Category: Astronomy

Views of the sun, moon, and stars

Monday (16-November-2009) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Night Sky in New Jersey.

Orion, Taurus, Pleiades and clouds. Looking South from my backyard. One of ~ 1000 images taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/4, 30 sec). I transformed the series into a time-lapse video using Photoshop (720p, 24p).

New Jersey Autumn Night Sky. Image acquired with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 400, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)
New Jersey Autumn Night Sky. Image acquired with a Nikon D3x camera and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E lens (ISO 400, f/4, 30 sec) (David J Mathre)

Tuesday (30-December-2008) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky Over New Jersey: Time-lapse Video

The ClearSky folks didn’t have a good forecast for the whole night, but I still recorded the night sky looking south. You can see the clouds kept passing over, so no star trails.

Wednesday (20-February-2008) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky in New Jersey: Lunar Eclipse.

The moon does turn red during a lunar eclipse, even if it is only a partial eclipse.

Luna Eclipse over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1 sec). (David J Mathre)
Luna Eclipse over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1 sec).

Friday (15-February-2008) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky in New Jersey. Moon Ring and Orion.

The 22° Halo around the moon is caused by refraction of ice crystal high in the atmosphere.

Winter Night Sky over New Jersey. Moon, moon ring, Orion. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 17 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Night Sky over New Jersey. Moon, moon ring, Orion. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 17 mm, f/2.8, 30 sec).

Sunday (23-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 2: Family & Friends in St. Petersburg.

Images of a brown anole lizard, house sparrow (?), mosquito, bright red flower, and paparazzi all in the family garden. Then the full moon, St. Petersburg Pier, and holiday lights from the Vinoy Hotel.

Looking at You. Brown Anole Lizard in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Looking at You. Brown Anole Lizard in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mosquito on a screen in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mosquito on a screen in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Family Photography. St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/11, 1/5000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Family Photography. St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 3200, 200 mm, f/11, 1/5000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bright red flowers in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 900, 200 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bright red flowers in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 900, 200 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
House Sparrow (?) on a Carambola Tree in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
House Sparrow (?) on a Carambola Tree in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Full Moon from a balcony a the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and Questar 3.5" telescope (ISO 3200, ~1400 mm, f/16, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Full Moon from a balcony a the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and Questar 3.5″ telescope (ISO 3200, ~1400 mm, f/16, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)