tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23826530673426300342024-03-05T22:31:05.604-07:00The Ketelsens!We're glad to see you here! Come and share our daily lives with us, we welcome your company and your comments. We hope there is something here for everyone!Melindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440179814104142739noreply@blogger.comBlogger1187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-49480133737396441742020-05-31T14:13:00.001-07:002020-05-31T14:13:16.362-07:00It was a Dark and Clear Night!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwuIm7MjZJKiYSY7wIY-POfYYLI5eQfVK6A50Kzp1dzv7z7CV3g5-kkY9mFP2XoSARUegY8i1fm6U6yemKokb_dWGXcIXbpKATPu-TH0627tGbkuHOVmGpiNF1uwcrWFbVOgxQkQufxU/s1600/20141113-SkyAtNight116_7604-cbd8b3f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwuIm7MjZJKiYSY7wIY-POfYYLI5eQfVK6A50Kzp1dzv7z7CV3g5-kkY9mFP2XoSARUegY8i1fm6U6yemKokb_dWGXcIXbpKATPu-TH0627tGbkuHOVmGpiNF1uwcrWFbVOgxQkQufxU/s320/20141113-SkyAtNight116_7604-cbd8b3f.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I'm always a little antsy when there isn't a moon and blue sky beckons late in the afternoon! Particularly this time of year (Spring) when the Summer Milky Way rises in the early evening providing a plethora of pleasing perspectives! And it was special this time as my friend Dick had offered to let me borrow his recently acquired small telescope - a William Optics 71mm F/4.9 astrograph. What does all that mean? Well, it is a small scope, only 71mm diameter, and short-focus, so provided a wide field of view. Its 4-element design also provides a wide field of view, and a flat focal plane so it should be in focus across a full 35mm film format. So I was anxious to use it and another friend Laurie wanted some dark sky time too last weekend, so plans were made! Another buddy Roger heard about the outing and had a new 10" refractor he was willing to bring along for some visual viewing, so it was a trio! The lil' telescope is shown at left...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF-j6B4lJlTwN5F_HIoP2OwH8XT_3A52JJD9rK9M0-jH2SfYYrKqfYNSUfltPRBxMhnbnvyWMTafxo7bFPFG70Xv8EaaKKjWjAtnFkl-_3QhASZkfdFkNRWKMjEv5ykngw1-gjscBocM/s1600/200525_WO_71mm_Sky_Flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1200" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF-j6B4lJlTwN5F_HIoP2OwH8XT_3A52JJD9rK9M0-jH2SfYYrKqfYNSUfltPRBxMhnbnvyWMTafxo7bFPFG70Xv8EaaKKjWjAtnFkl-_3QhASZkfdFkNRWKMjEv5ykngw1-gjscBocM/s320/200525_WO_71mm_Sky_Flat.jpg" width="320" /></a>We didn't feel like going a long way, so decided to head out to Empire Ranch, where the Tucson astro club used to observe for many years. What we didn't plan on was that many others would be breaking their "shelter at home" stint - the old airstrip we used to use was filled with a good 10 or 12 RVs and plenty of ATVs rolling around as sunset approached. We headed to the far eastern end and found a relatively secluded spot and no one bothered us most of the night, though loud rock music wafted our way, only pissing-off one of our trio! First order of business, even before setting up gear, was to take a set of sky flats while it was still light. Regardless of how good the optics are, there are always some non-uniformities in illumination across the field of view. If you photograph a blank, uniform sky, you can help "flat field" the images to correct for vignetting - light falloff towards the corners of the frame. At right is shown the final stack of 12 shots of the overhead sky taken at 4 different rotation angles to average out any gradients in brightness... Contrast was adjusted to bring out variations, but generally the center of the field is a little brighter than the corners (by a fraction of a percent), and the shadow at the bottom is likely caused by the DSLR mirror shadow, flipped out of the way during the exposure...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQha5EFKT3i5pIB5Np9clSsgh2rliI9WGfjcTojVfNud03OA3TEPg_3eD3KyWxy_8_84rULQtSTA_0-RhR1rlq64PL0rzoO9v0NP5cyfs4OZvqTK_gin1ncBpQ-W_JHtEcpN8luwXUuHQ/s1600/200525_Omega_Centauri_WO71mm_5X30s_ISO3200_0062_0067_Crop_Full_Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQha5EFKT3i5pIB5Np9clSsgh2rliI9WGfjcTojVfNud03OA3TEPg_3eD3KyWxy_8_84rULQtSTA_0-RhR1rlq64PL0rzoO9v0NP5cyfs4OZvqTK_gin1ncBpQ-W_JHtEcpN8luwXUuHQ/s320/200525_Omega_Centauri_WO71mm_5X30s_ISO3200_0062_0067_Crop_Full_Res.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I chased a few favorite targets to see how the William Optics system performed. First up was nearing the meridian (due south) as it got dark, Omega Centauri, one of the most spectacular objects in the sky! Located pretty far south, it isn't visible from the Midwest, but clears the horizon by about 8 degrees from AZ. It is called a globular cluster - a collection of upwards of millions of stars. Omega is said to contain up to 10 million, and is located about 16,000 light years generally towards the center of the galaxy from where we are. Its fuzzy appearance can be detected by eye, and even in binoculars is a very nice sight. A small telescope starts to resolve it into the multitude of stars, and a photograph like this one starts to see the small color variations in the stars. Believe it or not, this is a stack of 5 exposures only 30 seconds long each - so only 2.5 minutes total exposure! It is cropped and enlarged to show the full resolution of the camera. The images look very good indicating the optical system is a very good performer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwpzqpbVb9O4mujSrky6ryMI1IZMOL_jePamdo2hRLd720jRjclTwcyLmdK_byW7B57J9TqvyAoMY4qdoxncTplK0KU9jE6nW1ZxR1OOuKGw5n8VAT9TIb2_oN50KDgYwsMmxMNNjHBE/s1600/200525_Leo1_WO71mm_5X90s_0085_0089_Crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwpzqpbVb9O4mujSrky6ryMI1IZMOL_jePamdo2hRLd720jRjclTwcyLmdK_byW7B57J9TqvyAoMY4qdoxncTplK0KU9jE6nW1ZxR1OOuKGw5n8VAT9TIb2_oN50KDgYwsMmxMNNjHBE/s320/200525_Leo1_WO71mm_5X90s_0085_0089_Crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Next up was a test of scattered light and sensitivity to faint objects. Lower in the west, was Leo, and one of the easiest galaxies to find, even though it wasn't discovered until 1950! Find the brightest star in Leo - that would be Regulus, and point just north of it. The dwarf galaxy Leo 1 (UGC 5470) will be in your field... At 11th magnitude, it is likely one of the 200 brightest galaxies in the sky, but it was hidden behind the glare of Regulus until 70 years ago... Only 800,000 light years away (about one third the way to the Andromeda Galaxy), it is thought to be a satellite gravitationally bound to our Milky Way... It is the little smudgy glow above the bright star. BTW, North is up in all of these images!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY63d5UW_uzBUXf8WrcF2qn0mcbXbrlqmY3-zLoCaMx20BSQxd-OxU5vwSY_xjzBT6yXIK1Obmm8ytSc6mup3mrGlFcnSwjdgAt2RpZ3wMPTZ_Z066WUBaXnDjXueRIa3i0ShP7OQuaY/s1600/200525_M81_82_Panstarrs_WO71mm_5X90s_0097_0101_crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY63d5UW_uzBUXf8WrcF2qn0mcbXbrlqmY3-zLoCaMx20BSQxd-OxU5vwSY_xjzBT6yXIK1Obmm8ytSc6mup3mrGlFcnSwjdgAt2RpZ3wMPTZ_Z066WUBaXnDjXueRIa3i0ShP7OQuaY/s320/200525_M81_82_Panstarrs_WO71mm_5X90s_0097_0101_crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Next up was the surprise of the night! Even though it was hanging over the glow of Tucson, the galaxy Messier 81 and 82 are the perfect sort of targets for this lens. But thanks to the wide field of view of this lens, as the first image read out, I spotted the green glow of a comet - sporting a tail too! Someone had mentioned that "bright' comet C/2017 T2 PANSTARRS was going to be adjacent to this pair, but had promptly forgotten... This comet was discovered 2.5 years ago by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System located at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii. On this night it was about 150 million miles from both the sun and the earth. It has passed it's closest point to the Sun and Earth, and will now be slowly fading... This is only 8 minutes of stacked exposures, But even in those 8 minutes, the comet has trailed slightly. I chose to leave the galaxies sharp rather than center on the comet and trail the galaxies the small amount...