFuDi9IE8X44KdcTNQbxZl446CufGSod3zmJ8UU1hAWMTj-c-1BpYeLb7SQUENbB840gxpAKd760fRvCbnlKcP8ydNdRQr9fqCZHAQaCE1l3j0DgsUk/s1600/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgb7DWyV_fBHkpAqwx_Ag5ITztFuDi9IE8X44KdcTNQbxZl446CufGSod3zmJ8UU1hAWMTj-c-1BpYeLb7SQUENbB840gxpAKd760fRvCbnlKcP8ydNdRQr9fqCZHAQaCE1l3j0DgsUk/s320/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXGBDAGQawYQTclNc44kWkq8vkPpDsnPLT31iqzOdVrELGQ1wg45e7ZyHWB1xQ4Jw08tvvt4jt2qrIoreltg-0SAVmJp_q5CqxyAD4H12m_ub6F7IHLtQUYB6iN2vl8vOv7JkV8Ka_88/s1600/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXGBDAGQawYQTclNc44kWkq8vkPpDsnPLT31iqzOdVrELGQ1wg45e7ZyHWB1xQ4Jw08tvvt4jt2qrIoreltg-0SAVmJp_q5CqxyAD4H12m_ub6F7IHLtQUYB6iN2vl8vOv7JkV8Ka_88/s320/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5513.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrafWUo1MIp_FdpKRCt9wMTDHfiNiuA0xu-CZxVmUtLY2dK9CK8LF5AsH93YRowCt1AX_5AcklXzLT5lAR0y2LEONB3sDnEcd5WgxnAjbA9nVqDhhLZPpNDAwo_8gJCEETgwA9UjlgDo/s1600/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrafWUo1MIp_FdpKRCt9wMTDHfiNiuA0xu-CZxVmUtLY2dK9CK8LF5AsH93YRowCt1AX_5AcklXzLT5lAR0y2LEONB3sDnEcd5WgxnAjbA9nVqDhhLZPpNDAwo_8gJCEETgwA9UjlgDo/s320/circumzenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5515.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMdRFRsVAw9agw8DD1hyFZ59i72uyZ35wJmxvCJ7SgaLMsqhU5n6JUHJiKlMnorMpPKDhdrHGZEPQi4sbHDdeJdVYFT3rvaYXvzXdgyY-wS_LV5Rn426q_hdZ6Y5776Mwkzx8ce8vVzU/s1600/circumzenithalArc_19July2017_riverside_5520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMdRFRsVAw9agw8DD1hyFZ59i72uyZ35wJmxvCJ7SgaLMsqhU5n6JUHJiKlMnorMpPKDhdrHGZEPQi4sbHDdeJdVYFT3rvaYXvzXdgyY-wS_LV5Rn426q_hdZ6Y5776Mwkzx8ce8vVzU/s320/circumzenithalArc_19July2017_riverside_5520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotMq40yQufsbKhsvTl8M1NFLk1qWoyvVOTYpuk0X-0y31WubJssA8udZUX6RaBZqDfSK-MWsb2gtfywdepxyEl_c6kGFtFa8OCX0_hQRJtymfhGdHYMAbFyi-4SjdJHV8DmkFYyQgQYQ/s1600/circurmZenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotMq40yQufsbKhsvTl8M1NFLk1qWoyvVOTYpuk0X-0y31WubJssA8udZUX6RaBZqDfSK-MWsb2gtfywdepxyEl_c6kGFtFa8OCX0_hQRJtymfhGdHYMAbFyi-4SjdJHV8DmkFYyQgQYQ/s320/circurmZenithalArc_19Jul2017_riverside_5505.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
jgjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-90849358738061598762017-05-30T06:40:00.002-07:002017-05-30T07:43:59.510-07:00Comet Johnson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This weekend, I took a few photos of Comet Johnson. These were 3-minute exposures using a 76mm refractor at prime focus. My camera was set at 800 iso. The comet is pretty faint. I couldn't see it in my 50 mm finderscope. I dabbled in different color balance treatments in Photoshop. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9yhnuI_Yzj-Q79ewPjOsmAJXv-jN6ieZ-ECUmB_qu9wcSNu3oIh8J_hGeM58_9JIzVD19Sj3rCuDvWFqze9ZhMnb6DdWSLv7veoSc43E38530lAuQm5KPI9_PD8wWXD-HWfzlq66Udo/s1600/comet_1723_green_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9yhnuI_Yzj-Q79ewPjOsmAJXv-jN6ieZ-ECUmB_qu9wcSNu3oIh8J_hGeM58_9JIzVD19Sj3rCuDvWFqze9ZhMnb6DdWSLv7veoSc43E38530lAuQm5KPI9_PD8wWXD-HWfzlq66Udo/s320/comet_1723_green_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
5/28/2017</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ymuYRXGt9Wib86UzIulCWDtCwUmfqZqYIlnaOvDCi2BlNhfhAdbdqZj76nl9q6v-EqwdcYxKDziz-_XSGlWmPTLOwjZiMw10Alywp1_PnHyJkIG6277-ZyVcp0BfsIDNgjxVpPpFcs/s1600/cometJohnson_1723_28Apr2017_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ymuYRXGt9Wib86UzIulCWDtCwUmfqZqYIlnaOvDCi2BlNhfhAdbdqZj76nl9q6v-EqwdcYxKDziz-_XSGlWmPTLOwjZiMw10Alywp1_PnHyJkIG6277-ZyVcp0BfsIDNgjxVpPpFcs/s320/cometJohnson_1723_28Apr2017_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
5/28/2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoi4V7XAzzF31zHReHZCu0VTw2ArElUTVxSqKLGKKQgspZtjzO5BTvw83fx5NSVjmaorkRIuWDYiQ2pmxnB06dzd6YoZ470kC3bfNjzxlxDTFwg7_zykfZRYLM8-zlcQdIp7pJ2qrvV0/s1600/cometJohnsonRAW_1697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1200" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoi4V7XAzzF31zHReHZCu0VTw2ArElUTVxSqKLGKKQgspZtjzO5BTvw83fx5NSVjmaorkRIuWDYiQ2pmxnB06dzd6YoZ470kC3bfNjzxlxDTFwg7_zykfZRYLM8-zlcQdIp7pJ2qrvV0/s320/cometJohnsonRAW_1697.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
5/27/2017</div>
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-25396109505295689142017-05-10T13:13:00.000-07:002017-05-23T07:58:15.884-07:00Skeptical Science ProjectsI'm a contributor to the website Skeptical Science. Mostly I help with illustrations and when I do, I usually share the projects here. However, I've been forgetting to share lately, so this post catches up on recent projects.<br />
<br />
This is an illustration from a post entitled <a href="https://skepticalscience.com/From-eMail-Bag-Ice-Cores.html">A Deep Dive into Polar Ice Cores</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuzQ5-trv2rxt1pZifpLU6H5UlsVVeUof_sT3i7z9OUPMlCRGy_fQ2EkKWfDoDK15alVgxiUlWW4Fikyr4d1A6knmA9XNqoBnUvuZVv3HC_eNP7S0drhx5IWkx22-dNQs7YvusyFn5pM/s1600/FirnDiagram_x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuzQ5-trv2rxt1pZifpLU6H5UlsVVeUof_sT3i7z9OUPMlCRGy_fQ2EkKWfDoDK15alVgxiUlWW4Fikyr4d1A6knmA9XNqoBnUvuZVv3HC_eNP7S0drhx5IWkx22-dNQs7YvusyFn5pM/s320/FirnDiagram_x2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had a minor confusion corrected by this post. I thought the diffusion process primarily upward when the air in snow is squeezed by the weight of more snow. Though this happens, it's not as pronounced as the diffusion between air and snow that occurs. This post was part of a new idea of answering questions posed the site from readers.