One-Year Ago (19-May-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

A Chipping Sparrow, a Carpenter Bee in flight, a cluster of Rhododendron flowers, a white wildflower, a Jack in the Pulpit flower, and a ball of Dandelion seeds. I ended the day taking some pictures of the Waxing Gibbous (nearly full) Moon. All but the chipping sparrow image were taken using a Fuji 100-400 mm OIS lens. I am really liking this lens as an alternative for the Fuji X series cameras to the Nikon 80-400 mm VRII lens. The Fuji 100-400 mm lens is about the same size as the Nikon 80-400 mm lens but lighter. Also, since the crop sensor on the Fuji X cameras is 1.5x smaller than a full frame 35 mm camera — the field of view for the Fuji 100-400 mm lens is equivalent to a 150-600 mm lens.


Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed here.

Four-Years Ago (09-September-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky over New Jersey.

In Camera Moon Sequence. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec).

In Camera Moon Sequence. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
In Camera Moon Sequence. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Friday (04-November-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Astronomy in New Jersey: Sun and Moon.

The sky was clear so I took my telescope out. First to see the big sunspot (AR 1339), and then later the waxing gibbous moon. The Questar telescope comes with a solar filter to safely view the sun and sunspots.

Sun with Sunspot AR 1339. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and Questar 7" telescope (ISO 400, ~2500 mm, f/16, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sun with Sunspot AR 1339. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and Questar 7″ telescope (ISO 400, ~2500 mm, f/16, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon (69%). Autumn Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and Questar 7" telescope (ISO 400, ~2500 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon (69%). Autumn Night in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and Questar 7″ telescope (ISO 400, ~2500 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Saturday (16-July-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Night Sky Over New Jersey.

Multi-Exposure Waxing Gibbous Moon — Going Up, Going Down.  A ten exposure image of the waxing gibbous moon going up or down using the in camera multi-exposure function. The exposure times were varied in 1/3 EV increments (1/1000, 1/800, 1/640, 1/500, 1/400, 1/320, 1/250, 1/200, 1/160, 1/125, second). The exposures were taken every 30 seconds and used mirror up to minimize camera/lens vibration.

In Camera Multi-Exposure of Waxing Gibbous Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens + TE-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1200 mm, f/4 1/1000 to 1/125 in 1/3 EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5.. (David J Mathre)
In Camera Multi-Exposure of Waxing Gibbous Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens + TE-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1200 mm, f/4 1/1000 to 1/125 in 1/3 EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5..
In Camera Multi-Exposure of Waxing Gibbous Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens + TE-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1200 mm, f/4 1/1000 to 1/125 in 1/3 EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5.. (David J Mathre)
In Camera Multi-Exposure of Waxing Gibbous Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens + TE-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1200 mm, f/4 1/1000 to 1/125 in 1/3 EV). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5..