Sunday (03-November-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Outdoor Night Sky Over New Jersey.

I haven’t done any night sky images recently. It is getting colder, and the sky was clear with the Waxing Crescent Moon (nearly 3rd Quarter) shining brightly.

Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of six images (15 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of six images (15 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of nine images (10 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of nine images (10 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of eighteen images (5 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waxing Crescent Moon. Composite of eighteen images (5 second interval) taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop (scripts, maximum). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (77.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out, but much colder outside. Overall a net deficit of 43.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (11.9 kWh). Monthly server backups completed.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (444 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (134 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 310 kWh. Cooler out so the Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house. Notice the 12 hours when the power was off.

Current Weather Conditions

powered by Ambient Weather

Seven-Years Ago (01-September-2012) — Celtic Sea

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 10: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Celtic Sea, and Irish Sea.

There were several Northern Gannets following the MV Explorer. I wanted to get an image of one crossing the full moon. I took lots of pictures, but only came close a few times. Then there was the issue of whether the moon, or the bird should be in focus.


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Seven-Years Ago (28-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 06: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

It was another rough night with heavy seas. I got a picture of the waves outside my cabin portal. By dawn all of the water in the pool had sloshed out and the deck chairs were all tied down. During the day the wind reduced and the seas had calmed. By early evening the happy students escaping from cabin fever were out on deck for sunset. While shooting sunset, I looked behind and saw some students on the upper deck with the waxing Gibbous Moon in the sky next to them.  I would watch out for this type of moon shot on subsequent Semester at Sea voyages. I am waiting for a camera and telephoto lens combination where both the people and moon are in focus (infinite depth of field, and infinite ISO, with no noise).

Rough Seas at Night from my Cabin Portal. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 25600, 16 mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rough Seas at Night from my Cabin Portal. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 25600, 16 mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Twelve-Years Ago (28-August-2007) — Colorado

Summertime Night Sky Over Colorado.

There was a partial Lunar Eclipse  while I was working at the Merck/Sirna site in Boulder. The sky was clear and I spent much of the night observing the eclipse from the Sirna parking lot. At one point I must have stood in front of the camera for a selfie.

Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado, 28-August-2007. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Accidental Ghostly Self Portrait Taken During a Lunar Eclipse. Boulder Colorado.  Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 14 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 14 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (27-August-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Star trails looking north and the waxing gibbous moon (both a composite and time-lapse video).

Startrails Looking North. Composite of 60 images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 10.5 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 10.5 mm, f/4, 120 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro with the composite processed using Phototshop CC Statictics/Maximum. (David J Mathre)
Startrails Looking North. Composite of 60 images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 10.5 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 100, 10.5 mm, f/4, 120 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro with the composite processed using Phototshop CC Statictics/Maximum. (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Composite of 12 images taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Composite of 12 images taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)