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Skeptical Science also started a new project of science analogies that provide experiments or observations one can make to understand the climate system. These diagrams are from two analogies:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://skepticalscience.com/SkS_Analogy_02_Ferrari_without_gas.html">SkS Analogy 2: Ferrari with no Gas</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs88PfrCfE_3Fr0AeMCd9O7mZmnOOF1nIertIh6VqJLDSzPctb97egPwbWtowRH7qGimM0MQBLKJWgJcYU9JEornMJvT3j5Qovr_rP3kwQZ4EgK2BzzW2IMH3ZcoEKLT4egJsKf5InwY/s1600/Ferrari_x4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs88PfrCfE_3Fr0AeMCd9O7mZmnOOF1nIertIh6VqJLDSzPctb97egPwbWtowRH7qGimM0MQBLKJWgJcYU9JEornMJvT3j5Qovr_rP3kwQZ4EgK2BzzW2IMH3ZcoEKLT4egJsKf5InwY/s320/Ferrari_x4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="https://skepticalscience.com/SkS_Analogy_03_Greenhouse_Cloudy_Night.html">SkS Analogy 3: Greenhouse Effect Is Like Clouds at Night</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3FQXDQMLibSEtF6xfOYNO1BuIKai0DFvbncFFbYiNLvTdG1EwWc7d4hLF6EOQVaQHm9dLOesb8qAPftO9T6hkP9DemBHv4OQjgGODKOKbL-Gaq_kNBHNiSgYG9TZEKwodvW37QS1Md4/s1600/carFrost_x6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3FQXDQMLibSEtF6xfOYNO1BuIKai0DFvbncFFbYiNLvTdG1EwWc7d4hLF6EOQVaQHm9dLOesb8qAPftO9T6hkP9DemBHv4OQjgGODKOKbL-Gaq_kNBHNiSgYG9TZEKwodvW37QS1Md4/s320/carFrost_x6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm having a private Ferrari vs VW thing going.<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
<br />
UPDATE: Some recent links to publications that mention Skeptical Science:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cruelclimate.net/target/IFHg8qE738d3ubmcVdnLHAzoY6Wg6FEx/funnel.php?q=https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/5/16/15645466/trump-fake-climate-news" style="background-color: #ebf7c5; color: #6307bd; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/5/16/15645466/trump-fake-climate-news</a><br />
<br />
http://www.nature.com/news/why-researchers-should-resolve-to-engage-in-2017-1.21236<br />
<br />
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/22/find-out-what-true-and-false-climate-change/335532001/<br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-39630445599813804912017-04-23T12:21:00.004-07:002017-09-01T07:58:04.242-07:00Lyrid, Meteor of the Century (again)Smoke and Meteors:<br />
<br />
I captured a Lyrid meteor last night, shooting 30-second exposures between 11:20 and 11:50 pm. I caught two meteors in this time, but one made it easy to quit for the night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-WOGL1133Bk6766O8E47j_5EdjnvL11fWOyw4uwsCrIeRE4spVMdD6xIaG6VnWeel2I9VfT0tGJkmVCNn65YANI_E7AKseInq06TXZw3Mhfj2uG75-cnzTPaHSU8IkZeNYmpQwiUPtU/s1600/LyridMeteor_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-WOGL1133Bk6766O8E47j_5EdjnvL11fWOyw4uwsCrIeRE4spVMdD6xIaG6VnWeel2I9VfT0tGJkmVCNn65YANI_E7AKseInq06TXZw3Mhfj2uG75-cnzTPaHSU8IkZeNYmpQwiUPtU/s400/LyridMeteor_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I didn't see the meteor, and noticed it only when examining my photo on the camera view screen. On a whim, I took a second exposure and noticed that the vapor trail was visible:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_wmJ81sZwSDR3WDd7qPiGhHyHNqeiIXPdR9aA0ipKWb97QyXoWSnIPp1tWMGbO3liOEXRCgV_sw7MbP9F03a-A84QqWrDahWUGPQdl03a9n0qnVuMqGhieINe5-stVASrS1IkxvCJiY/s1600/LyridMeteor_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_wmJ81sZwSDR3WDd7qPiGhHyHNqeiIXPdR9aA0ipKWb97QyXoWSnIPp1tWMGbO3liOEXRCgV_sw7MbP9F03a-A84QqWrDahWUGPQdl03a9n0qnVuMqGhieINe5-stVASrS1IkxvCJiY/s400/LyridMeteor_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
"This is interesting," I thought, so I tried to see how long the vapor trail would remain visible:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNBxyce3L0mNmTYOAdslzhC5ohdCTA3BcKgYK_kLiVtLuI8s3bOuV9a4BYUgG9Nvq7LWoMyvbJKZy_47R81ZGFxrYmO9BfbcpeLo0zTUNunDyLCzJ9pkaD05HWr3wIYy6vVEdBpSq0sg/s1600/LyridMeteor_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNBxyce3L0mNmTYOAdslzhC5ohdCTA3BcKgYK_kLiVtLuI8s3bOuV9a4BYUgG9Nvq7LWoMyvbJKZy_47R81ZGFxrYmO9BfbcpeLo0zTUNunDyLCzJ9pkaD05HWr3wIYy6vVEdBpSq0sg/s400/LyridMeteor_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFklsP1PxdIOJNMBynm5Pegg7KUNyVB_RS8ncpEVZHazprXmjiPhh2zXovewXllPJ2-yy6RmE9K6LySoDwP1VFGkbXFuyqDMvUnI_b5de2wVqRsUURe_XAeC3wEgMpnnG3SxhNC6Y0co/s1600/LyridMeteor_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFklsP1PxdIOJNMBynm5Pegg7KUNyVB_RS8ncpEVZHazprXmjiPhh2zXovewXllPJ2-yy6RmE9K6LySoDwP1VFGkbXFuyqDMvUnI_b5de2wVqRsUURe_XAeC3wEgMpnnG3SxhNC6Y0co/s400/LyridMeteor_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhIgEyEYImobiOmg3GjFM99f4WuGAgpeNLSjEsPDWNnVmSxaUK2J-AV2JGHaP71bIhyphenhyphenn8zHpCak69Jh2fZmjW1Z0uFAOTWy-mA61mKU3pfopnjbUv0T-xVf9NWxNO7A63ZAv3TJ0slso/s1600/LyridMeteor_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhIgEyEYImobiOmg3GjFM99f4WuGAgpeNLSjEsPDWNnVmSxaUK2J-AV2JGHaP71bIhyphenhyphenn8zHpCak69Jh2fZmjW1Z0uFAOTWy-mA61mKU3pfopnjbUv0T-xVf9NWxNO7A63ZAv3TJ0slso/s400/LyridMeteor_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH058fprSaMcrLhdGSIMVuy258ZGskxM6viYdfpWA-Gi_ZfwOTz1UWCKOmWixOXGuD7otJWaoLg44PBeheSPlsiD-u1vUXAzZghaAFqF84RnvSsc_pGRSqCJkZuem6xMRnBPe7OPbU1lA/s1600/LyridMeteor_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH058fprSaMcrLhdGSIMVuy258ZGskxM6viYdfpWA-Gi_ZfwOTz1UWCKOmWixOXGuD7otJWaoLg44PBeheSPlsiD-u1vUXAzZghaAFqF84RnvSsc_pGRSqCJkZuem6xMRnBPe7OPbU1lA/s400/LyridMeteor_6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZH270IXl56qO3IEQrT6q2uwJaNzCWBTZfyM8k8diX6ocgER4yhaGcxzT-EfGG0tOsS0HBTx4Yhmih48q-kdX67Y5YOnUVF2BqMBqaRHCEARkbwiSf2pWYeVH565HiGg8B-pNrjfrQ_3s/s1600/LyridMeteor_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZH270IXl56qO3IEQrT6q2uwJaNzCWBTZfyM8k8diX6ocgER4yhaGcxzT-EfGG0tOsS0HBTx4Yhmih48q-kdX67Y5YOnUVF2BqMBqaRHCEARkbwiSf2pWYeVH565HiGg8B-pNrjfrQ_3s/s400/LyridMeteor_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvzMX95k7_8xm6LoOfwBKsOv9wp2R3fcPXPRsjTl5Nr06lv0ZgFgHv_jc7khDs2jDlXmx6UbpuhOQ2SoNvdOLB2jkGhg1fgUONR1VSOtVd3FHLDVWfJ2ZAQSOhbDsMSjnQVgjX5vf5K8/s1600/LyridMeteor_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvzMX95k7_8xm6LoOfwBKsOv9wp2R3fcPXPRsjTl5Nr06lv0ZgFgHv_jc7khDs2jDlXmx6UbpuhOQ2SoNvdOLB2jkGhg1fgUONR1VSOtVd3FHLDVWfJ2ZAQSOhbDsMSjnQVgjX5vf5K8/s400/LyridMeteor_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2ih8i75Rc8kVqzo0nkjWZwz1zumRBpt3Jo4BBOfUSDGIeYr-M_ebVarVxmACIo7Z49XmEcZk4nU7Zg5bAzhQvqfPM1rrRDrELA3UUwGcYq4_FvnDTbalMPUzu5gGy9uYtAKABDL42i8/s1600/LyridMeteor_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2ih8i75Rc8kVqzo0nkjWZwz1zumRBpt3Jo4BBOfUSDGIeYr-M_ebVarVxmACIo7Z49XmEcZk4nU7Zg5bAzhQvqfPM1rrRDrELA3UUwGcYq4_FvnDTbalMPUzu5gGy9uYtAKABDL42i8/s400/LyridMeteor_9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyH_dNSb3LIih2islSu1ar_3YDeLytvaKmsJpHM_f13APMsVKt_O83eNBah1ube8WyWD2u4Sznpd6OxIPF4509AvxcmPdTqWjWW_hdSBE0xeAcoOOEeZqboYWeM1of_kG6YR2uUdNtk40/s1600/LyridMeteor_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyH_dNSb3LIih2islSu1ar_3YDeLytvaKmsJpHM_f13APMsVKt_O83eNBah1ube8WyWD2u4Sznpd6OxIPF4509AvxcmPdTqWjWW_hdSBE0xeAcoOOEeZqboYWeM1of_kG6YR2uUdNtk40/s400/LyridMeteor_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After