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXgXQAnHnJ35vbOsKdmfGVAWKdx9aDkCNYUllzqGphRbW617fBSBN9Jr68YLNrb6Q4H91x0ZGB9U3Lg1b5tB8t7Xad7INIkC5Qf3Jj6qDVnDUQQ4G5rdKy1weqLzoNEfe6sE3PWlZ9FU/s1600/200525_Antates_Mosaic_WO71mm_3X5X2m_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXgXQAnHnJ35vbOsKdmfGVAWKdx9aDkCNYUllzqGphRbW617fBSBN9Jr68YLNrb6Q4H91x0ZGB9U3Lg1b5tB8t7Xad7INIkC5Qf3Jj6qDVnDUQQ4G5rdKy1weqLzoNEfe6sE3PWlZ9FU/s320/200525_Antates_Mosaic_WO71mm_3X5X2m_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel4_pzTsLBmLv3fOmx4sd1Oo4miWOfhU-sOQqzIt6H2rKDcOradSFjZngrl3OgTP7lUtzlU_-xwoUq3H_gwR8usWDeWR6vxUGYhYFmGOLUSEc4DQfjuaXggelpAEcxJZWwN6t-GahntE/s1600/200525_Antares_WO71mm_6X2m_0102_0107_crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel4_pzTsLBmLv3fOmx4sd1Oo4miWOfhU-sOQqzIt6H2rKDcOradSFjZngrl3OgTP7lUtzlU_-xwoUq3H_gwR8usWDeWR6vxUGYhYFmGOLUSEc4DQfjuaXggelpAEcxJZWwN6t-GahntE/s320/200525_Antares_WO71mm_6X2m_0102_0107_crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then it was time - my favorite part of the sky finally got high enough to shoot. The area around the star Antares in the constellation Scorpius is full of globular star clusters, as well as bright and dark nebulae. How do you see a dark nebula, you ask? Well, you see it silhouetted against the star-filled background! It makes for a fantastical field. Here is a 3-frame mosaic of the area, since the field of interest is larger than can be taken in one field... Each of the 3 frames is 5 frames of 2 minutes exposure each, then assembled in Photoshop. Antares is the orange star below center - the brightest star in Scorpio. To its right is a fuzzy area - another globular star cluster, this one being Messier 4 - another object easy to find - shift west from Antares! The streams of dark clouds just knocks me out!<br />
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1600 pixels wide is not enough for these images (the limit for blog photo dimensions). So at right is the full-resolution blow-up of the part of the frame right around Antares and M4. The little fainter globular between them and a little higher has the romantic name of NGC (New General Catalog) 6144.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx5evVJYnvYMJpxkD8iEYBjLOBikvmNtm1Zt6IKrK6O72Sb124p9sB3Z-Kvymq3WOw-2vZ4Mp-Zm856bh8r4GUaz_EHI7fUB0PS2NESZzkk8HpxzioKNuIKe2b14yUaF_lxxAvOdcbCY/s1600/200525_Near_B86_WO71mm_2X2m_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx5evVJYnvYMJpxkD8iEYBjLOBikvmNtm1Zt6IKrK6O72Sb124p9sB3Z-Kvymq3WOw-2vZ4Mp-Zm856bh8r4GUaz_EHI7fUB0PS2NESZzkk8HpxzioKNuIKe2b14yUaF_lxxAvOdcbCY/s320/200525_Near_B86_WO71mm_2X2m_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
By this time of the night my compatriots were starting to pack it in. I always like to finish off an evening by taking a test shot of a field to see how it will look. In this case I finished with a pair of exposures of the brightest part of the Milky Way above the spout of Sagittarius' teapot. For just 4 minutes of exposure tens of thousands of stars are shown. Right at center, is one of my favorite objects - a little dark nebula between a small cluster and bright star. Barnard 86 (The Inkspot Nebula) is always fun to show people in my 14" telescope at the Grand Canyon Star Party (from a VERY dark sky). Lower left from that is B90. Most of the dark clouds in this field have Barnard designations - recorded and discovered photographically 120 years ago!<br />
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I hated to leave with such a beautiful Milky Way arching overhead, but it was after 1am. My opinion of the WO71mm? I thought it was great! It has a beautifully wide field, yet is high enough quality to support full-resolution framing and crops. If Dick ever tires of it and wants to find it a new home, would be glad to use it again in the future!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-87090167238904935392020-05-20T22:47:00.002-07:002020-05-20T22:47:27.250-07:00Look to the West!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWF3HnABHRpnLERoAGwdJgrx6ikU44f3QHKP44DabOH6_SIaUnvxhTVnzwU9tyzbTtHcvzIMV3smIYqvd4BQereSRYP9S8fEeaDM8YAFAK7QOSgiJkvs_WUfUtC4v3OUXVo6WMowkYHU/s1600/200520_Sunset_200mm_9900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWF3HnABHRpnLERoAGwdJgrx6ikU44f3QHKP44DabOH6_SIaUnvxhTVnzwU9tyzbTtHcvzIMV3smIYqvd4BQereSRYP9S8fEeaDM8YAFAK7QOSgiJkvs_WUfUtC4v3OUXVo6WMowkYHU/s320/200520_Sunset_200mm_9900.jpg" width="320" /></a>Venus has been in our evening sky now since last Fall. The brilliant beacon is about to leave the western sky and zip to the morning sky as it moved rapidly in its orbit, moving ahead of the earth, then appearing in the morning sky. "Inferior" conjunction is is less than 2 weeks on 3 June. BUT, there is another show tomorrow and Friday, 21 and 22 May, when it appears to pass Mercury. The innermost planet is on the far side of its orbit, moving away from the Sun, so the two will appear to align from our vantage point. 21 May they will be only 1 degree apart (twice the moon's diameter), and only a little further the 22nd. Be sure to go out and look!<br />
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Tonight I went out to take a few photos, and found a suitable AZ backdrop - a forest of cacti! At left is shortly after sunset.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq37sIxQtuSO8xJtg7N9gykIMwok4wKduP1vCntfugxZ6M_0J1xtqE707wzZlMiGmfC3w8e1EPu72NOivrPMEVmXvHdahCiimMwaspDDho5gkSqPY_xf4rAAJCLvyucCVvsAZ2C8LuXHA/s1600/200520_Saguaro_Venus_9908_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq37sIxQtuSO8xJtg7N9gykIMwok4wKduP1vCntfugxZ6M_0J1xtqE707wzZlMiGmfC3w8e1EPu72NOivrPMEVmXvHdahCiimMwaspDDho5gkSqPY_xf4rAAJCLvyucCVvsAZ2C8LuXHA/s320/200520_Saguaro_Venus_9908_crop.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6R3hO-48URi15KE_JWAgx-oJ3iPgW0cGwqYCW_Zwmk2lIRW7kBce2R66NhPqG8_Zox7JmNV8s2FpLV8LhXKxsWjooOuB0Nc79MxXPvtqkzHYt4mcYF7eOLkDJ2DDmLrI1VRR-V-e_jmo/s1600/200520_Saguaro_Venus_9908_crop_Full_Res_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1600" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6R3hO-48URi15KE_JWAgx-oJ3iPgW0cGwqYCW_Zwmk2lIRW7kBce2R66NhPqG8_Zox7JmNV8s2FpLV8LhXKxsWjooOuB0Nc79MxXPvtqkzHYt4mcYF7eOLkDJ2DDmLrI1VRR-V-e_jmo/s320/200520_Saguaro_Venus_9908_crop_Full_Res_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>And I haven't even mentioned the neatest part - Venus (and Mercury) goes through phases like the moon! Because its orbit takes it between the sun and earth, Venus' "dark" side is displayed towards our view, so only a narrow brilliant crescent is visible. Venus is so bright because of its cloud cover, so is always bright, and interestingly always about the same brightness - when it is on the far side of its orbit, a full but small disk, or nearing inferior conjunction when it is the skinniest of crescents but very large. It is so large the crescent shape can be seen even in binoculars. Tonight I got the brainstorm to try to photograph it with the 300mm lens - what to use as foreground - how about a saguaro with a bouquet of flower buds atop it? At left is shown a large part of the frame with Venus appearing over the saguaro. At rights the full-resolution crop of the image with the crescent more clearly seen. It can be seen pretty easily in binoculars as it nears the closest point in its orbit to the earth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDo0R3WeN2GPXYPVX00NAkOLJlkMIoWGhCNuS0jzghGSEXoIBhG2q_CR6fuBUwo2xn2Dlc4qwmVQySzCPiQ_2aFiAaiGYlcTO-oIAZbrIGw-emB78vdRUlUSKxutrNzOHYkZoSIPSh4c/s1600/200520_Venus_Mercury_ISS_9932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDo0R3WeN2GPXYPVX00NAkOLJlkMIoWGhCNuS0jzghGSEXoIBhG2q_CR6fuBUwo2xn2Dlc4qwmVQySzCPiQ_2aFiAaiGYlcTO-oIAZbrIGw-emB78vdRUlUSKxutrNzOHYkZoSIPSh4c/s320/200520_Venus_Mercury_ISS_9932.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-87GWhNYD5vuN8TJ5aV45k2zc1NbPLDgfh8oPHj7uVxhkNbgXmYjacBMt9NqNi77OPqptxz4TrOpFBSAwLP7XJZSupnZeSexPY3mnbpz_HopTl9d9J0YrZErxGG8Eb9QQx0OhihwcNSw/s1600/200520_Venus_Mercury_ISS_9932_annotated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-87GWhNYD5vuN8TJ5aV45k2zc1NbPLDgfh8oPHj7uVxhkNbgXmYjacBMt9NqNi77OPqptxz4TrOpFBSAwLP7XJZSupnZeSexPY3mnbpz_HopTl9d9J0YrZErxGG8Eb9QQx0OhihwcNSw/s320/200520_Venus_Mercury_ISS_9932_annotated.jpg" width="320" /></a>It finally got dark enough that could record both Venus and Mercury (considerably fainter) clearly. I happened to check and found out that the International Space Station (ISS) was going to move between the two planets in 12 minutes! How lucky is that?! Unfortunately, the ISS was 900 miles downrange, off the California coast west of San Francisco, accounting for its faint appearance. But it was caught in the 2.5 second camera exposure...<br />
