Category: Astronomy

Views of the sun, moon, and stars

Thursday (16-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Night Sky in New Jersey.

While reviewing images from last night, I found one where I captured a firefly flashing. So far it is early in the firefly season and I hope to get more images before the season ends.

Late Spring Night Sky with Firefly in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/8, 60 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, NIK Define 2, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Night Sky with Firefly in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/8, 60 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, NIK Define 2, and Photoshop CS5

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Wednesday (15-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Night Sky over New Jersey.

We didn’t get to see the full lunar eclipse in this part of the world. The sky was clear, and the moon was bright so I got a chance to test taking images of the moon with my new 600 mm telephoto lens. The first five are attempting the same exposure while changing both aperture and shutter speed (f/16, 1/50 sec; f/11, 1/100 sec; f/8, 1/200 sec; f/5.6, 1/400 sec; and f/4, 1/800 sec). The final image was taken at 1200 mm using a TC-E III 20 teleconverter. For all of the images I used the camera autofocus, remote shutter, mirror up for a 30 second delay to allow the mirror up vibrations to decay, and tripod VR mode.

Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/16, 1/50 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/16, 1/50 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/8, 1/100 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/8, 1/100 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 (ISO 100, 1200 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Late Spring Full Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 (ISO 100, 1200 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec) on a Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5

Saturday (30-April-2011) — At Sea

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 4: At Sea.

We have two days at sea while traveling from Cabo San Lucas in Mexico to Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala. Most of the day was spent in the classroom with Michael. Images for the day include sunrise, sunset, and photography workshop members while at sea.

Sunrise on the M/V Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise on the MV Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).
Sunrise on the M/V Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise on the MV Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).
Sunrise on the M/V Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise on the MV Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).
Sunrise on the M/V Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise on the MV Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).
Sunrise on the M/V Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Sunrise on the MV Explorer 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).
Nikonians Eating Dinner on Deck 6 of the M/V Explorer. UTW-II 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 16 mm fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, sharpened with Focus Magic, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
UTPW-II Photography Workshop Members Eating Dinner on Deck 6 of the MV Explorer.  2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 16 mm fisheye lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec).
Jon and Rob waiting for sunset on Deck 6 of the M/V Explorer. UTW-II 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Leica X1 (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Jon and Rob waiting for sunset on Deck 6 of the MV Explorer. UTPW-II 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/160 sec).
Practicing Street Photography with a Fisheye on Deck 6 of the M/V Explorer. UTW-II 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 16 mm fisheye lens (ISO 3200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed and converted to B&W with Capture One Pro, sharpened with Focus Magic, converted to sRGB/jpg with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Practicing Street Photography with a Fisheye on Deck 6 of the MV Explorer. UTPW-II 2011 Spring Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 16 mm fisheye lens (ISO 3200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec).

Saturday (30-April-2011) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 4: At Sea.

Comparison of Digital Noise Reduction Programs. Pre-dawn view of the Moon, Venus (and Mercury) over the Pacific Ocean. Professor Ian Campbell had us look for the moon and several planets in close proximity. Here are a couple of images taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). I needed the high ISO to even get a 1/30 sec exposure since it was still dark and the ship was moving. For each image I processed with no digital noise reduction, then with either NIK Define 2.0 or Topaz DeNoise 5.0.

Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5.
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with NIK Define 2.0. (David J Mathre)
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with NIK Define 2.0.
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with Topaz DeNoise 5.0. (David J Mathre)
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with Topaz DeNoise 5.0.
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5.
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with NIK Define 2.0. (David J Mathre)
Pre-Dawn View of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/1.4G (ISO 1600, 85 mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and converted to jpg/sRGB with Photoshop CS5. Noise Reduction with NIK Define 2.0.

Friday (29-April-2011) — Mexico

Gone to See Central America and the Panama Canal. Semester at Sea Spring 2011 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. Day 3: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

A series of 12 telephoto images of a fisherman with the sun rising. The images were taken from deck 7 of the Semester at Sea MV Explorer while anchored off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -1.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized -0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.00 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.00 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.00 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.00 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.67 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Fisherman at Sunrise while at Anchor off Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, (levels normalized +0.33 EV for exposure, cropped), Nik Define 2 (noise reduction), and converted to web with Photoshop CS5.