about 5 minutes, the vapor trail drifted off of my field of view. I moved the camera twice before the trail was gone, and even captured a faint, second meteor next to the vapor trail. You will probably have to enlarge the image to see the 2nd meteor near the star cluster (Coma Berenices) in the top of this photo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSwGnKHSMWCmOXfRm9OdP4K0bLxFC_o1tZtwlLNbt0j7NC98bLKXbkPqx47ElX0PmJtWcigT8H48ESkYxUO_Uh8gjhSTtcw2v9TrmRtCBQPiCY2u_O9EWOvd1Kl3UuEv6FSv4JGrhb9A/s1600/LyridMeteor_2ndMeteor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSwGnKHSMWCmOXfRm9OdP4K0bLxFC_o1tZtwlLNbt0j7NC98bLKXbkPqx47ElX0PmJtWcigT8H48ESkYxUO_Uh8gjhSTtcw2v9TrmRtCBQPiCY2u_O9EWOvd1Kl3UuEv6FSv4JGrhb9A/s400/LyridMeteor_2ndMeteor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The last image I captured was very faint, so I boldy tweaked the contrast:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu5_ZVuT5DPDs8rnbycnhkQ5yn9EuOUNodv2zyozYWx8mmhHCUxeVqhiELvLsCf-0UMe5Ov1WN_zApJO1QF-l6CyrCL3ybc71f84r2GZjtldXBb8VZnOAahsXxsRgA1vuW4zhKgYEUDQ/s1600/LyridMeteor_hockeystick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu5_ZVuT5DPDs8rnbycnhkQ5yn9EuOUNodv2zyozYWx8mmhHCUxeVqhiELvLsCf-0UMe5Ov1WN_zApJO1QF-l6CyrCL3ybc71f84r2GZjtldXBb8VZnOAahsXxsRgA1vuW4zhKgYEUDQ/s400/LyridMeteor_hockeystick.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I also made a video of my images, but think just viewing the still photos in sequence is more effective:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPMQFvdumts">Lyrid Meteor on YouTube</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-75004562392613976762017-04-03T13:20:00.001-07:002017-04-03T13:20:12.618-07:00Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, Geological History of Vernal PoolsAbout 12 years ago I created this diagram for the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. It has been on display at the Vernal Pool since then. I learned that it has been vandalized recently, so I'm posting it here should anyone wish a copy. <div>
<br /><div>
jg<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY6eBqUW7OkvpJYtxTxakJxNzVALqK-X6iRqQijsMl_sND_0f8sN8L1NCk5go6o2jtn-eP5EEkE008VVRYS9enLnTz01SR7cq9S72m8YZlBJeCk5tn9bPioC4Oife1RJJhfvie08IN-M/s1600/SRPER_GeologicalHistory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY6eBqUW7OkvpJYtxTxakJxNzVALqK-X6iRqQijsMl_sND_0f8sN8L1NCk5go6o2jtn-eP5EEkE008VVRYS9enLnTz01SR7cq9S72m8YZlBJeCk5tn9bPioC4Oife1RJJhfvie08IN-M/s1600/SRPER_GeologicalHistory.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-48602624024411416232017-04-02T15:16:00.000-07:002017-04-03T07:47:19.857-07:00Comet 41p ToseOk. "Tose" isn't the name of the comet, but if you take out the 41p, hopefully the joke is obvious.<br />
<br />
The night of April 1, I took photos of 41p using a 3-inch telescope at f5. My camera's remote shutter release has failed, so all my photos had to be shorter than 30 seconds:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYgjToxG2CcvTsBdAGbU_vvo5iZRfWd_fE-L0GKTSDiymjxOl4OIJebADOBYAM3m9sW_rMZGor19XnhR2168l9E7qfof7uZCZumuUc6u0HxVib8-JxHdpf14P98GscIr1HOovnfEeadg/s1600/comet41p_tv76f5_0643_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYgjToxG2CcvTsBdAGbU_vvo5iZRfWd_fE-L0GKTSDiymjxOl4OIJebADOBYAM3m9sW_rMZGor19XnhR2168l9E7qfof7uZCZumuUc6u0HxVib8-JxHdpf14P98GscIr1HOovnfEeadg/s400/comet41p_tv76f5_0643_1200w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
30 second exposure at 3200 ISO</div>
<br />
After some trial and error, I decided 20-second exposures at ISO 3200 produced a series of frames worthy of stacking (combining).<br />
<br />
Before stacking:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lqFozn8c2eFM5HJctB87zQc5_EMnymQBu8_fgBHFXXJsDC_gv6ZCR_oPQBQSfkS7FLFYfwlySo8hu71jQKZT3hLrEp6eMeloynxyzvwuO4BhPSYjCTp4MlcpgXHhAEoOQO9RDvVq13c/s1600/comet_regExp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lqFozn8c2eFM5HJctB87zQc5_EMnymQBu8_fgBHFXXJsDC_gv6ZCR_oPQBQSfkS7FLFYfwlySo8hu71jQKZT3hLrEp6eMeloynxyzvwuO4BhPSYjCTp4MlcpgXHhAEoOQO9RDvVq13c/s400/comet_regExp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After stacking 7 images:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eh4ladzGHaJqeLvHnFF9WvUh3gzGv_QzitLSCnfrnTWSO5oFU-9c95xmMlreYFDe28g0MIMsTpOghfVt2asOPU59YvEOegdkzBtnNsNZtElu3vuHqi8NYKgzkhD7humNcai7AMIxcoI/s1600/comet41p_1apr17_7at3200x20sec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eh4ladzGHaJqeLvHnFF9WvUh3gzGv_QzitLSCnfrnTWSO5oFU-9c95xmMlreYFDe28g0MIMsTpOghfVt2asOPU59YvEOegdkzBtnNsNZtElu3vuHqi8NYKgzkhD7humNcai7AMIxcoI/s400/comet41p_1apr17_7at3200x20sec.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After playing around with image-enhancement features that I don't fully understand:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb0t6Isjrhkrtsg5x7QX7i90dtYyJXamEkE-PmyDAWzP-EoEaoxnxW35rDoNM3JnX3U5PBayxtorgMqPN770T-Hwfz9NI-UX3pMYHOlHD-xWnepDCMyW9L2kN9G7ihve_p9Ul-GyWYas/s1600/stack1_waveletoutput_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb0t6Isjrhkrtsg5x7QX7i90dtYyJXamEkE-PmyDAWzP-EoEaoxnxW35rDoNM3JnX3U5PBayxtorgMqPN770T-Hwfz9NI-UX3pMYHOlHD-xWnepDCMyW9L2kN9G7ihve_p9Ul-GyWYas/s400/stack1_waveletoutput_cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I also put together a video to shore some motion of the comet seen in the span of photos I took:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vEs_qKGeWZQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vEs_qKGeWZQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />