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It was quite windy, so the spindly arms of the ocotillo were moving a lot, showing as blurs in the exposure. Tomorrow Venus/Mercury will be much closer. The sharp-eyed among you can likely spot the streak of the ISS, but in case you can't, a labelled version is at right...<br />
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So do check out the western sky the next couple days. I'll likely have a photo or two to post!!!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-55715854130626231492020-05-13T16:30:00.003-07:002020-05-13T19:57:45.221-07:00I Saw a Smudge!Have been back in AZ for about 10 days, and finally back in Tucson for the next couple months. We had a storm system move through this last weekend, but it finally cleared out. I've been anxious to look for relatively new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2020_F8_(SWAN)">Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8)</a>. There have been <a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200508.html">spectacular photos from the southern hemisphere</a>, and it has finally moved north enough to get a peak here. Monday was finally clear, so made mental plans to head to Geology Vista, a favorite place of mine to go for good horizons to the east and northeast. The comet is visible just before dawn, and I DO MEAN JUST - was only 4 degrees above the horizon as morning twilight started!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkW8vnSucS-sPlQLw29WTJPFz7m0n2o7y_sYNSAfl8wEAVLss0gVf5QC2OkF0DLV8hvETxxQorDgSPY69TE1FNsKcGmz9KBCvc4Ba8idjinmLRHizx2d6GbTN0mGd-QLDf3hom6zH8BDI/s1600/200512_Tucson_Valley_15mmFisheye_30s_F5_9029_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkW8vnSucS-sPlQLw29WTJPFz7m0n2o7y_sYNSAfl8wEAVLss0gVf5QC2OkF0DLV8hvETxxQorDgSPY69TE1FNsKcGmz9KBCvc4Ba8idjinmLRHizx2d6GbTN0mGd-QLDf3hom6zH8BDI/s320/200512_Tucson_Valley_15mmFisheye_30s_F5_9029_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxTQ-u0t_yM1ENFBcGxbmcQagb6ENFJMeNY6tX6JXu-j3YQVwYAInoXatSfRD98DMHEkLNtUihMPgM8cUMKyS8VvfTOeglw9nRY4Nmk4aSTkNeMGLY1OP3KVRPdc8fB11R3kL1LRvKno/s1600/200512_Tucson_Valley_15mmFisheye_30s_F5_9029_annotated_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxTQ-u0t_yM1ENFBcGxbmcQagb6ENFJMeNY6tX6JXu-j3YQVwYAInoXatSfRD98DMHEkLNtUihMPgM8cUMKyS8VvfTOeglw9nRY4Nmk4aSTkNeMGLY1OP3KVRPdc8fB11R3kL1LRvKno/s320/200512_Tucson_Valley_15mmFisheye_30s_F5_9029_annotated_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>So Monday night I went to bed early (for me, 10pm), intending to get up at 2 to drive the hour up the Mount Lemmon Highway to set up a minimum amount of gear - tripod mounted Polarie - a little tracking mount that will handle my 200mm camera lens... I woke a little early, and got to Geology Vista about 2:30. There was a bright gibbous moon - one reason to head to the mountains, were the lack of haze and inversion layer would make for darker skies, especially near the horizon. Geology Vista is always impressive, as not only are the east and northern skies dark, there is a fine view of the lights of Tucson to the south if you enjoy that sort of thing. I enjoy most views off mountaintops, wherever they are! Anyway, the moon was in conjunction with the planets Jupiter and Saturn, and only about 20 degrees from the moon, even the brightest part of the Milky Way was visible! With the 15mm fish-eye lens, the whole southern sky was captured in this 30 second exposure at right, with an annotated version at right to identify the major players!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi8xvv2ZwufoOYvWy0fgJhksc5TASkLWEwRIhS_AD5cZRGcpBcofi0_D0uw5OGsyHj2AD2Mv8Q-rFGoRtEalEctvHXL980Mh5zFI0OO98G3rK2JsqJ9I7m4FJKB9Eck2uYspUKcsRD7M/s1600/200512_Northern_Sky_15mmFisheye_F5_30s_9030_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi8xvv2ZwufoOYvWy0fgJhksc5TASkLWEwRIhS_AD5cZRGcpBcofi0_D0uw5OGsyHj2AD2Mv8Q-rFGoRtEalEctvHXL980Mh5zFI0OO98G3rK2JsqJ9I7m4FJKB9Eck2uYspUKcsRD7M/s320/200512_Northern_Sky_15mmFisheye_F5_30s_9030_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWVHTeHbqJkL6Nns2-nn3A6wGVoJEV9uXVEaOKDJLrXZqsRKoDC60J1kE-FkMj0Lj2yOFjYe4sBuv-f8kLTV4IFtfVmUvyf2HkUCLo5l4A2uPrNNYimogF7_kVMWLcPvAxenH2XRGK44/s1600/200512_Northern_Sky_15mmFisheye_F5_30s_9030_annotated_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWVHTeHbqJkL6Nns2-nn3A6wGVoJEV9uXVEaOKDJLrXZqsRKoDC60J1kE-FkMj0Lj2yOFjYe4sBuv-f8kLTV4IFtfVmUvyf2HkUCLo5l4A2uPrNNYimogF7_kVMWLcPvAxenH2XRGK44/s320/200512_Northern_Sky_15mmFisheye_F5_30s_9030_annotated_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>To the north, pretty dark skies, even with the bright moon a few days past full. The same exposure taken north shows a much darker sky, and a number of constellations that most people should know. In addition there are a number of radio and TV towers that cover a good part of the Tucson valley seen along a ridge top as well. I've used this spot for observing for decades when something is happening in the northern or eastern skies - from meteor showers to almost daily trips up to document changes in Comet Hale-Bopp way back in 1996! I've even run into friend and co-worker Ed Strittmatter when we both showed up to photograph the comet one morning! Once Melinda and I drove up to watch the Perseid meteor shower one (rare) clear night during a monsoon August - cars were double and triple parked for the crowd that night! Anyway, the naked photo is shown at left and the annotated at right - I even count my shadow as a selfie! The Big and Little Dippers everyone should be able to find - you are welcome!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTdkjN9ALfRzh1mb1PMgVKtzIw_V3tloJwTBNtnHU0MaphgjQVhcJuoesraZ5lVoYZXmbeBMNWtjcDZUzkMD_1SjKloABrvbOWauIbny1oulDgep11yl3Q2tVnEB6SOQVHf737yolxPY/s1600/200512_Tucson_Center_200mm_5s_9031_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTdkjN9ALfRzh1mb1PMgVKtzIw_V3tloJwTBNtnHU0MaphgjQVhcJuoesraZ5lVoYZXmbeBMNWtjcDZUzkMD_1SjKloABrvbOWauIbny1oulDgep11yl3Q2tVnEB6SOQVHf737yolxPY/s320/200512_Tucson_Center_200mm_5s_9031_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGCsUUeoXjnxUsNpvTaLExRwuWfBPLrJg-5Uw5j8NgA8sXERjPPurncOFW950LFN4dHbAUYr52Bvul1BwCIv7vfaZ52WKpxc8CZUTdOwntQ-wnBnz8il6LBdfvBAdIXcuerH95NvO57I/s1600/200512_Houghton_200mm_Stack+of+9034_9037_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGCsUUeoXjnxUsNpvTaLExRwuWfBPLrJg-5Uw5j8NgA8sXERjPPurncOFW950LFN4dHbAUYr52Bvul1BwCIv7vfaZ52WKpxc8CZUTdOwntQ-wnBnz8il6LBdfvBAdIXcuerH95NvO57I/s320/200512_Houghton_200mm_Stack+of+9034_9037_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>As I mentioned above, Tucson is nestled down in the valley and if you like views of city lights, Geology Vista (GV) is about the 3rd best spot to examine them on the Mount Lemmon Highway. Best is likely Windy Point, just about a quarter mile down the road from GV. Better because the entire sweep of the city is seen from there. It serves as a destination location for bringing up tourists and girlfriends. The morning I was there, I saw three cars come up the hill just below my location at Geology Vista, but they evidently stopped at Windy Point as they came up no further! Second best view would be from Babad Do'ag lookout just past milepost 2 near the base of the mountain. 10 miles less to drive, and still high enough to take in the lights of the city. Geology vista is 3rd best in my opinion.<br />
