Author: David Mathre

I am a scientist by training (Eckerd College, BSc; Caltech, Ph.D.). I worked for 27 years as a Chemist in the Pharmaceutical Industry developing processes to manufacture medicines for human and animal health. I now spend my time as a photographer and world traveler. My interests include the natural world, wildlife, landscapes, sky, and seascapes, travel, and astrophotography. I look for unique ways of viewing the world and presenting my images. I have traveled to over 55 countries in six continents, often on Semester at Sea voyages. While at home in New Jersey, I spend time on home renovation and expansion of a wildflower garden/meadow.

Wednesday (01-January-2025) — New Jersey

Fourteen-Years Ago Today. Early Morning View of Fitzroy from El Pilaf Hosteria in El Chalten. (01-Jan-2011, Argentina)

Winter Night Sky Over New Jersey.

During the day I got several alerts from the Space Weather Prediction Center indicating that there might be chance for an aurora. There are many sunspots visible during the current Solar Maximum that I have been showing over the last month. I set up several cameras just in case we get a display like we did on 11-October-2024. Unfortunately, I didn’t see evidence of an aurora. In the star trail composite images, I did see lots of jet trails, and a few of the Quadrantids meteors. I used a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens pointed straight up to get a 360° view of the sky. The first three images are composites 19:00-22:35 (some clouds before 20:00), 20:00-22:35 (clouds gone), and 22:38-00:30. There are a set of 30-minute composites in the slide show. And finally, a time-lapse video created using the individual 30 second exposure images.

Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens.
Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens. 19:00-22:35
Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens.
Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens. 20:00-22:35
Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens.
Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite of images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens. 22:38-00:30

Winter Night Sky Star Trails Over New Jersey. Composite 30-minute images taken with a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens. The individual images are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Tuesday (31-December-2024) — New Jersey

Fourteen-Years Ago Today. Equitrekking at Estancia Helsingfors. (31-Dec-2010, Argentina)

Silhouettes of Jets and a bird Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of jets and a bird transiting the sun while looking at the sunspots (we are at or near the solar maximum). I was viewing the sun with a Vespera Classic and Vespera Pro automated telescope using solar filters. The bird is ether small or a long distance away. I’m not sure why the solar images from the Vespera Classic telescope have a dark green background and the one from the Vespera Pro telescope has a dark red background.

Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a bird. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/714 sec) with a solar filter.
Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a bird. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/714 sec) with a solar filter.

Monday (30-December-2024) — New Jersey

Five-Years Ago Today. Little Planet view of the Andalusia Plaza in Granada Terrace. Historic Northeast St. Petersburg. (30-Dec-2019, Florida)

Silhouettes of Birds Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of three Canada Geese and a Turkey Vulture or Hawk transiting the sun while looking at the sunspots (we are at or near the solar maximum). I was viewing the sun with a Stellina and Vespera Classic automated telescope using solar filters. I am not sure if these are the type of geese that migrate south, of just fly in circles staying in New Jersey. My pond was frozen over, so they were not staying here.

Silhouette of three geese flying in front the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of three geese flying in front the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a Hawk or Turkey Vulture passing in front of the sun. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a Hawk or Turkey Vulture passing in front of the sun. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.

Saturday (28-December-2024) — New Jersey

Fourteen-Years Ago Today. Yellow Flower in front of a Locked Vault. Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires. (28-Dec-2010, Argentina)

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015: Day 13 – At Sea on the Hurtigruten MS Fram in the South Atlantic Ocean

The wind and waves were not as bad as the Hurtigruten MS Fram continued traveling south and west from South Georgia to Antarctica. Still not many folks were up and around either in the observation deck or in the dining rooms. I didn’t take any sea-sick medication and was doing fine as long as I kept eating the meals and could view the horizon. The ship’s musician was playing Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” on the piano in observation deck in the background during this short video clip recorded on a Leica T camera.