Update: more photos from the weekend.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUmMsuZheW6F7x3ufWwkzl9MiTDZgG3LfaK-uFGSp2_4i_7mgJQmwJSN-KjYZfnry446ChwrTmaTDOevH2E3HQL13SJ6CTMZc-vAnWrS58Ju9AErbp-nmoVTSRsPoUFxOP_GZJiaNeik/s1600/moon_sctf10_0607_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUmMsuZheW6F7x3ufWwkzl9MiTDZgG3LfaK-uFGSp2_4i_7mgJQmwJSN-KjYZfnry446ChwrTmaTDOevH2E3HQL13SJ6CTMZc-vAnWrS58Ju9AErbp-nmoVTSRsPoUFxOP_GZJiaNeik/s320/moon_sctf10_0607_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpOmQgi8-deY_Fq9d8oI_TA__K53Idm46wOM9MvZFJuzFjgcN94gBr4stO7VQW_GNksE7CWT1nFGuKp_E1a3echFZMwRvuNxiVT7gVh0JQTB2VQGHHv9dMNX0VaAngep-i4KAQ0W3phk/s1600/sun_0572_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpOmQgi8-deY_Fq9d8oI_TA__K53Idm46wOM9MvZFJuzFjgcN94gBr4stO7VQW_GNksE7CWT1nFGuKp_E1a3echFZMwRvuNxiVT7gVh0JQTB2VQGHHv9dMNX0VaAngep-i4KAQ0W3phk/s320/sun_0572_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zu-e-1nnncxXYkf2YdBtTk5s2nASE6BlF4QTNEK-UbLv_B3IXUhvwqogBhLXr6t9v0-WLXGLDRaOHm67Sihq1sgA4md-ckjWzCkWOJZXWTavJ14yvYqSDmSzVKw1waFHXcCseZXZcEQ/s1600/sunspots_0561_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zu-e-1nnncxXYkf2YdBtTk5s2nASE6BlF4QTNEK-UbLv_B3IXUhvwqogBhLXr6t9v0-WLXGLDRaOHm67Sihq1sgA4md-ckjWzCkWOJZXWTavJ14yvYqSDmSzVKw1waFHXcCseZXZcEQ/s320/sunspots_0561_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-90659432292784942102017-03-31T13:58:00.003-07:002017-04-02T16:43:12.697-07:00Cometose: Comet 41 P, April Fool's CometYou may hear of Comet 41P making its closest pass to Earth on April Fools' day, 2017. This is true. The comet is real and moving from the Big Dipper to Draco, but it is very, very faint, or as I like to say, cometose.<br />
<br />
Last night I got a whisper of 41P using a 28 mm camera lens and 30-second exposure. Here, I've shown its location near Ursa Major (Big Dipper):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdA4P5ScX577Qw6GLpe94sTTCmFNBfB6X6LVfIvWPy8D9VRjrp-FrRX0mfxDaBfqkpTfYaKHIZpgn10SJI96yWDrGFEfaZtWXm-_d_oonD7U-xjfCV3v8CSZyObnttZLqS4jWQSANvYAo/s1600/comet_41p_31mar17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdA4P5ScX577Qw6GLpe94sTTCmFNBfB6X6LVfIvWPy8D9VRjrp-FrRX0mfxDaBfqkpTfYaKHIZpgn10SJI96yWDrGFEfaZtWXm-_d_oonD7U-xjfCV3v8CSZyObnttZLqS4jWQSANvYAo/s400/comet_41p_31mar17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The inset is the region with 3/30 and 3/31 but moved out from under the position labels. The full-resolution inset is here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgjj5aXXbQuv7TlZqDjjbL5GkyTrHDZQLnCpBE4Lecv1Mc7PS1eu5oLIJrtJ1oD2KCmysxR4HF57Y8CnlmiqgEZCa8y7Y2dOII2Jy1N_tO12W3Eki0MLQG8GtVam_NA5eW1dN6mAGLV8/s1600/closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgjj5aXXbQuv7TlZqDjjbL5GkyTrHDZQLnCpBE4Lecv1Mc7PS1eu5oLIJrtJ1oD2KCmysxR4HF57Y8CnlmiqgEZCa8y7Y2dOII2Jy1N_tO12W3Eki0MLQG8GtVam_NA5eW1dN6mAGLV8/s320/closeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I doubt this comet will be visible to the naked eye. I also think it's not a good one for suburban skies, but regardless, I'll be looking again tonight, as there's a chance it will be brighter.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
jg</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-60356522879359840722017-03-16T11:06:00.004-07:002017-03-19T08:39:02.074-07:00What's Up in the Sky, March 2017I had the opportunity to present the monthly What's Up in the Sky at the March 10 Orange County Astronomers meeting. I'm sharing a sequence of images and animation that I used to illustrate the zodiacal light and the tilt of the ecliptic.<br />
<br />
A high angled ecliptic greets us in the evening, and a low one in morning, making the evening planets easier to see by being farther above the horizon:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJEDM7wm7DTFJ75MsUN_OeNIsXLIW1TFcuTkOZ-92NMNXFpBc3dKfc3a_cdXxB6TFVHcjD0riUv-kSaI__9GkK-MqmHEfOphhksbwQx-yS04GAFFgZqV4HkVADa4jlJKgBTqL6WS2TU4/s1600/solsys_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJEDM7wm7DTFJ75MsUN_OeNIsXLIW1TFcuTkOZ-92NMNXFpBc3dKfc3a_cdXxB6TFVHcjD0riUv-kSaI__9GkK-MqmHEfOphhksbwQx-yS04GAFFgZqV4HkVADa4jlJKgBTqL6WS2TU4/s400/solsys_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
So, an observer at 30 degrees north latitude sees this: The planets and zodiacal light are high.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoX5HgEKlTS3zyRhA7FuU8zF-vEOBIyzvh4tRG-vL_8jZozpTChQDGIcHxCTc6XMKh_I4AE-3eQq6yX0NP569Utr6caE7F7t_Q7h1Kyex7rP1SPhftPLjSyfpFGlBR2l9FSc0Ol-T5Io/s1600/eclipticView2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoX5HgEKlTS3zyRhA7FuU8zF-vEOBIyzvh4tRG-vL_8jZozpTChQDGIcHxCTc6XMKh_I4AE-3eQq6yX0NP569Utr6caE7F7t_Q7h1Kyex7rP1SPhftPLjSyfpFGlBR2l9FSc0Ol-T5Io/s400/eclipticView2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The same observer in the morning will see the planets and zodiacal light at their lowest angle:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0OD5TGnwy8rYEkdrUollRQQQWqnHzkXAXB1C50K6Nh0uWpyoc26dqr06skobJHvgIpd9ciE6p-TGgqIc3jylk3pcixqNgmVkbZW9zyXJH88LQYQ-ArRRM0En2hb-xNbIHdTeLQQivEM/s1600/eclipticView_part2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0OD5TGnwy8rYEkdrUollRQQQWqnHzkXAXB1C50K6Nh0uWpyoc26dqr06skobJHvgIpd9ciE6p-TGgqIc3jylk3pcixqNgmVkbZW9zyXJH88LQYQ-ArRRM0En2hb-xNbIHdTeLQQivEM/s400/eclipticView_part2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Here's the full sequence, including animations at the end:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_78AhIg-1ADt8iVTSkSCjiaph_KlWRXpw0dsPI9OyIs6HlvFXlxpjtX_EGKBZ-dQp3-bm_8LM8xEPn7NITLiqBaVajK0F5FdBG1Qr62rimhf2-D7OObmbQWGYNt0eHQzXkhtOZEc6uI/s1600/solsys_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_78AhIg-1ADt8iVTSkSCjiaph_KlWRXpw0dsPI9OyIs6HlvFXlxpjtX_EGKBZ-dQp3-bm_8LM8xEPn7NITLiqBaVajK0F5FdBG1Qr62rimhf2-D7OObmbQWGYNt0eHQzXkhtOZEc6uI/s400/solsys_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZGP-gZ5Jkl8fSDpSO6rGjYV5WgARzFgIxsDDhvm4zl3krJWKx4i2yMl8lb45_tEYnF3wq53Ixb7UyeCL77vJtkmedQOxK3XI5rbKadaMkRYmgwBAfLY7Lt66bu3HnF0wMZm126h3jRg/s1600/solsys_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZGP-gZ5Jkl8fSDpSO6rGjYV5WgARzFgIxsDDhvm4zl3krJWKx4i2yMl8lb45_tEYnF3wq53Ixb7UyeCL77vJtkmedQOxK3XI5rbKadaMkRYmgwBAfLY7Lt66bu3HnF0wMZm126h3jRg/s400/solsys_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdf1zBwBcz5EvAtsSMCQWQ9k8NygiDl4va12PfIM5tIQXW-vS9ph36WdDZ57bPxp3351CJo5QHozNA-y0kZ0OPq9sbOebcoMpXRBfmtsXDIKa15awdVKBsHAonL4yE8OfGbLpJ8GkFi2k/s1600/solsys_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdf1zBwBcz5EvAtsSMCQWQ9k8NygiDl4va12PfIM5tIQXW-vS9ph36WdDZ57bPxp3351CJo5QHozNA-y0kZ0OPq9sbOebcoMpXRBfmtsXDIKa15awdVKBsHAonL4yE8OfGbLpJ8GkFi2k/s400/solsys_