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Regardless, with a small telescope, even a telephoto lens shown here, you can pick out a few details around the city. These were shot with a 200mm lens (about a 4X telephoto). At left is the center of the city (more like the near-eastside ad the entire city can't be seen from GV). The Tucson airport can be seen at upper right, and the keen-eyed who know their way around can likely see Davis-Monthan AFB. At upper right the bright lights indicate activity in one of the copper mines along Interstate 19 south of Tucson... At right, the east side of Tucson is shown, with the diagonal streak of lights marking Houghton Road, which transverses the entire city from northeast to southeast... In that one you can faintly see the outline of the Santa Rita Mountains at upper left, Mount Hopkins, the cone-shaped center peak is home to the MMT telescope...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWHVv4x99m42_rx9uPfdf2-A8i-UX6wvAae-u6HMuMsV7gWHQeQc4AL9v1phpKubIw2RzDvPvokjEEU9vRQNZDvABUeddhHaBuboVjoM465oO6NJdhQVdQF30lvjYEs66NdttU0hGSDk/s1600/200512_SOHO_200mm4_5_14X40s_star_trailed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1367" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWHVv4x99m42_rx9uPfdf2-A8i-UX6wvAae-u6HMuMsV7gWHQeQc4AL9v1phpKubIw2RzDvPvokjEEU9vRQNZDvABUeddhHaBuboVjoM465oO6NJdhQVdQF30lvjYEs66NdttU0hGSDk/s320/200512_SOHO_200mm4_5_14X40s_star_trailed.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-yKdEdCfG6wIftoE9o6a8BNMMa7AWQdcoDZF9unYXKnd3nCzWqHHRpbB1DpKRsCzL3OCHjevDLh3iDcfWpstuBu4Uk2QnA60m7nB91NxS9KTAB__OOn9QQ6xxF9DAeJ4nC-0qWT4KmI/s1600/200512_SOHO_200mm4_5_14X40s_Comet_Tracked_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1433" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-yKdEdCfG6wIftoE9o6a8BNMMa7AWQdcoDZF9unYXKnd3nCzWqHHRpbB1DpKRsCzL3OCHjevDLh3iDcfWpstuBu4Uk2QnA60m7nB91NxS9KTAB__OOn9QQ6xxF9DAeJ4nC-0qWT4KmI/s320/200512_SOHO_200mm4_5_14X40s_Comet_Tracked_crop.jpg" width="320" /></a>Finally, after the above fun stuff - comet time! With sunrise about 5:30, twilight started right about 4am, with the comet only 4 degrees off the horizon! That doesn't leave much of an observing window! I set up a normal lens shooting the area under Pegasus where the comet was to appear, but never saw it in those images. Finally about 10 minutes to 4, I pointed the 200mm where the comet was to be and sure enough, a faint blue smudge was visible in the viewfinder! Re-pointing the camera slightly, I set up to take 40 second long exposures every 40 seconds. I managed 14 of them before the sky was too bright to continue. I then also took some dark exposures (with lens cap on) to measure "hot pixels", and when I got home, took some "sky flats" to be used to correct for lens vignetting (light fall off) in the photo's corners. All were used in making the final image. Shown at right is the stacked 14 frames, about 10 minutes of total exposure. Unfortunately, the comet is moving so fast, even in those 10 minutes, the comet comes out as a streak - if you look at the full-size image. So I repeated the processing, this time stacking the exposures using the comet's apparent nucleus to center on. The result at right is a little better - stars are trailed a bit, but the comet is as sharp as it can be.<br />
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Oh and BTW, I could BARELY make out the smudge visually with binoculars, but was far from impressive... Reminds me of the time in 1970 when I woke my parents before dawn to see the BRIGHT comet Bennett - my first one, with obvious coma and a good 5 degree or more tail. My parent's reaction - "Is that all there is"?!<br />
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The prognosis for this comet is still up in the air. It might yet be a good photographic comet, given the link to the southern hemisphere photo up top. It never gets very high here, and will always be near the horizon. So we'll see. I'm going to give it a few days and wait for the moon to go away to catch the comet in a darker sky before passing judgement. So stay tuned!<br />
<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-92211272634543800742020-05-09T21:28:00.000-07:002020-05-09T21:28:26.462-07:00A New World!Yes, it has been 10 weeks since I've last posted! The stats will show a big goose egg for March and April, assuming I actually finish this one in a timely manner... Why so long, you ask? Don't know. I seem to be suffering a lack of inspiration. I've traveled to "Ketelsen East" in St Charles, IL and back to AZ, where I've been for a week now. You would think that with the Covid "shelter in place" orders in effect in Illinois AND Arizona that I'd be posting daily. Such is not the case. I've got perhaps 6 posts in mind, but am not motivated much. Since my arrival in IL I've mostly been watching movies on TV and spending some time watching Spring arrive. Have not met up with any friends or family as all are following "social distancing" rules. The one exception was Melinda's niece Kathy who visited out here in the woods for a couple hour visit, took a walk in the woods and a picnic at Portillo's parking lot, mostly observing the 6' separation rule. Other than neighbor Elaine, that has been the extent of my direct social contact there. Back in southwest, work is shut down, so ended up visiting friends in central AZ for a few days.<br />
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I wanted to finish posting about the last days on the Astoria before moving on. Funny that while on the cruise ship, we kidded each other about norovirus or other afflictions that run rampant on board. While none visited us that I knew of, ironically, the current pandemic ran rampant shortly afterwards. After dropping us off, the Astoria headed south towards the Panama Canal and was heading towards London for the Spring/Summer cruise season. I was watching <a href="https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=5383304">Astoria on the "where is my cruise ship" app</a>, tracking it's daily motion across the Atlantic. It took 4 weeks to the day to reach London. I read somewhere that it actually loaded its first set of passengers for the "Northern Lights Tour" before the Corona Pandemic called a halt to all cruise ships and the passengers were forced to disembark. It was about then that the world changed. I flew to Chicago on a mostly-empty flight to a nearly deserted O'Hare airport, rode in an Uber where the driver insisted on windows down on a freezing day to keep my germs away from him. The IL governor's "shelter in place" order started 2 hours after my arrival - just in time to go to the store for groceries - glad I didn't need toilet paper or paper towels or bread as those shelves were bare! Anyway, back to the task at hand, perhaps towards "my" normal...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgvAtdqjn6T1EXOp2sGQvcn9ecFBcqKiQHmcetoeSlrVzC76W39jm3XvL22rcpf5pZSIbOEE3bWv9_fJFRE2MSjcWHvIodOecROCJquk0bRbsHLKjcjlSKnsvaynkoyp6cNYsnji2YdI/s1600/200206_LaPaz_6352_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1400" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgvAtdqjn6T1EXOp2sGQvcn9ecFBcqKiQHmcetoeSlrVzC76W39jm3XvL22rcpf5pZSIbOEE3bWv9_fJFRE2MSjcWHvIodOecROCJquk0bRbsHLKjcjlSKnsvaynkoyp6cNYsnji2YdI/s320/200206_LaPaz_6352_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVodOeDvcdMpO3wkQtBiEuHj5KsVlZ2NMdqQw521Z7CEFptmDmQ2P6LDS6t7hnf1RZdERwpIcZNU1go41VkiesGqd_EA6efmhek0Ao3_zvmbbu8H_lODPq_HAf_94o_1Nc9S1KWsEJgI/s1600/200208_Santa_Rosalia_5197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVodOeDvcdMpO3wkQtBiEuHj5KsVlZ2NMdqQw521Z7CEFptmDmQ2P6LDS6t7hnf1RZdERwpIcZNU1go41VkiesGqd_EA6efmhek0Ao3_zvmbbu8H_lODPq_HAf_94o_1Nc9S1KWsEJgI/s320/200208_Santa_Rosalia_5197.jpg" width="320" /></a>I left you in the last post as we were leaving Cabo San Lucas - likely my least favorite stop because of the crowds, commercialization and heavy tourist trade that made finding the small Mexican village all but impossible. But the next 3 stops of La Paz, Loreto and Santa Rosalia were my faves of the whole trip! Seems like all these towns have the requirement to have the same multi-colored sign to identify where you are visiting! Pretty enough, and fun enough to stand next to for a travel photo. The sign of Santa Rosalia included a locomotive that also highlighted its mining heritage at right. The La Paz sign at left was located in town, a good half-hour bus rise from the port. But once dropped off, my friend Susan and I explored the village. Many are similar - the standard visit consisted of seeing the local church, other spots and events of interest, and looking for food - universally excellent and tasty (and inexpensive!