Thursday (31-October-2024) — New Jersey

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 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.
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.

Two-Years Ago (25-November-2015) — Cuba

Gone to See Cuba 2015: Departure.

While departing Cuba on an Eastern Airline flight from Havana International Airport, I noticed a DC-10 parked next to the runway. The plane was missing its engines, and looked like it had been in a fire. I wonder if it is a training prop for emergency drills?

DC-10 (shell) Parked at the Havana International Airport. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
DC-10 (shell) Parked at the Havana International Airport. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)