Category: Astronomy

Views of the sun, moon, and stars

Thursday (14-January-2016) — At Sea, Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 10: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

Sunset, including the “Green Flash” from the deck of the MV World Odyssey while crossing the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to Japan.

"Green Flash" as the sun drops into the Sea from the Deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
“Green Flash” as the sun drops into the Sea from the Deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four Years Ago (02-January-2012) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky in New Jersey.

Moon with Jupiter in Conjunction. I could just barely get Jupiter in the frame using a 300 mm lens. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec).

Moon with Jupiter in Conjunction. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Moon with Jupiter in Conjunction. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five Years Ago (02-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 8: Hosteria El Pilar.

Images from around Hosteria El Pilar near El Chalten in Argentina. When we saw the orange clouds developing at dusk over Mount Fitzroy we all left our deserts and rushed out of the dining room with whatever camera we had nearby. Some said the cloud looked like a shrimp, a dragon, and a Praying Mantis. I may have wished I had a different camera at the time, but didn’t chance missing the show.

The other images include a bee approaching a Pink Lupine flower, a horse and reflection of Mount Fitzroy at dawn, and then several early (02:00 to 03:00) night sky images. This was the first time I saw the Southern Milky Way, and an upside down Orion constellation.

Silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia at Dusk with Glowing Orange Clouds from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/5.6, 1100/sec) (David J Mathre)
Silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia at Dusk with Glowing Orange Clouds from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/5.6, 1100/sec) (David J Mathre)
Bee Approaching a Pink Lupine in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bee Approaching a Pink Lupine in Patagonia. Hosteria El Pilar, El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Reflection of Fitzroy in the Morning with a Horse. Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 sec). Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan, Day 7. (David J Mathre)
Reflection of Fitzroy in the Morning with a Horse. Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 sec). Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan, Day 7. (David J Mathre)


Thursday (03-December-2015) — New Jersey

House Renovation: Outside Views

I set up the Mindrain Astro motion control head to take 360 degree images of my backyard. The house renovation project is in progress. The roof has been replaced, and the new siding is in progress. The deck is gone and the patio just started. The Astro was programmed to trigger a Fuji X-T1 camera with a Zeiss 12 mm f/2.8  lens periodically as it rotated the camera in a complete circle. The images were then processed into the following time-lapsed videos. Later in the evening I tried night sky sequence (but only rotating the camera 120 degrees.