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhR9W4Fr_55AZutcawiNWVwTgPQhnj8SQa3xuIFX-KRC2FCmXPSCgbk7yIhr0gzAE-lTiKdIo17YZbXJp1GmoXj7zoqPBTv-j6MIFxw8Q7uE3a4_t7XT75nxufhGr_XFGPUL2y4BfJno/s1600/solsys_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhR9W4Fr_55AZutcawiNWVwTgPQhnj8SQa3xuIFX-KRC2FCmXPSCgbk7yIhr0gzAE-lTiKdIo17YZbXJp1GmoXj7zoqPBTv-j6MIFxw8Q7uE3a4_t7XT75nxufhGr_XFGPUL2y4BfJno/s400/solsys_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierYbudo5K4jb5lkuXYBzx3dAqThRVxsHChd4P8CFaXqdVqAcvPNuQbmJz1RbT3cj4ILKnXepwWDkCD7_4yizGT3DGybh_oqBKuQzKoDPFrxO90utlQegKfh_U4VzzEUJ0Y1lWvq3OYQk/s1600/solsys_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierYbudo5K4jb5lkuXYBzx3dAqThRVxsHChd4P8CFaXqdVqAcvPNuQbmJz1RbT3cj4ILKnXepwWDkCD7_4yizGT3DGybh_oqBKuQzKoDPFrxO90utlQegKfh_U4VzzEUJ0Y1lWvq3OYQk/s400/solsys_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAyJX5EThAqOoNNYzJA9zqB7gvMnw6_cvK24lCJdToAEYBzykVOQygaiTPYDjTnig4uWA1t1H1iVBCtkwawKsv-AsyeYyMBbFC7H0OWisQKH3q_eCWF1KxGkn8c6NywyDJqDypDH972Y/s1600/solsys_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAyJX5EThAqOoNNYzJA9zqB7gvMnw6_cvK24lCJdToAEYBzykVOQygaiTPYDjTnig4uWA1t1H1iVBCtkwawKsv-AsyeYyMBbFC7H0OWisQKH3q_eCWF1KxGkn8c6NywyDJqDypDH972Y/s400/solsys_6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzh1BQhdNdZ1a8JVlU4xZvSIAUvVY_6k7TIQf4c1bM8Y27Kxq_J6qAAgVk69D6Kcjr9j2NPw3FgmhcaNsTlDf_HRSUgpIjf50C2GopJW42ZG7fwYoxYWzLRaFnixU991ue_WvgBdaCq8/s1600/solsys_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzh1BQhdNdZ1a8JVlU4xZvSIAUvVY_6k7TIQf4c1bM8Y27Kxq_J6qAAgVk69D6Kcjr9j2NPw3FgmhcaNsTlDf_HRSUgpIjf50C2GopJW42ZG7fwYoxYWzLRaFnixU991ue_WvgBdaCq8/s400/solsys_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79U86-hKgiac5XqHtK5wowiH9tcr-OLnEKiXYJWF_P762r66R-dMsXlu4lf3iGByfvcm-qkqzntJpAfAgFgxelaUP6-RxeuMGyer3R9qDMv0nfo5o2vA88vq-9isvhqy_UYfJ0PGtEk8/s1600/solsys_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79U86-hKgiac5XqHtK5wowiH9tcr-OLnEKiXYJWF_P762r66R-dMsXlu4lf3iGByfvcm-qkqzntJpAfAgFgxelaUP6-RxeuMGyer3R9qDMv0nfo5o2vA88vq-9isvhqy_UYfJ0PGtEk8/s400/solsys_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5HK4ImL0ukR0mzJTm8-lkTbvIvXnrsJYqAhBd8p4gehB-_cBagS7OYUY37fpWYM2oJDhNK2MBvIyY-ZXFRbfW2riJAOpYq4BmNy539Pue0njGQWOAM-HWKnWNg9Q62jp4IVQqBVe9g8/s1600/eclipticView.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5HK4ImL0ukR0mzJTm8-lkTbvIvXnrsJYqAhBd8p4gehB-_cBagS7OYUY37fpWYM2oJDhNK2MBvIyY-ZXFRbfW2riJAOpYq4BmNy539Pue0njGQWOAM-HWKnWNg9Q62jp4IVQqBVe9g8/s400/eclipticView.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy1srcAqdgsSnnI_IXVg3hDoMGlCO33j6TNU2wyJIxA3mLQ7_wlA4UpU2WhgST8X4SiYMi1aKaIm7aPP0oQ22t2zlwdSrESSxGEaTXAgNZx0KpeEgBnYOHB6h3WGM5NiMxDq7lsC-Aog/s1600/eclipticView_part2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy1srcAqdgsSnnI_IXVg3hDoMGlCO33j6TNU2wyJIxA3mLQ7_wlA4UpU2WhgST8X4SiYMi1aKaIm7aPP0oQ22t2zlwdSrESSxGEaTXAgNZx0KpeEgBnYOHB6h3WGM5NiMxDq7lsC-Aog/s400/eclipticView_part2.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Transparent PNG versions:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYARrBQKmK_ICPZmApowMOqV3mdZ0s7C0z-wjoVfDvz0VL_6PbgNXpHZGEzo00ArwOwo9ibFTTdgTysYd4p1y2ykPsPwTur93DbXtMPJ67Jfb2fOIwxxo5d7YFltYNaILg3zTK3FzHMU/s1600/ecliptic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYARrBQKmK_ICPZmApowMOqV3mdZ0s7C0z-wjoVfDvz0VL_6PbgNXpHZGEzo00ArwOwo9ibFTTdgTysYd4p1y2ykPsPwTur93DbXtMPJ67Jfb2fOIwxxo5d7YFltYNaILg3zTK3FzHMU/s320/ecliptic.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDmmJCw6iXGKipTrH_RGOCrl0epxEdnqI2CrKFBj26571kQusnMz32B6g6sJ0l006EI1j0zKApPq_T9q1toggaVZY7fuLX8-_pZeP2mMleKZkSVbaCmKpmLu4ZsPLB54tICaCHZPZNBo/s1600/eclipticView2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDmmJCw6iXGKipTrH_RGOCrl0epxEdnqI2CrKFBj26571kQusnMz32B6g6sJ0l006EI1j0zKApPq_T9q1toggaVZY7fuLX8-_pZeP2mMleKZkSVbaCmKpmLu4ZsPLB54tICaCHZPZNBo/s320/eclipticView2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsKhyphenhyphenWWZesKyMh16xniaqVEbMQaH1J5Mj7w09Vs8o5C40sdZkcEDe18NwNpjPpNU2Nuthb7RT-V7QkTk4dAIV_M4R3heGp9rHubzgM8GZlklwe4Uu7xzsnTENNbWbmmtibWOHQmoruO4/s1600/eclipticView_part2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsKhyphenhyphenWWZesKyMh16xniaqVEbMQaH1J5Mj7w09Vs8o5C40sdZkcEDe18NwNpjPpNU2Nuthb7RT-V7QkTk4dAIV_M4R3heGp9rHubzgM8GZlklwe4Uu7xzsnTENNbWbmmtibWOHQmoruO4/s320/eclipticView_part2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This time of year is also a good time to see the winter Milky Way in the early evening. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX56WKkZYtNyjUFp0QxK3KkHQlBo5vKxef-E2Iwc6cbm6UmAs1omQxXHZqkNrH3dfjiKgNbmaMdVK38k1dAK3PRHug8M5puaAFMwvLfmeVXGSm3Pj0bGdKXjq5oDrzejYBc0oI0cyULw/s1600/StarChart_0312_Mar_x3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX56WKkZYtNyjUFp0QxK3KkHQlBo5vKxef-E2Iwc6cbm6UmAs1omQxXHZqkNrH3dfjiKgNbmaMdVK38k1dAK3PRHug8M5puaAFMwvLfmeVXGSm3Pj0bGdKXjq5oDrzejYBc0oI0cyULw/s320/StarChart_0312_Mar_x3.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Below are some photos taken in February 2014 of the constellations Orion, Monoceros, Canis Major, Gemini and Cassiopeia, all in the winter Milky Way:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69bNblA_q-Ek-W_zIGoPDLpMEiDpMB5LZNJSeMJ8XFpEwvUZbdvwmkXmcFHLtJITiNYznH4DjHX20YW2PaoXc3dMruzKDSE-Po1PopWuJF15DikEyu549vcgi0lR2_OIC2ZT0vsF-nEk/s1600/CanisMajor_CanisMinor_28mm_4min_iso800_jtFeb_7958_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69bNblA_q-Ek-W_zIGoPDLpMEiDpMB5LZNJSeMJ8XFpEwvUZbdvwmkXmcFHLtJITiNYznH4DjHX20YW2PaoXc3dMruzKDSE-Po1PopWuJF15DikEyu549vcgi0lR2_OIC2ZT0vsF-nEk/s320/CanisMajor_CanisMinor_28mm_4min_iso800_jtFeb_7958_1200w.