With a clear night sky, I decided to try the new Ricoh Theta Z1 360 degree camera to create some star trails. I set the camera up on my back patio (ISO 400, dual 2.6 mm fisheye lens, f/3.5, 60 sec). The camera can collect 358 raw (DNG) images which corresponds to just under 5 hours at 60 second exposures. The images were processed with PTGUI, Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC to create the following 360 degree Equirectangular Panorama, 360 degree Little Planet View, and 360 degree Tunnel View images. I’ve also included a time-lapse video of the night sky
Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey (360 Equirectangular Panorama). Composite of 360 images taken with a Ricoh Theta Z1 camera (ISO 400, dual 2.6 mm fisheye lens, f/3.5, 60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey (360 Little Planet). Composite of 360 images taken with a Ricoh Theta Z1 camera (ISO 400, dual 2.6 mm fisheye lens, f/3.5, 60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey (360 Tunnel View). Composite of 360 images taken with a Ricoh Theta Z1 camera (ISO 400, dual 2.6 mm fisheye lens, f/3.5, 60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey (360 Tunnel View). Composite of 360 images taken with a Ricoh Theta Z1 camera (ISO 400, dual 2.6 mm fisheye lens, f/3.5, 60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (43.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More sun. A surplus of 18.9 kWh.
I spent the morning working on the patio (time-lapse little planet video). The Grow Towers are doing well. I’ve been harvesting large radishes, broccoli rabe, Swiss chard, and dill. Zinnia and Coreopsis are blooming in the outer cloth pots. I planted Marigold and Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in the inner set of cloth pots. No Marigold flowers yet, and five of the Roselle are growing fast. Several volunteer tomatillo and/or ground cherry plants also sprouted in the inner set of cloth pots.
A herd of deer passed through the backyard just before it started to rain. Then before the sun went down I noticed a partial double rainbow.
Deer in the Backyard. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Partial Double Rainbow. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Daily Electric Energy Used (62.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (62.0 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More sun and a bit of rain. A deficit of 0.7 kWh.
The late afternoon and early evening thunderstorms passed north and south of here. Image of the first quarter moon with the storm clouds to the south a little before sunset.
First Quarter Moon over Summer Thunderclouds at Dusk. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 24-90 mm lens (ISO 100, 44 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)First Quarter Moon over Summer Thunderclouds at Dusk. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 24-90 mm lens (ISO 100, 44 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Birds of the Day: Blue Jay, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, and Red-bellied Woodpecker. I didn’t know that the woodpeckers like fruit. When this woodpecker visited all of the other birds, including the Blue Jays left it have the birdfeeder to itself.
Early Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Daily Electric Energy Used (57.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (74.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun with some clouds. A surplus of 17.3 kWh.
Weekly Electric Energy Used (399 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (490 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A surplus of 91 kWh.
Birds of the Day: American Goldfinch, LBJ, Tufted Titmouse, and Chipping Sparrow. Not sure if the LBJ is a female/immature House Finch, or female/immature Brown-headed Cowbird.
American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 450, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)LBJ (not sure if it is a female/immature House Finch or female/immature Brown-headed Cowbird). Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 450, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 450, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 450, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Early Summer Wildflowers: It appears that at least one Sunflower self-seeded, and grew high enough to bloom out of reach of the ravenous deer. I’ve seen several other sunflower plants clipped off before they could bloom. It looks like the bee (Bumblebee) likes Sunflower pollen.
Bee collecting pollen on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Bee collecting pollen on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Spent some time in the morning working on the patio Grow Towers. Still several to set up and plant.
Daily Electric Energy Used (53.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (78.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and intermittent clouds. A surplus of 25.0 kWh. The solar panels continue to produce more energy than required to keep the house cool with the energy efficient Geothermal HVAC system.
Summertime Dreams — Backyard Wildflower Meadow. Composite of 27 images taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 16-35 mm lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro to produce a Tunnel View, Little Planet View, and Mirrorball View. THe files contain 268 gigapixels and can be printed as a 54 x 54 inch (1.37 x 1.37 meter) poster.
So far, I have identified the following types of flowers in this meadow: Lance-leaf Coreopsis, Larkspur/Delphinium, Cornflower/Bachelor Button, Sweet William, Daisy, Black-eyed Susan, Cosmos, Red Poppy, Forget-me-Not, Flax, Moth Mullein, Baby’s Breath, Beardtongue/Foxglove and Lemon-Mint. Last year this meadow was mainly a variety of Sunflowers that hid the lower wildflowers. I mowed everything down in the fall and didn’t plant any new seeds. So everything in the meadow this year must have self seeded. The Sunflowers seeds must have been consumed by the birds, squirrels, mice, and deer.
Summertime Dreams — Backyard Wildflower Meadow. Composite of 27 images taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 16-35 mm lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)Summertime Dreams — Backyard Wildflower Meadow. Composite of 27 images taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 16-35 mm lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)Summertime Dreams — Backyard Wildflower Meadow. Composite of 27 images taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 16-35 mm lens (ISO 400, 16 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (57.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (75.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and intermittent clouds. A surplus of 18.5 kWh.
Weekly Electric Energy Used (321 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (463 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and intermittent clouds. A surplus of 142 kWh.