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslSwXOkSprXP15Nk6IyO1E6cIzWys1tCgwrwZtjH128Bk7eMkQXIQ0G7Kvr81jK53CMoqqnxZhvdvP8OsBAeObdJpcjjQyOtb8ZKI9L5EYB4O7dS4YGzMgGrOqHjgNMYi0vOe2gV8ptI/s1600/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslSwXOkSprXP15Nk6IyO1E6cIzWys1tCgwrwZtjH128Bk7eMkQXIQ0G7Kvr81jK53CMoqqnxZhvdvP8OsBAeObdJpcjjQyOtb8ZKI9L5EYB4O7dS4YGzMgGrOqHjgNMYi0vOe2gV8ptI/s200/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6327.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXDIvex-8fUtE7VdwON3-0SuzFipUmIvaAKADWPE6Q_cxusy6fA6gAkKPGEryJ-D3_2fdQkMGYiHYtS4aY1b1GTl6Dd0pB7Q34rxG4WCJ6SVttHhB7_LddJ8tHr4iZ0OmiHKMiyruVd0/s1600/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1400" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXDIvex-8fUtE7VdwON3-0SuzFipUmIvaAKADWPE6Q_cxusy6fA6gAkKPGEryJ-D3_2fdQkMGYiHYtS4aY1b1GTl6Dd0pB7Q34rxG4WCJ6SVttHhB7_LddJ8tHr4iZ0OmiHKMiyruVd0/s200/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6328.jpg" width="200" /></a>As mentioned above, every stop required a visit to the local
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nO6hxmo17YhY5nxLZsU7rdNcBLgPxLyPhPyAYeFpXDOm-4aj_Js3P2UK_u8XtX1irDIS7v_2CfNgq7OMvM8oAhdMyrWOuBcZsFlobx9_VZIG5e9ya4J6c4VeWkls7ebqsXxlDW6nSUI/s1600/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1400" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nO6hxmo17YhY5nxLZsU7rdNcBLgPxLyPhPyAYeFpXDOm-4aj_Js3P2UK_u8XtX1irDIS7v_2CfNgq7OMvM8oAhdMyrWOuBcZsFlobx9_VZIG5e9ya4J6c4VeWkls7ebqsXxlDW6nSUI/s200/200206_Lady_Of_Peace_Cathedral_6331.jpg" width="200" /></a>historical church or cathedral! In La Paz, it was a few block walk up from the sea where the bus dropped us off, but any effort is likely worth it! "Our Lady of Peace" has pretty amazing brickwork on the exterior - almost no mortar is visible! according to the plaque, after Hernando Cortez founded the location in 1535. Eusebio Kino, the famous Jesuit missionary who went on to establish 24 missions throughout Baja and Sonora, Mexico, visited and named the location "Our Lady Of Peace" in 1683. Forced to abandon it, the mission was reestablished in 1720 and the cornerstone of this church was laid 160 years ago in 1861. It is a beauty inside and out!<br />
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Loreto was of special interest to me as Melinda and I visited it back on our whale watching trip nearly exactly 9 years before. I would <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2011/03/baja-day-2-tsunami-warning-and-posada.html">refer you to that blog entry for images of that church</a>... More on Loreto in a little bit...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WdF6ddZDWVkfNql155CsVV53TcU87A64zOxQYWRaqcrmji45xbqfl8pPXo0kGBHlguFXZ4u-LAxpK9yASlw_byJCWpo814JXaEWfLeukmXn2szosjL2DLwa_rm1eT5bdL0j42PITFew/s1600/200208_Eiffel_Church_5192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1115" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WdF6ddZDWVkfNql155CsVV53TcU87A64zOxQYWRaqcrmji45xbqfl8pPXo0kGBHlguFXZ4u-LAxpK9yASlw_byJCWpo814JXaEWfLeukmXn2szosjL2DLwa_rm1eT5bdL0j42PITFew/s200/200208_Eiffel_Church_5192.jpg" width="158" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yNrliw8sUAoD2sudT84U67KAerpHGqnpxa7wq-f1kF__rOa21S11LstiFZN5SbK8c81w4XQGhoxj7bshKHKwf1RK0hmY7FRUJuhfrwj0tRPiVRS-EZk2sVuVGFxUx-XMgc9JEYcRB5Y/s1600/200208_Eiffel_Church_5190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1115" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yNrliw8sUAoD2sudT84U67KAerpHGqnpxa7wq-f1kF__rOa21S11LstiFZN5SbK8c81w4XQGhoxj7bshKHKwf1RK0hmY7FRUJuhfrwj0tRPiVRS-EZk2sVuVGFxUx-XMgc9JEYcRB5Y/s200/200208_Eiffel_Church_5190.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2cmaVCMDTPv10h9iZzPizAigKY2rfdyxXEinEwbFNA_k2SBAgY9NANQDeE6Yo_GKgrr3RLpnVk738_sUCcgQo9RaHwADG101ubHbepSuAuXQZsA160oIuVjfcNtb9d0Gg9lzdxU7Jec/s1600/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Eiffel_Church_6566_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2cmaVCMDTPv10h9iZzPizAigKY2rfdyxXEinEwbFNA_k2SBAgY9NANQDeE6Yo_GKgrr3RLpnVk738_sUCcgQo9RaHwADG101ubHbepSuAuXQZsA160oIuVjfcNtb9d0Gg9lzdxU7Jec/s200/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Eiffel_Church_6566_sm.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the main attractions in Santa Rosalia was also a church, but with a slightly more recent background. It was supposedly designed by Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty fame... The pre-fab church, mostly of panels mounted to girders, was shown at the 1889 exposition in Paris where the Eiffel Tower was also built. Supposedly built for erection in Africa, it was found abandoned in Brussels and obtained by the Bolero Mining Company in Santa Rosalia and reassembled there in 1897. Subsequent research attributes it to a competitor, so there is some controversy over the original design. The "Church of Santa Barbara's" construction consists of a lot of sturdy girder and steelwork, and similarities can be seen to the Paris tower even to the untrained eye. Its walls have also been moved outwards to expand the interior space, but much of the interior steel work is still visible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvIjzs2Q1n334UddItHCCeb1kfCkFdp3odjO5woO1jTD-l3u5htrJUJ3Agmkr8JXyiR3-bN_M0tuxHOTFL_2rIpreQi6fdqlGmJDzFtN78c2hPCOvXPHs-lzUknIBa9IMRPmNpk5zwGM/s1600/200207_Loreto_Comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1001" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvIjzs2Q1n334UddItHCCeb1kfCkFdp3odjO5woO1jTD-l3u5htrJUJ3Agmkr8JXyiR3-bN_M0tuxHOTFL_2rIpreQi6fdqlGmJDzFtN78c2hPCOvXPHs-lzUknIBa9IMRPmNpk5zwGM/s200/200207_Loreto_Comparison.jpg" width="141" /></a>
Part of the draw for the entire cruise was the Loreto port of call. When we visited there 9 years earlier, we were enchanted by the beauty of the place! While only 430 air miles almost due south of Tucson, it is a formidable drive - over 900 miles down the peninsula, or south to Guaymas, catching the ferry to Santa Rosalia and continuing south - 550 miles plus ferry. I didn't know if I'd ever get back, so a return was one of the reasons for the cruise... So one of the spots to visit was a curio shop that we had visited and took an iconic shot under the "since 1744" sign. I visited it again - the sign was gone! I asked the woman inside, and though she spoke as little English as I spoke Spanish, figured out it was lost in a storm along the way... The comparison shot is at left, the upper shot taken 7 February, 2020, the lower in April of 2011...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-egfzw8D9-dyLK9Aeljy-GwgwqBFs5jh96IUJ_4LU-sYgI5zQ5mOx5AjzrAdANx3VIWEI3dSFB2o3Vdb4zr-oaaXYKw8vO5G5yMIKlswBK8A1qciJ5IARxFWOzQjWYukV69-0gKFjOZs/s1600/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Dancer_6583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1600" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-egfzw8D9-dyLK9Aeljy-GwgwqBFs5jh96IUJ_4LU-sYgI5zQ5mOx5AjzrAdANx3VIWEI3dSFB2o3Vdb4zr-oaaXYKw8vO5G5yMIKlswBK8A1qciJ5IARxFWOzQjWYukV69-0gKFjOZs/s200/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Dancer_6583.