Tag: Santa

Friday (23-December-2022) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime in New Jersey.

Yesterday it rained most of the day. Then during the night, the temperature rose with more wind and rain. By noon the temperature was dropping rapidly, and for a short period there was heavy wind and blowing snow. That is when I got a picture of the Santa Nisse meditating before Christmas.

Meditating Santa. (David J Mathre)
Meditating Santa wishing for a white Christmas. Image taken with a Hasselblad X2D camera and 90 mm f/3.5 lens (ISO 64, 90 mm, f/4, 16 sec). (David J Mathre)

Just after astronomical twilight the sky was clear long enough to capture enough images of the Orion Galaxy (M42) using the Vespera astro-camera. After that the clouds came back with cold wind and blowing snow. The Vespera seems to handle 7°F (-14°C). I do leave the Vespera outside for 15 minutes to equilibrate before running the automatic initialization and autofocus. Then when done for the night, put a plastic bag around the Vespera before bringing it inside to minimize condensation.

Orion Nebula (M42). (David J Mathre)
Orion Nebula (M42). Composite of 258 images taken with a Vaonis Vespera Camera (200 mm, f/4, 10 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro and Topaz Photo AI. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (92.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (2.9 kWh) from Sense. Rain and clouds. Deficit of 90.0 kWh. Once the outside temperatures drop below 10°F, the GeoThermal HVAC system requires additional resistance heating to maintain the inside temperature at 66°F.

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Six-Years Ago (04-February-2013) — Norway

Chasing the Northern Lights. Day 7: Hurtigruten MS Nordkapp Norwegian Coastal Voyage Northbound (Stokmarkenes to Skjervøy).

Years after taking this picture, I noticed Santa in the 2nd floor window. Finnsnes must be his R&R hideout after Christmas.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Finnsnes, Norway. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/4, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Santa caught hiding in Finnsnes, Norway after Christmas. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 180 mm, f/4, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)

It didn’t look like Santa was there six years earlier.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Finnsnes, Norway. Winter View of Finnsnes Norway from the M/V Kong Harald. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 35 mm f/2 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/2, 1/60 sec) (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (07-August-2014) — Finland

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 68: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Rovaniemi, Finland.

Tourist Trap, Santa Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. The white line marking the Arctic Circle that just happens to lead to Santa’s Workshop is off by 50 meters (~150 feet). After entering the “free” Disney like/horror house and finally reach Santa’s chamber we found that no cameras were allowed, and you need to pay 40 euros to have you picture taken next to Santa. There were several folks with me that wanted to take my picture next to Santa to compare beards. We walked out. The next day my beard fell off… Reindeer and Sami Field Trip. Image taken with a Fuji XT1 camera and Bower 8 mm fisheye lens (ISO 400, 8 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014.

Tourist Trap, Santa Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. Image taken with a Fuji XT1 camera and Bower 8 mm fisheye lens (ISO 400, 8 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Tourist Trap, Santa Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. Reindeer and Sammi Field Trip. Image taken with a Fuji XT1 camera and Bower 8 mm fisheye lens (ISO 400, 8 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)