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3FmtWTKW9Iz-yl7TH7JBtdnJ3nAlGe65c9lJMKL6NS-JlBJ7rJTZXxM6ZszU7qC9ukGRX-48wo-nS1Knivk-NeeC8Eb6KKVaWqqZSomC4lpArEE540bYJN2xKCAMwbpbCVro8ZpzpKU/s1600/orionUpclose_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3FmtWTKW9Iz-yl7TH7JBtdnJ3nAlGe65c9lJMKL6NS-JlBJ7rJTZXxM6ZszU7qC9ukGRX-48wo-nS1Knivk-NeeC8Eb6KKVaWqqZSomC4lpArEE540bYJN2xKCAMwbpbCVro8ZpzpKU/s320/orionUpclose_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ortTXb8DFzXA4sRRiEWWqMQvHUFGr0Eez_p1Vep9CfkRTfeU6vBKgnFSnwCULG0uLh0-0hjAQUiyL1tm9RmyI7_WMpT5PwUQLLqHZg5ZM9H2A7oEXLqfKnoM68GYO4hZcxQ4Dh699Og/s1600/canisMajor_tweaked_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ortTXb8DFzXA4sRRiEWWqMQvHUFGr0Eez_p1Vep9CfkRTfeU6vBKgnFSnwCULG0uLh0-0hjAQUiyL1tm9RmyI7_WMpT5PwUQLLqHZg5ZM9H2A7oEXLqfKnoM68GYO4hZcxQ4Dh699Og/s320/canisMajor_tweaked_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwMQLSx-xP6mzKz8xC-Pi0SuXmX2HLXomq4UAwFmb0B1Z2HmjlH7gbBJxk3_YB7ReqbLv15a3GfwmYAqqDOENpn7VVfTaLkdyHT8bFZmeWu7HBfIg_VTtnCt9Cs_mnmiGSsD18JUx-k0/s1600/Gemini_wCanisMinor_4min28mm800iso_7944_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwMQLSx-xP6mzKz8xC-Pi0SuXmX2HLXomq4UAwFmb0B1Z2HmjlH7gbBJxk3_YB7ReqbLv15a3GfwmYAqqDOENpn7VVfTaLkdyHT8bFZmeWu7HBfIg_VTtnCt9Cs_mnmiGSsD18JUx-k0/s320/Gemini_wCanisMinor_4min28mm800iso_7944_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJzFsZGxWYnACWFsBs0K9bWEahHWSG1kYEqnhdcPnoCfsmHcIA9l7LZEr6FuoOF8oPSY_Vr0PQJHD-VmIK88R5t37dMRcMxzsmcE6BX3OAVbWIsrCGRODhibczCS9DtvVhsYbYNwsSAE/s1600/cassAnd_wLovejoy_800iso_28mm_4min_JTFeb_7955_adjustedMore_1200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJzFsZGxWYnACWFsBs0K9bWEahHWSG1kYEqnhdcPnoCfsmHcIA9l7LZEr6FuoOF8oPSY_Vr0PQJHD-VmIK88R5t37dMRcMxzsmcE6BX3OAVbWIsrCGRODhibczCS9DtvVhsYbYNwsSAE/s320/cassAnd_wLovejoy_800iso_28mm_4min_JTFeb_7955_adjustedMore_1200w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And last, Canopus, the 2nd brightest star, is visible below Sirius, the brightest:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavS8CYeIN-rAYJtW9AL40OXnlJ0-xsRpwk0HMBj4xYZnyC5EHUEC28wPQ0P7glX-xdGJfr6upI-Y_zb4QGlC2VT-dA9BGGaEpgkTahIIl6bVmUmOqhxhsj9QWFVS1q7wdd4wN8TVjN0o/s1600/CanisMajor_wCanopus_27Oct_JT_8850_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavS8CYeIN-rAYJtW9AL40OXnlJ0-xsRpwk0HMBj4xYZnyC5EHUEC28wPQ0P7glX-xdGJfr6upI-Y_zb4QGlC2VT-dA9BGGaEpgkTahIIl6bVmUmOqhxhsj9QWFVS1q7wdd4wN8TVjN0o/s320/CanisMajor_wCanopus_27Oct_JT_8850_1200.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
jg</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-33325291598081041512017-01-18T16:38:00.000-08:002017-01-19T12:29:49.041-08:00Wildomar Light PollutionI had an opportunity to photograph Orion last night in two locations. One was in front of my home, and the other, out of town, just a few miles west next to an ecological reserve. Both locations have light pollution, but the reserve is as good as anyone can hope for in a region with many cities.<br />
<br />
I was able to overlay my two photos without rotating or distorting either photo. Here there are in one animated graphic:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULA4xEro-QZDXTrnMPSnDJAKSv5pmiIQYNPoFfbbOp6OzeKLSBnnjc1XhckGzmlTZv-6xh8kmpPFTXpWBqkLZcuOCnkLuNfT_unbM94LFAXza5IwtQTbnU_p03d6qQWg6-g4soAZqu7s/s1600/IMG_VpVsAlderbrook.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULA4xEro-QZDXTrnMPSnDJAKSv5pmiIQYNPoFfbbOp6OzeKLSBnnjc1XhckGzmlTZv-6xh8kmpPFTXpWBqkLZcuOCnkLuNfT_unbM94LFAXza5IwtQTbnU_p03d6qQWg6-g4soAZqu7s/s640/IMG_VpVsAlderbrook.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I've also uploaded a video of this to youtube:<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1120305894"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ziPDKxBceY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ziPDKxBceY</a><br />
<br />
The video has better image quality, but doesn't repeat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
jgjghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-521206821550406362.post-32405350057590317012017-01-13T12:54:00.000-08:002017-01-15T08:29:06.644-08:00What's Up, Orange County Astronomers, 13 January 2017I'm presented a What's Up in the Sky for the Orange County Astronomers on 13 January 2017, and here I'm sharing some photos and images I created for the presentation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ56dVyRTXY-27p8WQQ0nbnBV_yp4dHWYhs86QXQpMnMNTsrbx6nQzaRl_STs6qm7_1753gulq0NVyLF8zGtVDETxlbPcB6MMEQsH41YoYe-1UlaCEmAq0UJbWo7fHfdtoON53XOLnjs/s1600/orographic_7March2016_058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ56dVyRTXY-27p8WQQ0nbnBV_yp4dHWYhs86QXQpMnMNTsrbx6nQzaRl_STs6qm7_1753gulq0NVyLF8zGtVDETxlbPcB6MMEQsH41YoYe-1UlaCEmAq0UJbWo7fHfdtoON53XOLnjs/s320/orographic_7March2016_058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Klaatu Barada Nikto"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This time of year offers excellent orographic clouds, </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
such as this lenticular cloud over Mt. San Jacinto.</div>
<br />
<br />
First is a comparison of the size of our sun as it appears now, in January, and as it will appear in July.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbTB3rtsIb1HlCtwpiYfrVFerVq-G378YOtNljwkyBzS08y21Lfhx_yimRuN2d_ObbYMc49V3vPHnJ_t3M4DAwj_JpH0x_5dOCar-vE756b_IC-GV9MZeohMMxBe1nrDlJA8GFgtzrd8/s1600/JanJulySun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbTB3rtsIb1HlCtwpiYfrVFerVq-G378YOtNljwkyBzS08y21Lfhx_yimRuN2d_ObbYMc49V3vPHnJ_t3M4DAwj_JpH0x_5dOCar-vE756b_IC-GV9MZeohMMxBe1nrDlJA8GFgtzrd8/s320/JanJulySun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The larger outline in the photo is the sun from January 3, when Earth is closest to the sun. This photo was overlaid on a photo from July, when the Earth is farther away. There's a noticeable difference in size.<br />
<br />
Below is an exaggeration of the orbit and the orientation of Earth's pole. Perihelion and northern hemisphere winter is on the left; aphelion and northern hemisphere summer is on the left.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLribzr4NM5GTPOYH2gUeTbe_YSkkcel6S4up6lXE2NqZoL-4j__YzdQ8wT8Kr3v4KWX0I8-DYlOOBkvmNQWwNeEGllDeDTD5tqTBPJNF8UUBSBWItZyCzZAFfTwZooP7SO9RbUpqLKP0/s1600/Orbit3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLribzr4NM5GTPOYH2gUeTbe_YSkkcel6S4up6lXE2NqZoL-4j__YzdQ8wT8Kr3v4KWX0I8-DYlOOBkvmNQWwNeEGllDeDTD5tqTBPJNF8UUBSBWItZyCzZAFfTwZooP7SO9RbUpqLKP0/s320/Orbit3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Earth's tilt defines the orientation of the seasons, which I've added as a ring with zones based on which season the Earth is in during its orbit. Because of the elliptical orbit, Earth accelerates as it approaches perihelion and slows at aphelion. So, the Earth is closer to the sun at aphelion, but it also spend less time in this position. The reverse occurs in northern summer. Our Earth lingers in the summer position because it slows near aphelion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQZS_VZbn_cweACVZFOqBKGGay_tFRYLmRCtRUI0_WHGFUxRFRbe2V3SiRY2-rfnnAC9EUWSbZHNXaVwNSDehwC7VHuptt_IgsJHHVjpHLBvSUpDyTDvs28FU9VW1ULPhQUZ0yAXhBOA/s1600/Orbit8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQZS_VZbn_cweACVZFOqBKGGay_tFRYLmRCtRUI0_WHGFUxRFRbe2V3SiRY2-rfnnAC9EUWSbZHNXaVwNSDehwC7VHuptt_IgsJHHVjpHLBvSUpDyTDvs28FU9VW1ULPhQUZ0yAXhBOA/s320/Orbit8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Many people are aware of the sun being closer and farther away while not being aware that earth is speeding up and slowing down.