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdalgnOL1PCcD6gS4Aa6PNF-VRrY6ZtZJJlCXqsx5Fe_hFhzpKIQA-8FygmF7wGtBE0UIhT2brV-E9l6loLW99GimhvS6pGk5GIclxO9Va3EbGyYAdJSyFAQ5FzET7ovOvSvv3WrKhL4/s1600/200207_Loreto_Dancers_6417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1400" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdalgnOL1PCcD6gS4Aa6PNF-VRrY6ZtZJJlCXqsx5Fe_hFhzpKIQA-8FygmF7wGtBE0UIhT2brV-E9l6loLW99GimhvS6pGk5GIclxO9Va3EbGyYAdJSyFAQ5FzET7ovOvSvv3WrKhL4/s200/200207_Loreto_Dancers_6417.jpg" width="200" /></a>The cruise was a big thing for the Sea of Cortez stops. Rarely do 450 potential visitors flush with cash drop out of the sky, and at every stop there were mariachi bands playing as we disembarked from the Astoria. Many of the towns had dancing troupes displaying traditional dances and songs, many with quite elaborate costumes, including some native tribal dances too. At left is a shot of some of the traditional dancing exhibition in Loreto's town square. And at right is a closeup shot of one of the dancers waiting to perform in Santa Rosalia...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGyRe5nncJVhwyfvoLOndaE_NwxBE7-eLpN1jynVI_tODeLL5iuVvtSMBRou7ZZ06aoNaCqZlmlqtDzlG_mOuSHSfPj564LfYL57k48f4B3Ys5GX4-V2oYC6kwSPHqQAkwKFLPDFFSaA/s1600/200208_Fruit_Carvings_5182_6377_6378_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1071" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGyRe5nncJVhwyfvoLOndaE_NwxBE7-eLpN1jynVI_tODeLL5iuVvtSMBRou7ZZ06aoNaCqZlmlqtDzlG_mOuSHSfPj564LfYL57k48f4B3Ys5GX4-V2oYC6kwSPHqQAkwKFLPDFFSaA/s200/200208_Fruit_Carvings_5182_6377_6378_sm.jpg" width="152" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9DSJLkUpNtH50AOzlbJuc1tgTNQFmJF0mAodf8vAVElRljWV46IlA83MjlcQCa_y2j_CKOrG4BB0FUoxWm606Ng-QZaqVGtaOlgW4Nm7rPmTNrPn4za1vX9mhBHZDpi-4MHQhF2va28/s1600/200209_Yevheniia_6617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1136" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9DSJLkUpNtH50AOzlbJuc1tgTNQFmJF0mAodf8vAVElRljWV46IlA83MjlcQCa_y2j_CKOrG4BB0FUoxWm606Ng-QZaqVGtaOlgW4Nm7rPmTNrPn4za1vX9mhBHZDpi-4MHQhF2va28/s200/200209_Yevheniia_6617.jpg" width="141" /></a>The food on ship was uniformly very good! There were two options for dining - a sit-down restaurant with full staff delivering multi-course meals, and a "grill" with buffet dining for a couple hours for 3 meals served a day. Unlike the big ships you hear about, no 24 hour buffet lines or wide variety of food, but a good choice! I'm a bit of a picky eater, yet, both options had a couple choices for entree and enough sides that one could always be satisfied. Also, alcoholic drinks were complimentary during meals, as well as a wide choice of appetizers, salads, cheeses and deserts. I ate at the sit-down place twice - designed to be a leisurely meal with friends and conversation, I wasn't that chatty with the few I knew aboard ship, and since they both served the same main entrees, was happy with the buffet-style grill. Plus, I always got to see the lovely visage of Ukrainian Yevheniia, shown at left, serving me my 3 squares a day! I had minor issues - the scrambled eggs for breakfast were uniformly runny, and it was sometimes difficult to get the attention of one of the attendants seeing to drinks for breakfast, but overall I'd give the onboard ship a 9 out of 10 for grub! It was skewed a bit towards England, I believe - "blood sausage" made the breakfast choices a few times, but really, the food was great! And the presentation was fine too - they offered "fruit carving" as an activity once and the creations were displayed for several days, shown at right...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hxZ2Dnq020CluEODiu1opPL74yaSSosRhiMp4f21QjXzRnTKgB7IQ1hytg0pxYQvOvPM5siwAkSmi4PPgCnWSZCnOJW6qHO2znt9E32lcXgunloo93paZnJqXsO1s6J-2GgWuHPWfHA/s1600/200206_LaChoperia_Menu_Carne_Asada_Burritos_LaPaz_5105_5109_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1106" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hxZ2Dnq020CluEODiu1opPL74yaSSosRhiMp4f21QjXzRnTKgB7IQ1hytg0pxYQvOvPM5siwAkSmi4PPgCnWSZCnOJW6qHO2znt9E32lcXgunloo93paZnJqXsO1s6J-2GgWuHPWfHA/s200/200206_LaChoperia_Menu_Carne_Asada_Burritos_LaPaz_5105_5109_sm.jpg" width="157" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05fH02sfXpei8N7C9Rjzrr3YnJIoRtpEzdlWrubNrxWoCHLUi18zxgOgf_FuY1Fus_VKhZryOcBthNp9W9RaKGNhhUoBDlriquu0WZINBBOcvtUF7nsbPrsWUf9MpaDbUVVZmuOh8sDY/s1600/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Lunch_5199_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1600" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05fH02sfXpei8N7C9Rjzrr3YnJIoRtpEzdlWrubNrxWoCHLUi18zxgOgf_FuY1Fus_VKhZryOcBthNp9W9RaKGNhhUoBDlriquu0WZINBBOcvtUF7nsbPrsWUf9MpaDbUVVZmuOh8sDY/s200/200208_Santa_Rosalia_Lunch_5199_sm.jpg" width="200" /></a>But when the time came to leave the ship, and I DID leave at every port-of-call, the chance to sample the local "Mexican food" was too big an attraction! My favorite trio of cities didn't disappoint! In a lovely 2nd story "hole-in-the-wall" with a spectacular view of the Malacon in La Paz, I had a trio of carne Asada burritos that were spectacular! Dressed up in bean sauce and salsa fresca (alternately called "salsa Bandera" for the red/green/white bands of the Mexican flag, or pico de gallo - translating to "rooster sauce"), they were delish! With them, the menu of "La Choperia" is shown. The "three burritos" was $80 pesos, about $4.50!<br />
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A couple days later in Santa Rosalia, in a little street side place where we sat under a tarp, I had a trio of shredded pork tacos, with a platter of various condiments to choose from.The woman behind the grill was both turning out the tortillas, and filling them as the orders came in - can't get any fresher! The chef is shown in the photo inset - again, with a soda was about $5...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmteAFYxJJbGWvsBwpWl6EoVgg0HSew7UTRGEHfwn26TkUtDOUMscPZdgfh-yG_pfjR70FLHXg-gm0fvAbPNVOTGco0C2x3x3KzVDdVdWxlW2WkFjLf_X36Bf0V8G8iDVBC1tn1bnP0k/s1600/200207_Loreto_6420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1500" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmteAFYxJJbGWvsBwpWl6EoVgg0HSew7UTRGEHfwn26TkUtDOUMscPZdgfh-yG_pfjR70FLHXg-gm0fvAbPNVOTGco0C2x3x3KzVDdVdWxlW2WkFjLf_X36Bf0V8G8iDVBC1tn1bnP0k/s200/200207_Loreto_6420.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdO2CjTfLi_eE9jZzAauCVuxAQWwjxsSYw1OLdgvgk4vqgxVfOTGodiuLIrUfhKtj_xgIb-todjmTdobJXI4d5K28LfM1l9EBP6c4Z0PE4hSfFppE3GMCDBEllYi_AmVsVi3IHqyKUYLY/s1600/200207_Loreto_6445_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1500" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdO2CjTfLi_eE9jZzAauCVuxAQWwjxsSYw1OLdgvgk4vqgxVfOTGodiuLIrUfhKtj_xgIb-todjmTdobJXI4d5K28LfM1l9EBP6c4Z0PE4hSfFppE3GMCDBEllYi_AmVsVi3IHqyKUYLY/s200/200207_Loreto_6445_sm.jpg" width="200" /></a>I think my overall fave stop was Loreto, not only because of my previous experience there 9 years earlier, but because it is such a lovely little town. The main thoroughfare along the town square has nicely groomed arches formed by vegetation with shops on both sides. It has a town square where we watched groups singing and dancing. I remember the same happening when we visited in 2011. And nearing the dock, our Astoria was nicely framed in an arch. There were also some nice statues along the shore that may make future posts...<br />
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The last stop in Guaymas was unimpressive. I'd visited the area in the 90s, visiting the tourist-themed stop San Carlos several times. Guaymas is a working-class city, seemingly not catering to tourists and lacking amenities. We took a taxi to San Carlos - I couldn't convince myself that I remembered much about it after being away for 25+ years! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHATWvLX3aIhEPw2qbGov4NLiwEbA-xCj4rN5PY6bXq8326C60-Bf1Gcrx22TyeXl5rQ0TU3ex7xxYp8B9zMODq2Rc6PBw12jF-JOL59jMsUUcjFwi8UZi14TA-zy-rwt-qmXxfc7VZQ/s1600/200208_Loreto_Guaymas_6612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHATWvLX3aIhEPw2qbGov4NLiwEbA-xCj4rN5PY6bXq8326C60-Bf1Gcrx22TyeXl5rQ0TU3ex7xxYp8B9zMODq2Rc6PBw12jF-JOL59jMsUUcjFwi8UZi14TA-zy-rwt-qmXxfc7VZQ/s320/200208_Loreto_Guaymas_6612.jpg" width="320" /></a>
