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.

Monday (06-January-2025) — New Jersey

Nine-Years Ago Today. Semester at Sea passenger working on a watercolor painting on the deck of the MV World Odyssey. (06-Jan-2016, Pacific Ocean)

Trolls out for the Snow

We didn’t get much snow. Mostly the winter weather was further south, frustrating January 6th protestors in Washington, D.C. In the following time-lapse video, let me know how many birds you can identify, and how many deer you can see in the far background. The deer are outside of the deer fence.

Sunday (05-January-2025) — New Jersey

Nine-Years Ago Today. Mandatory lifeboat drill aboard the MV World Odyssey. Day 1 of the 2016 Semester at Sea Spring Voyage. (05-Jan-2016, Pacific Ocean)

Silhouettes of Jets Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of jets with condensation trails 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 Stellina automated telescope using solar filters. For much of the day there were high level clouds partially obscuring the sun. I’m not sure why the solar images from the Vespera Classic telescope have a dark green background. The image from the Stellina telescope has a normal black background. There is a difference in the displayed angle of the sun between the Stellina and Vespera telescopes. Compare the position of the sunspots.

Silhouette of a jet with a condensation trail 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 with a condensation trail transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.

Jets with contrails passing in front of the sun. Images captured with a Stellina and Vespera Classic telescopes fitted with solar filters. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery

Saturday (04-January-2025) — New Jersey

Nine-Years Ago Today. Seagull with the MV World Odyssey docked at the San Diego Harbor. One day before the 2016 Spring Semester at Sea Voyage would sail. (04-Jan-2016, California).

Red Fox in the Backyard Hunting

Just before this video, a rabbit was observed running away. After I mowed down the wildflower meadow, the field is pretty barren.

Friday (03-January-2025) — New Jersey

Eleven-Years Ago Today. Trolls Playing in the Snow. (03-Jan-2014, New Jersey)

Silhouettes of Jets and Birds Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of jets and birds transiting the sun while looking at the sunspots (we are at or near the solar maximum). I was viewing the sun with a Stellina automated telescope using solar filters. The silhouette of one of the jets was much larger that the majority of previously observed images. Still a long way away. If someone could identify the type of jet, we could estimate the distance relative to the angular diameter of the sun.

Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) with a solar filter
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) with a solar filter

Jets and birds passing in front of the sun. Images captured with a Stellina telescope fitted with a solar filter. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery

Thursday (02-January-2025) — New Jersey

Fourteen-Years Ago Today. Bee Approaching a Pink Lupine in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar. (02-Jan-2011, Argentina)

Silhouettes of Jets Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of jets 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 Stellina automated telescope using solar filters. I’m not sure why the solar images from the Vespera Classic telescope have a dark green background. The image from the Stellina telescope has a normal black background. There is a difference in the displayed angle of the sun between the Stellina and Vespera telescopes. Compare the position of the sunspots.

Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) with a solar filter
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5) 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.
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.

Full 360° Winter Night Sky View over New Jersey

I used a Nikon Z9 camera and 8-15 mm fisheye lens pointed straight up again to get images for a time-lapse 360° video of the night sky. I changed the camera settings so I would get images for the full night (8 mm, ISO 800, f/11, 30 sec) with a 3 second rather than 2 second delay between images. The time-lapse video was created using Photoshop (2K, 10p). A lot more clouds than yesterday. Many jet trails, and maybe a couple meteors. Best viewed expanded to full screen mode.