Nine-Years Ago Today. Frost covered Common Barberry. Hobler Park, New Jersey. (06-Dec-2015).
Jet Silhouettes Transiting the Sun.
In addition to the sunspots (we are at or near the solar maximum) I captured two jets transiting the sun using a Vespera Pro telescope fitted with a solar filter.
Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a jet. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a jet. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS)
The comet is getting fainter and the tail shorter. The magnitude is now 10.0. The first image is a composite of 31 images (5 min 10 sec) and the second one is a composite of 90 images (15 min). In the second image there is some movement of the comet head. Also, the comet is moving into a region of the sky with part of the milky way in the background (many more faint stars).
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS). Composite of 31 10 sec images taken with a Vaonis Vespera-Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 310 sec).Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS). Composite of 90 10 sec images taken with a Vaonis Vespera-Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 900 sec).
Jets and birds passing in front of the sun with sunspots.
The sky started out clear and sunny with clouds coming in later in the day. The Stellina telescope was fitted with a solar filter and set to observe the sun and sunspots. While reviewing a time-lapse video of the 18500 images (7h 45m compressed down to 10m 15s) I noticed the silhouette of a couple of jets and a bird (Turkey Vulture). Let me know if you see anything else (other than clouds) passing in front of the sun. It was windy with leaves falling from the trees. Even though it is Halloween, I didn’t catch a silhouette of a witch on a broom flying past the sun. By evening, the sky clouded over, so no images of the comet or other night sky objects.
Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a jet. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a jet. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.Sun with sunspots and the silhouette of a bird. Image taken with a Vaonis Stellina Telescope (400 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Dark-eyed Junco.
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens. (David J Mathre)
Indoor hydroponic California Poppy flower opening. Time-lapse Video. Images taken every one minute using a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens.
Time-lapse video of yardwork on Red Rover. I needed to prepare for a storm predicted for tomorrow. Rain, snow, heavy wind, and temperatures dropping well below zero. The bulbs in Soft Pots that started to sprout needed to be brought back into the garage. Also, the Garden Shed that I had been storing the tractor implements blew over during the last windstorm. I was able to set it back up, but two of the ground anchors failed. For this upcoming storm, I decided to anchor the shed from within using a pallet of fertilizer.
Daily Electric Energy Used (81.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (58.5 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Deficit of 23.8 kWh. I should note that the Solar monitoring from SolSystem via Locus Energy stopped working since the Locus LG-120 meter uses 3G cellular to connect. ATT has turned off 3G cellular.
I’ve re-added the feed from my Ambient Weather Station.
Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.
Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
AeroGarden Hydroponic Updates. Classic 6 #1 Day 6: All 6/6 of the Basil have sprouted. Bounty #1 Day 6: All 9/9 of the Bok Choi have sprouted. Bounty #2 Day 6: 2/2 of the Rouge d’Hiver and 2/2 of the Black Seed Simpson have sprouted. The other lettuce varieties have not sprouted. Classic 6 #2 Day 6: Only the Celosia flower has sprouted. Farm 9R Seed Starting Tray, Day 5: A few more of the poppy seeds have started to germinate. Some fungus is growing on the sponges.
AeroGarden Classic-6 #1. Day 6. Genovese Basil (4/4). Thai Basil (2/2). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
AAeroGarden Bounty #1. Day 6. Bok Choi (9/9). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Bounty #2. Day 6. Red Sails (0/2); Rouge d’Hiver (2/2), Paris Island (0/1), Deer Tongue (0/1), Marvel of 4 Seasons (0/1), Black Seeded Simpson (2/2). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Classic-6 #2. Day 6. Dill (0/1), Italian Parsley (0/1), Chives (0/1), Orange Gazania (0/1), Phlox Mix (0/1), Celosia (1/1). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Farm 9R Seed Sprouting Tray. Day 5. Row A: California Poppy (American Meadows, 2018) 1/8; Row B: Oriental Poppy (American Meadows, 2019) 0/10; Row C: Lauren Grape Poppy Seeds (Marde Ross & Company, 2020) 1/11; Row D: Hungarian Breadseed Poppy Seeds (Plant Good Seed, 2020) 10/10; Row E: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 8/8; Row F: Turkish Tulip Poppy Seeds (Waterfall Seeds, 2020) 9/10; Row G: Somniferum Blend Poppy Seeds (Seed Needs, 2020) 10/11; Row H: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 9/9; Row I: Mixed Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 8/8. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
Daily Electric Energy Used (120.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (38.7 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Very cold out, supplemental resistance heating required to keep the house warm. Also running six humidifers and five AeroGarden hydroponic gardens. Deficit of 81.5 kWh.
Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco.
Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.
Time-lapse videos: Day 3 of the Bok Choi seeds sprouting. Both videos are of images taken every 1 minute for 5 hours 45 minutes then displayed at 12 frames/second. I cut some of the paper retaining ring to get better visibility of the seedlings growing. During the second video, an invasive Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) and an invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) were caught crawling by the Bok Choi seedling.
Invasive Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) investigating the Bok Choi seedlings. Image taken with a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens. (David J Mathre)
Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) investigating the Bok Choi seedlings. Image taken with a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens. (David J Mathre)
Daily Electric Energy Used (92.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. The sun returned after a day of rain then snow. Deficit of 57.5 kWh.