But I LOVED the cruise! I like looking out over the water as we were underway. I liked watching the southern star Canopus climb higher as we reached our southernmost port of Mazatlan... But cruising is getting to be a bit dangerous - 5000+ people stacked shoulder to shoulder as dangerous viruses roam the earth! I don't think that it will ever match the popularity it has seen recently. I loved our little Astoria - both the venue (Sea of Cortez) and the ship's capacity seemed about right for each other... I would do it again in a heartbeat, but the Astoria is likely on its way out, and who knows with the current lock down if it will ever happen again.Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-86947315321417428022020-02-27T22:17:00.000-07:002020-02-27T22:17:23.510-07:00Mexican Ports of Call<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL1Z3Tjuw7bjMOylOK2BavEY5eHoJ8gu2aHbf3j9RpOC0Sh_rHsU0w3MbHwqQ230gHq2dMadiqVpxVnJl7YP9ZXR4ujHyu34OADzxpo1cKQRGIi18CS8NMJCxkMyIogItduSBMblGt-Q/s1600/200208_Santa_Rosalia_6545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1500" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL1Z3Tjuw7bjMOylOK2BavEY5eHoJ8gu2aHbf3j9RpOC0Sh_rHsU0w3MbHwqQ230gHq2dMadiqVpxVnJl7YP9ZXR4ujHyu34OADzxpo1cKQRGIi18CS8NMJCxkMyIogItduSBMblGt-Q/s320/200208_Santa_Rosalia_6545.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="http://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2020/02/cruising-down-mexico-way.html">In my last post</a>, I mostly covered the cruise ship Astoria, and discussed the trip itself in very general terms. I was thinking this time I'd tell you a little about our ports of call and my interaction with our stops. Besides my previous entry above, I've also found another <a href="https://maritimematters.com/2019/08/astoria-and-the-sea-of-cortez/">online article about the trip you can read here</a>. At left is the Astoria at anchor in our second-to-last port of call in Santa Rosalia.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW_tmyw60W1YfNzndVNebXfHlM_bWiUc9uj26yctISniIzJzlRFs-vOWfeoi9RMEOPBChtrGdK61p7W8wfyBPEXpVfJ4_n4TwYxFenDHiMxTSxncgSz2Vk7FIcvv_AvH95hLfI2flONs/s1600/200131_Astoria_Stern_6_Frame_Panorama_5911_5916_ice_version_sm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW_tmyw60W1YfNzndVNebXfHlM_bWiUc9uj26yctISniIzJzlRFs-vOWfeoi9RMEOPBChtrGdK61p7W8wfyBPEXpVfJ4_n4TwYxFenDHiMxTSxncgSz2Vk7FIcvv_AvH95hLfI2flONs/s320/200131_Astoria_Stern_6_Frame_Panorama_5911_5916_ice_version_sm2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our itinerary included 7 stops in addition to Puerto Peñasco as the starting/stopping point. From the "top" of the Sea of Cortez, we travelled south a full day and a half to Topolobampo (no, I had never heard of it either!). It is the port city for Los Mochis, a moderate-sized city on the east side of Cortez. Very similar to our last stop in Guaymas, I found both to be gritty working-class cities, and not especially appealing to travelers. After taking the 40 minute (free) shuttle bus to Los Mochis, we walked a few blocks to the Benjamin Johnston Botanical Garden, built by an American businessman who jump started the local economy by building a giant sugar mill 100+ years ago... Interestingly, the area gets only 2" of rain a year, and of course, it started raining on us, so many headed back to the ship - highlight was buying a bag of freshly-made churros (with neither of us speaking the other's language) from a street vendor for a dollar - delish!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicppkBLSXeVnO5Sh5UuftZls8dOZjNCWJPI-t3jyQzUYo13A2-QO4k9eBPnBs_u4ueKPkSmB1o7NxF81OrXXd361uqS9vRm6FBG3PA3a-1GQBTK2w97qO4vcUfEIx5EjtFQP9TwdRtxkY/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_Susan_6014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1044" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicppkBLSXeVnO5Sh5UuftZls8dOZjNCWJPI-t3jyQzUYo13A2-QO4k9eBPnBs_u4ueKPkSmB1o7NxF81OrXXd361uqS9vRm6FBG3PA3a-1GQBTK2w97qO4vcUfEIx5EjtFQP9TwdRtxkY/s320/200204_Mazatlan_Susan_6014.jpg" width="222" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7GgSVzV3rd4VhsloYG0hF2mPHsiuct06y6SxgoR2mRTDXLpepzE2OMXAHt9L8KWz3j9IoFFq860S10aV1bDsSQjUp8f7wBS1kf14RcLCFcx5XGU55N0Q2VZ53rp6c8ipbV-gez3R_ro/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_6042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="981" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7GgSVzV3rd4VhsloYG0hF2mPHsiuct06y6SxgoR2mRTDXLpepzE2OMXAHt9L8KWz3j9IoFFq860S10aV1bDsSQjUp8f7wBS1kf14RcLCFcx5XGU55N0Q2VZ53rp6c8ipbV-gez3R_ro/s320/200204_Mazatlan_6042.jpg" width="224" /></a>Another full day at sea before reaching Mazatlan. This was the stop where we were docked next to the behemoth holding 5500 passengers... Margie refused to leave the ship, so my usual travel companion Susan (shown at left) joined me leaving the Astoria. As soon as we got dropped off at the dock entrance, we met a very nice American working for a tour company who roped us into a 3-hour van tour (cue the theme from "Gilligan's Island"!). It was a GREAT way to hear and see the highlights of Mazatlan, with plenty of time to stop and visit a half dozen spots. I took a number of shots from the moving van, some better than others. An example at right a mosaic representing Mazatlan - meaning "place of deer". Preparations were in full swing for Carnival, which was a couple weeks away. It looks as if it would be quite the party place!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WWDeJYwu39RQ5dOmWrAXa-Jwz0Gyrn8jYZrp5i966m6IbnzMB39V_9OUeSIG9wkf5Axw6Nia4v5TZG-Ogga4I8rWTIrhDOAP6lQzlbH4inDM53jOuZxuzAWu43tf-95ddr4oxyVhLS4/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_6039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WWDeJYwu39RQ5dOmWrAXa-Jwz0Gyrn8jYZrp5i966m6IbnzMB39V_9OUeSIG9wkf5Axw6Nia4v5TZG-Ogga4I8rWTIrhDOAP6lQzlbH4inDM53jOuZxuzAWu43tf-95ddr4oxyVhLS4/s320/200204_Mazatlan_6039.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EBDe3VFHdLng8hdqJ0SFa4Bs-hO3mG2zWFXI-IfwFdi6Ux6U70rxU9Aub9tbD-MS9PYFbfi0IbNbkof1yGEtnbW2dbW6yIfstoeZhJlAfw_pSzDcVB1YNvqGAJjgZ0_FgQdZM-krTog/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_Basilica_Cathedral_6074_6075_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EBDe3VFHdLng8hdqJ0SFa4Bs-hO3mG2zWFXI-IfwFdi6Ux6U70rxU9Aub9tbD-MS9PYFbfi0IbNbkof1yGEtnbW2dbW6yIfstoeZhJlAfw_pSzDcVB1YNvqGAJjgZ0_FgQdZM-krTog/s320/200204_Mazatlan_Basilica_Cathedral_6074_6075_sm.jpg" width="289" /></a>From one of the hills overlooking the harbor, turning towards the city the big cathedral in town stood out. Shown at left it was soon our destination where our driver gave us 45 minutes to walk around and explore, including a couple shopping options. ALL cathedrals in the Baja area are worth a visit. This one was no exception - the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Work on it began in 1856 and finished in 1899, its consecration as a basilica in 1941. It was a pretty amazing place, every place you looked just held your attention.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tJgCxDfb_eWFbvtJsPzsZvBlgF19WNAL9oJlEIv5y_L1r6R2jZPb44attJIdkm9QEPWohpuZjcge52tMpzAp3jsYn_MaSFSTj-5cggqZkHQ4-ONSmywvLHGTZW7E9kTOKmjtPrnM-qY/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_Basilica_Cathedral_6062_6063_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1376" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tJgCxDfb_eWFbvtJsPzsZvBlgF19WNAL9oJlEIv5y_L1r6R2jZPb44attJIdkm9QEPWohpuZjcge52tMpzAp3jsYn_MaSFSTj-5cggqZkHQ4-ONSmywvLHGTZW7E9kTOKmjtPrnM-qY/s320/200204_Mazatlan_Basilica_Cathedral_6062_6063_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjDm1VAs-m4JxrGtKGl86jC9Rc7UK1HAEPVfO6H6EI-JjIQ4kVgMX0-RVsKIJi8o9OIh6wH2Jld12AgQ5_RmL35YBlKv12QSFFn_IJcPddNsbU7V7Uhbp_ziDkZTZDphUZYuxQqJgyIU/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_Shrimp_5054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1200" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjDm1VAs-m4JxrGtKGl86jC9Rc7UK1HAEPVfO6H6EI-JjIQ4kVgMX0-RVsKIJi8o9OIh6wH2Jld12AgQ5_RmL35YBlKv12QSFFn_IJcPddNsbU7V7Uhbp_ziDkZTZDphUZYuxQqJgyIU/s320/200204_Mazatlan_Shrimp_5054.jpg" width="320" /></a>I wandered around about half of the 45 minutes, then walked the 2 blocks down to the Mercado - not much that interested me. Before heading back to the van I did stop at a convenience store for some bottled water... The faucets in the ship's rooms looked a little brown, and waiting for meals to drink water left me dehydrated, so got a couple tall bottles. Interestingly, nearly 800 miles south of the US border, the local OXXO stores (pronounced Ox-o) seemed glad to take dollars, but gave change in pesos... After touring through town, the guide took us to a restaurant that specialized in seafood. About the only seafood I seek out is shrimp, and the Sea of Cortez is a "hotbed" of shrimp fishing, so was straightforward enough to decide! Couldn't beat (in my mind) garlic shrimp and a Mexican beer! We even had a view of the Sea of Cortez and strolling mariachis!