Tag: New Jersey

Wednesday (31-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky Over New Jersey — Full Moon.

There has been a lot of media hype over the full moon that would be visible tonight (weather permitting). It is the second full moon in January, so it is a “blue moon”. It is closer to earth at this point in its orbit around the earth so it is a “super moon”. And finally, there will be a lunar eclipse, so a “red” or “blood” moon. Yesterday had been rain, snow, and rain so I wasn’t expecting to even be able to see the moon. As I was going to bed around midnight, I noticed that it was very bright out. I could see the moon directly out my window since it was so high in the sky. So I ended up having to go outside to see it. It was bitterly cold and windy, but the moon was visible. I wasn’t going to stay out very long, and didn’t want to set up a tripod — so the first image was taken hand-held looking almost straight up. I woke up again at 06:00 to see if any of the eclipse would be visible. Here in New Jersey, it would only be visible just before sunrise. The only view I got was one where the moon was going behind the trees. One note that the media forgot to mention, there will not be a full moon in February.

Full (Blue, Super) Moon at Midnight. Winter Night Sky in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/18, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Full (Blue, Super) Moon at Midnight. Winter Night Sky in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/18, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Full (Blue, Super, Blood) Moon at Midnight. Winter Night Sky in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Full (Blue, Super, Blood) Moon at 06:00. Winter Night Sky in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (31-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey — Turkey Vultures.

When looking out my kitchen window, I noticed an ominous shadow on my neighbor’s house. It was a bird, a big bird with big shoulders and a pointed beak. The Turkey Vultures that have been roosting on a house down the block are getting closer…

Turkey Vulture Shadow. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture Shadow. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/850 sec). (David J Mathre)



Individual images from the slide-show can be viewed here.

One might wonder why the Turkey Vultures are all near the chimney vent. Is it because it is warm, or do they smell something. Why are they not out looking for a road-kill deer when the sun is still out?

Thursday (25-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Dawn Sky in New Jersey.

There were some subtle colors in the sky at dawn. I used a different camera today — Leica T with a wide-angle zoom lens (11-23 mm). There is significant distortion when the lens is used at 11 mm. For comparison, the first horizontal image is at 11 mm, and the 2nd image is a composite of 5 vertical images at 23 mm.

Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 11 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 11 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Composite of 5 image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Composite of 5 image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 13 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter Dawn Sky and Clouds in New Jersey from My Backyard. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 100, 13 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)



Individual images in the slide-show can be viewed here.

Sunday (21-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Colorful Contrails and Clouds at Dawn.

More of the clouds were contrails this morning. It was a lot warmer this morning with most of the snow gone. The deer ran off as soon as I got outside (barely visible below the tree).

Dawn Morning Contrails and Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 8 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Contrails and Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 8 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds, Contrails, and Birds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 7 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds, Contrails, and Birds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 7 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

 

Saturday (20-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Colorful Clouds at Dawn.

Developing cloud patterns over a few minutes. It was cold out, and there still was a little bit of snow left on the ground.

Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 12 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 12 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 10 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 10 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 11 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Dawn Morning Clouds. Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Composite of 11 images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 16 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated with AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)