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The longer winter for the southern hemisphere was an early hypothesis for why Antarctica is so cold.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Astrologers like to point to the sun's position and imagine it has some influence in our lives. I like to point to the sun's position and say it has some real scientific relevance. In this case, the astronomer's understanding of Earth's changing orbit is a foundation of the science of climatology. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This understanding has linked the motions of Earth's tilt with the changing shape and orientation of the Earth's orbit with the rise and fall of Earth's ice ages.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As the Earth's pole precesses, our seasons rotate:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHr9qB43mJuAosAQVwpvs7WJ7-yMoQbMqOiHqwv3TysI61ysPZwIepYS1x_zJV7Zfd8-2KKrlHQmoZekuoAauIp9eXyBq_7oqufefyhREohmy0hKA5DjcMEb9CG0Z05S4OL-wDYLpr6M/s1600/precession4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHr9qB43mJuAosAQVwpvs7WJ7-yMoQbMqOiHqwv3TysI61ysPZwIepYS1x_zJV7Zfd8-2KKrlHQmoZekuoAauIp9eXyBq_7oqufefyhREohmy0hKA5DjcMEb9CG0Z05S4OL-wDYLpr6M/s320/precession4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdnLpQihICTtxPWkW8-YWo3pHtXbXFt7aZY9vSU1QbodAz86n2Mwh3GNmtkMx71CQ2QRqcHAlaxTfZVskeIgutCXXQX2-22OIr0JyYMZLTkT3DjaXPTRtadxtkG9Yc1Aqo9z82_0d3eo/s1600/precession2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdnLpQihICTtxPWkW8-YWo3pHtXbXFt7aZY9vSU1QbodAz86n2Mwh3GNmtkMx71CQ2QRqcHAlaxTfZVskeIgutCXXQX2-22OIr0JyYMZLTkT3DjaXPTRtadxtkG9Yc1Aqo9z82_0d3eo/s320/precession2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8FYlo9QNy0tjwPngYTObJ8AD4p9SwQvsfwdkrQKj-FywDunGT269P-4xkbIbIL-a_FQ5is7BVf0EkfoWwFfJMitBc-znpXYU5IEJri060zeD_eqEA_oFQ1t9TDtjIy5LpS9alpox_n8/s1600/precession3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8FYlo9QNy0tjwPngYTObJ8AD4p9SwQvsfwdkrQKj-FywDunGT269P-4xkbIbIL-a_FQ5is7BVf0EkfoWwFfJMitBc-znpXYU5IEJri060zeD_eqEA_oFQ1t9TDtjIy5LpS9alpox_n8/s320/precession3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
While the pole is precessing, the points of perihelion and aphelion are moving in the opposite direction.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL_zmCBbksRlO8Ff9lVlverC84N61yH24d5WiSDeC2xrK0Ayd2-aj7pOBWWNjGIPnhmbZ04zhZ3mHQvcaaF-5ydXYQhL-7O7Sv8ATqfTWK0AMcxNuLcL6Y2zXAds29cJdAdajVjVqG_A/s1600/precession5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL_zmCBbksRlO8Ff9lVlverC84N61yH24d5WiSDeC2xrK0Ayd2-aj7pOBWWNjGIPnhmbZ04zhZ3mHQvcaaF-5ydXYQhL-7O7Sv8ATqfTWK0AMcxNuLcL6Y2zXAds29cJdAdajVjVqG_A/s320/precession5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2_Mg9pygJy_HF89ExDupS4B-ejiE9U-mGzsL1ISDFV_e_So2sOG22UPS123yZjHpedRft41CCgcrgWC326x8hExTVJX1mP5-tE544BICYuyRl1fTsvUYHgD68d3dtybQyD8aY6HPLZA/s1600/precession6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2_Mg9pygJy_HF89ExDupS4B-ejiE9U-mGzsL1ISDFV_e_So2sOG22UPS123yZjHpedRft41CCgcrgWC326x8hExTVJX1mP5-tE544BICYuyRl1fTsvUYHgD68d3dtybQyD8aY6HPLZA/s320/precession6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Astronomers refer to the rotation of the season as precession, which as has a cycle of almost 26,000 years. Climatologist are interested in a different cycle that combines the motion of the seasons with the motion of perihelion. They also call this "precession" and recognize a cycle that varies in length between 19,000 and 23,000 years. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Climbing to Venus. Below is a recent photo of Venus of Intersection Rock at Joshua Tree National Park. The exposure brings out the lights from climbers scaling the rock at dusk. Projecting their path along a rock points to Venus, a worthy goal.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLaqiqtewBjW7_4Ggo0Nappy35cDqgpyCUpF1baoqM3JcpzG9KPcQm3Y5YgiRtkIwndSG-BtxibJKP9tQXPaigU9x06N4oT83WBOnbf11spwIzlPFHjsECUKo0Q-_0zp7Hx4ivwZW_0g/s1600/VenusOverIntersectionRock_route3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLaqiqtewBjW7_4Ggo0Nappy35cDqgpyCUpF1baoqM3JcpzG9KPcQm3Y5YgiRtkIwndSG-BtxibJKP9tQXPaigU9x06N4oT83WBOnbf11spwIzlPFHjsECUKo0Q-_0zp7Hx4ivwZW_0g/s320/VenusOverIntersectionRock_route3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I propose that Astronomy can help. It can calculate the best time for attempting a climb to Venus. Let's look at our planets.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have 4 planets visible in the western sky at dusk..</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our Evening Planets</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXcpWgepxtt7st77D14h_3wSRMZ3YoXGQulbRtdOexLvFZRVkhwOVW0-2gct4QJsQvfc-id8DXGq23-qhlIDZeCeURntlrnfWnSf2K6XGQf8cm1GEeYuGTkJbtCZiEJ-LsKvcIDN1Alg/s1600/VenusAndMars3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXcpWgepxtt7st77D14h_3wSRMZ3YoXGQulbRtdOexLvFZRVkhwOVW0-2gct4QJsQvfc-id8DXGq23-qhlIDZeCeURntlrnfWnSf2K6XGQf8cm1GEeYuGTkJbtCZiEJ-LsKvcIDN1Alg/s320/VenusAndMars3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Of these, Mars and Venus will show significant movement against the background stars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z8dMF3Ra4Z7e8dL7MoFbs8OQ32_n1yw2KIKO54-8qcozkxfahCrdzFEqFjm6V-mVRbnYgz7OUqa5O8M2BsFCLDKpRfMCvc9M0Udjj-ltUbIn_d1CkgoL5hyR0DBDY9aq3nT27w54zSY/s1600/VenusAndMars4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z8dMF3Ra4Z7e8dL7MoFbs8OQ32_n1yw2KIKO54-8qcozkxfahCrdzFEqFjm6V-mVRbnYgz7OUqa5O8M2BsFCLDKpRfMCvc9M0Udjj-ltUbIn_d1CkgoL5hyR0DBDY9aq3nT27w54zSY/s320/VenusAndMars4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oafIO-w0LO_6cI545XncyvCdZYoSoOOsJOosD8R8v5HT3unFl2fMXiq3kWfsPiPM3EIhPTxMa4Hj8YyVWlTpszU8Qv6wyVnrhEvSGwBlOKmAJu2pVYRXOWTGfKXWS209s6eocT9CrOs/s1600/VenusAndMars5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oafIO-w0LO_6cI545XncyvCdZYoSoOOsJOosD8R8v5HT3unFl2fMXiq3kWfsPiPM3EIhPTxMa4Hj8YyVWlTpszU8Qv6wyVnrhEvSGwBlOKmAJu2pVYRXOWTGfKXWS209s6eocT9CrOs/s320/VenusAndMars5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Venus, moving the most, will come closer to Earth and change in apparent size. Now is a good time to watch and photograph Venus, aided by the high tilt of the ecliptic at this time of year. This photo shows relative sizes of Mars, Venus now, and Venus in one month if you looked through each with a telescope at more that 100x magnification. (Note that this is size and not position, so you won't be able to see these objects together through a telescope.)