Category: Skyscape

Views of the sky. Sunrise, sunset, clouds, and weather

Wednesday (29-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Backyard Night Sky Over New Jersey.

The night sky was clear and I haven’t done star trails for some time. I set up a Nikon D850 camera with a 8-15 mm fisheye lens (ISO 800, 15 mm, f/8, 30 sec) on my patio to collect a series of night sky images. The images were processed with Capture One Pro and the composite star trails created using Photoshop CC (scripts, statistics, maximum).


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (78.2 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (39.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A sunny day. A deficit of 38.7 kWh.

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Four-Years Ago (27-January-2016) — Japan

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 22: Overland Field Trip. Miyajima.

We took the ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima. We spent the morning and afternoon walking about. I noticed a large Crow or Raven in a pine tree. Later on a Rock Pigeon on the ground, and a Black Kite flying overhead.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Raven or large Crow in Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 186 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Rock Pigeon in Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Black Kite flying over Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 215mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Black Kite flying over Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (20-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

A Dark-eyed Junco at the feeder, and several Turkey Vultures soaring during the day.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Dark-eyed Junco at the bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 3200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec).
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 telephoto lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/22, 1/500 sec).
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1600 sec).
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 telephoto lens + 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/6.4, 1/500 sec).

Twelve-Years Ago (19-January-2008) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Morning walkabout at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. The pond was filled with Mallard Ducks. I also saw a Great Blue Heron on the other side of the pond. I stayed until the ducks flew away.

Great Blue Heron at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 320, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 320, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks taking off out of the pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks taking off out of the pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mallard Ducks in flight at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (17-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 12: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

At least three of the Masked Boobies remained with the ship overnight. At dawn one was up on the mast. Once the sun rose, they flew above the ship for a while, then flew away.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Masked Booby on the Mast at Dawn. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Masked Booby on the Mast at Dawn. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Masked Booby in flight just after sunrise. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 116 mm, f/5.6 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Three Masked Boobies in flight just after sunrise. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO250, 149 mm, f/5.6 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)