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVNd5mOHFq9Y9UnFRvmhT7vg1lOvnTUkmLR0nIt5VG3SzAnTs10QHbpUqfoDonCDbIkJNL9v85c6x092hRTqTgjOn3EYNmn0E0clE8kJrwzNBGsz2SySDBupzjm4eo67vLrlFDMH0dfE/s1600/VenusAndMars8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVNd5mOHFq9Y9UnFRvmhT7vg1lOvnTUkmLR0nIt5VG3SzAnTs10QHbpUqfoDonCDbIkJNL9v85c6x092hRTqTgjOn3EYNmn0E0clE8kJrwzNBGsz2SySDBupzjm4eo67vLrlFDMH0dfE/s320/VenusAndMars8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In about one month, Venus will be closer, and because of the growth of the crescent shape, it will be easier to hang on to.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWCqBM0rYfL9MgS2uiozdZcWd7HNsF2aPIXdDMjABJay_rsr92AkVdfSSAusuG38pPFbZ3zCx7v4aJJJOU1VwNBDJmzRcp6jyrP2-p_iuWBMOtw211H8b3bieaR8fZX-3vWBxUvHLE94/s1600/VenusAndMars_wClimber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWCqBM0rYfL9MgS2uiozdZcWd7HNsF2aPIXdDMjABJay_rsr92AkVdfSSAusuG38pPFbZ3zCx7v4aJJJOU1VwNBDJmzRcp6jyrP2-p_iuWBMOtw211H8b3bieaR8fZX-3vWBxUvHLE94/s320/VenusAndMars_wClimber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just to make sure, this is a joke. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By February 1, the crescent moon joins the bright planets in the evening sky. If you can grab the moon and hang on, it will take you to Jupiter (also a joke).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpsayPUC5c0sdgQndKsFNx67cXRTazTdjnDd5TQ89X8OgFlY3FxD42DrpkPeV807V8pwpgA1tHh-GGa7mqnXjSDtFcR0eWX706u6-hFv9vEcYmTXQ1U7f-o-1Id5xBIvpxJypuJXHG2s/s1600/VenusAndMars_wmoon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpsayPUC5c0sdgQndKsFNx67cXRTazTdjnDd5TQ89X8OgFlY3FxD42DrpkPeV807V8pwpgA1tHh-GGa7mqnXjSDtFcR0eWX706u6-hFv9vEcYmTXQ1U7f-o-1Id5xBIvpxJypuJXHG2s/s320/VenusAndMars_wmoon2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jupiter offers a few worthwhile transits, depending on whether you a day job:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5FCmIEBodQFU-762tQ_uasKHOnCCIetpklc9qHVVxXWVGglyNNyretGnxf3XgjpIGwu9-3TkmOn3d8Jrjc_aEJq3UyOzPnBjlXcTzhPL6PWXgvbID5OOOJFPRv7sVhwHjRj4dvESPXc/s1600/jupiter5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5FCmIEBodQFU-762tQ_uasKHOnCCIetpklc9qHVVxXWVGglyNNyretGnxf3XgjpIGwu9-3TkmOn3d8Jrjc_aEJq3UyOzPnBjlXcTzhPL6PWXgvbID5OOOJFPRv7sVhwHjRj4dvESPXc/s320/jupiter5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now, a look at the deep sky</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia34bBKJPbaKrnGEL99lvfZXeAeQGYUbPgFa0xnPD8VuNpOHySWVHZzoqfnUDsKjOBkHckkQX5fuT4pcO_8-3rBWSsHxA1RbeIirCUn_H06jmVl1Q-4cduRE5pcpQfVgltSxC2kgWnoXw/s1600/UrsaMajor_041b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia34bBKJPbaKrnGEL99lvfZXeAeQGYUbPgFa0xnPD8VuNpOHySWVHZzoqfnUDsKjOBkHckkQX5fuT4pcO_8-3rBWSsHxA1RbeIirCUn_H06jmVl1Q-4cduRE5pcpQfVgltSxC2kgWnoXw/s320/UrsaMajor_041b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvx0D93aSlDADyUBU3s5oxf4eIkQlYUvDkFqEakQMdxmbvatW1TPmPG4OeiujJ4aUpfzYnQzQGZUeG5UzDNaxPqSAHy74yAf3pgMJ9ziGNB4jH0Vq0XR-XCj0oc6x8ftujfqoLFv8qj4/s1600/Gemini_inTrees048a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvx0D93aSlDADyUBU3s5oxf4eIkQlYUvDkFqEakQMdxmbvatW1TPmPG4OeiujJ4aUpfzYnQzQGZUeG5UzDNaxPqSAHy74yAf3pgMJ9ziGNB4jH0Vq0XR-XCj0oc6x8ftujfqoLFv8qj4/s320/Gemini_inTrees048a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Orion, redrawn as a climber.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAliY_8pHNfl-jbRnkCAGjr10GnZLXscv7m0C8y4DhlAUJCeyOae1hAVRtRDIqqgk4CgXiVp9dS69bwCsAHr9XpuID_0NQsR1GiWd1bSBoKpgphi_Szdpm_rXux8eF4GjcqYXt6RgoTQ/s1600/orion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAliY_8pHNfl-jbRnkCAGjr10GnZLXscv7m0C8y4DhlAUJCeyOae1hAVRtRDIqqgk4CgXiVp9dS69bwCsAHr9XpuID_0NQsR1GiWd1bSBoKpgphi_Szdpm_rXux8eF4GjcqYXt6RgoTQ/s320/orion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SztrHTH5Hpl0IpqIrEzLx8t3Y_DHDCumj28f_Q8BwIBmx47jRFf2T4fDkppXq5WVAtxZ2n_W9DhC667Paikk5PczBiyGv0HlhbdBSpTo1TU7UwNf_m-MWlxyutmts5_UwB0M_ZOs4-M/s1600/orion_wclimber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SztrHTH5Hpl0IpqIrEzLx8t3Y_DHDCumj28f_Q8BwIBmx47jRFf2T4fDkppXq5WVAtxZ2n_W9DhC667Paikk5PczBiyGv0HlhbdBSpTo1TU7UwNf_m-MWlxyutmts5_UwB0M_ZOs4-M/s320/orion_wclimber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Orion the Climber seems plausible, as it would explain this photo:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQurzZ8_lH9KrlxuxLA6lnWVgLyha4NIlGHxDYcnGLrYiY6kn8nhYPylbDu_Pg6hg4VYs71zI2Y3dquNH_eZYc5w5qkqzC6q3BlXxJLIb-g_PiI4IBdiQcFYxadVqRbLOgrcKzmPk09ao/s1600/OrionStreiking_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQurzZ8_lH9KrlxuxLA6lnWVgLyha4NIlGHxDYcnGLrYiY6kn8nhYPylbDu_Pg6hg4VYs71zI2Y3dquNH_eZYc5w5qkqzC6q3BlXxJLIb-g_PiI4IBdiQcFYxadVqRbLOgrcKzmPk09ao/s320/OrionStreiking_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WeyqXq-sbux2XXOfthJ6JkrLLRdpR0AIQ_ioUhck5GfbCJuh_cxQMlXjnTZL2hNih6RulnsIQbHjuTjIOIfIpKEzEFHKo3wpxnp9bqTDjdHZbZHAdv5uqFPn0ljHWOTdgLjW1gGRKKM/s1600/OrionStreiking_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WeyqXq-sbux2XXOfthJ6JkrLLRdpR0AIQ_ioUhck5GfbCJuh_cxQMlXjnTZL2hNih6RulnsIQbHjuTjIOIfIpKEzEFHKo3wpxnp9bqTDjdHZbZHAdv5uqFPn0ljHWOTdgLjW1gGRKKM/s320/OrionStreiking_016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Of course, another explanation of this photo is what you get when you put a $1000 camera on a 5-dollar tripod.<br />
<br />
jg<br />
<br />jghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00588440067862480858noreply@blogger.com0