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayuvLR-zf8sox_JdYfI4QxMl6e9JwCt23N_h0-MZBERGO7ZMPJ_R-9chT0K_3eIT7PWos-Iiz3y2XEjWlaF5vpBCOYRD_CsljqGWiegZpJ_mY91JzE8bw9o2sQ4zL0_xv3zDPRr_d0Us/s1600/200205_Cabo_Susan_6182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayuvLR-zf8sox_JdYfI4QxMl6e9JwCt23N_h0-MZBERGO7ZMPJ_R-9chT0K_3eIT7PWos-Iiz3y2XEjWlaF5vpBCOYRD_CsljqGWiegZpJ_mY91JzE8bw9o2sQ4zL0_xv3zDPRr_d0Us/s320/200205_Cabo_Susan_6182.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZWeEwx3NwkpM5siASwVTU4laCbCn4xr0R2IG5mdHTrsIIT3o2u2FRJjFfYodie6gL3DeZjsysV5YCw4qpCNRboCKj1xka0MQGV9DpZGenP_mfpAMvTh8J2-Az-ba_pkH1vea236POGU/s1600/200205_Cabo_Shirt_5074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZWeEwx3NwkpM5siASwVTU4laCbCn4xr0R2IG5mdHTrsIIT3o2u2FRJjFfYodie6gL3DeZjsysV5YCw4qpCNRboCKj1xka0MQGV9DpZGenP_mfpAMvTh8J2-Az-ba_pkH1vea236POGU/s320/200205_Cabo_Shirt_5074.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another night at sea and we pulled into Cabo San Lucas early the next morning. It was a beauty of a day, and the stark contrast of water and sky against the desert tans was so striking! Caught Susan smiling (at left) as we passed by "Land's End", one of the postcard views of Cabo. The Astoria anchored in the harbor and used its own lifeboats to shuttle whoever wanted to go ashore into the dock area. You can tell the difference between Cabo and our previous stops - THIS was a pure tourist town, a land of time shares, condos and hotels. There was little sign of industry or otherwise "normal" city life. The part we hated once we got ashore is that you couldn't walk 30 feet without being accosted for a whale watching tour, or snorkeling, or fishing... It was a constant barrage of competition for the tourist dollar. We ended up just shopping at some of the shops and grabbing a bite to eat along the docks. We were also amazed at the number of swordfish and sailfish that were trundled by that sport fisherman had caught and were unloading... My fave trinket were the t-shirts hawked at one store, shown at right!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-o5XcTQwf0hHyySO9jr4LxiEN172wjFrj7UcYP9qrWisiNw1uc-v08gYpmRdEQXS16eHdj4_FseP0o_OLIfNk-lzN2dnZtZf9DXlJNytqW26AiUg2nHv-olvtnXZVPXsNS9dSEzCBfM/s1600/200205_Cabo_Sunset_5088_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-o5XcTQwf0hHyySO9jr4LxiEN172wjFrj7UcYP9qrWisiNw1uc-v08gYpmRdEQXS16eHdj4_FseP0o_OLIfNk-lzN2dnZtZf9DXlJNytqW26AiUg2nHv-olvtnXZVPXsNS9dSEzCBfM/s320/200205_Cabo_Sunset_5088_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Since we spent so little time ashore, I set
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoNdRCPmN0YYJ_SrT43f51Gyx3rbi2OBDRBjmy0ccVfCch1wCOGf4xbtUr7JIvQmqeoqfZAtnZFhF_WqO55qSD-XoKhYaE-QZpciyTYvUAmiMLlKoNrIWVuhTqh064bn4vNRV9OF2ZfY/s1600/200205_Cabo_Sunset_5093_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoNdRCPmN0YYJ_SrT43f51Gyx3rbi2OBDRBjmy0ccVfCch1wCOGf4xbtUr7JIvQmqeoqfZAtnZFhF_WqO55qSD-XoKhYaE-QZpciyTYvUAmiMLlKoNrIWVuhTqh064bn4vNRV9OF2ZfY/s320/200205_Cabo_Sunset_5093_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a> up my little scope at the fantail and took some close-up views of the mountains, structures and beaches. The ship is NOT a dull place to spend the day if you don't go ashore - besides the mealtimes, there was a small library, movie theater screening Oscar-nominated movies, and a constant roll of activities - 3 trivia contests a day, table tennis contests, and night time musical extravaganzas... The ship got underway again right about sunset and I caught some very nice views of the Land's End rocks with the sunset glows... At left the "arch" can be spotted on the left side, and on the right, I included another passenger enjoying the sunset with me...<br />
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Well, I figure I'm about halfway thru the coverage of the ports of call, and rather than make a marathon post, will close it out and work on part 2 in a couple days... Stay tuned!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-81934444897644343872020-02-18T21:22:00.000-07:002020-02-18T21:22:36.599-07:00Cruising Down Mexico Way!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoKFymzq3WqzfLibB40XSl3U2xt2dT3WRFN430yJpV60rOYIzLrNqq_SAZwB62FcWsk6ydKdTMeIqJosWlKZcL0lwPSjhbovesNgsJ1NP8R-OyCGk_G8vlZC8cJjYAh0a2FDeLb-H1L8/s1600/200130_Astoria_Arrival_5804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoKFymzq3WqzfLibB40XSl3U2xt2dT3WRFN430yJpV60rOYIzLrNqq_SAZwB62FcWsk6ydKdTMeIqJosWlKZcL0lwPSjhbovesNgsJ1NP8R-OyCGk_G8vlZC8cJjYAh0a2FDeLb-H1L8/s320/200130_Astoria_Arrival_5804.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKk02TURIflsM5_E8dIUQTmC_BhnRGMeXM8mWb0lMTDrnP_EiljZHBOTENwHOgwDXeDVeskFM5XFhzmSb5tAfTjm9_y8akcdSQI_P2HXLJ6pJVfOOyKleq62B3-QTzH2Eol3n9aO7zMAA/s1600/200131_Astoria_Departure_Day_5828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKk02TURIflsM5_E8dIUQTmC_BhnRGMeXM8mWb0lMTDrnP_EiljZHBOTENwHOgwDXeDVeskFM5XFhzmSb5tAfTjm9_y8akcdSQI_P2HXLJ6pJVfOOyKleq62B3-QTzH2Eol3n9aO7zMAA/s320/200131_Astoria_Departure_Day_5828.jpg" width="320" /></a>It was a year ago that my buddy Margie brought to my attention that a cruise was starting up plying the Sea of Cortez - 11 days with stops in 8 coastal towns. It sounded like a great trip, so were among the first to get our deposits in. We found out months ago that the cruise ship was the Astoria - a ship with some history! Ancient by cruise ship standards, it was built in 1948 and is the oldest cruse ship still operating! It's greatest brush with fame was in 1956 while named the Stockholm - it collided in fog off Nantucket with the Andrea Doria, which sank! The Stockholm limped into port and survived for another day. Interestingly, a day or two before we launched, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/01/29/historic-cruise-ship/">there was an article in the Washington Post about the Astoria - a great read</a>! This blog post, first of a few, will concentrate on the ship itself...<br />
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The Sea of Cortez cruise ended up making 3 loops of Cortez, and we signed up for the last, leaving 31 January. Since the cruise left from Puerto Peñasco, I went down a day early to stay with Margie, who has a house there. At left at sunset on the 30th, the Astoria could be seen arriving from the previous loop. At right, the next morning (low tide), the Astoria sparkled in the morning light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKlbjv-13JMmOOjX2PRWUgG4Gv0awBKGzBYVxXPWEDpi2sligmmru7t2veDpW2QQ6hYVvduYedMvzAandvMzW5XzXqVIuiVz2HmiH4hyphenhyphenhDbu2x9cLQGWLKik4X7phOVRFga2jZ_aq0mc/s1600/200131_Astoria_Approach_5864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKlbjv-13JMmOOjX2PRWUgG4Gv0awBKGzBYVxXPWEDpi2sligmmru7t2veDpW2QQ6hYVvduYedMvzAandvMzW5XzXqVIuiVz2HmiH4hyphenhyphenhDbu2x9cLQGWLKik4X7phOVRFga2jZ_aq0mc/s320/200131_Astoria_Approach_5864.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzngc6YqVc8cKLDNFUQ7EfBFxeZW1BsY_6pSoKctsoFiy5Bo1R71qQRUflfniGxnu8glyqLdR6P_-jQWzAlfjm2z59w9pByBW2IV0z7wKt-Y5sCyzadhZFQx60iN8hhGpSijT-V1SdC-k/s1600/200131_Boarding_5870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzngc6YqVc8cKLDNFUQ7EfBFxeZW1BsY_6pSoKctsoFiy5Bo1R71qQRUflfniGxnu8glyqLdR6P_-jQWzAlfjm2z59w9pByBW2IV0z7wKt-Y5sCyzadhZFQx60iN8hhGpSijT-V1SdC-k/s320/200131_Boarding_5870.jpg" width="320" /></a>Being I'm all new to this cruising thing, I was looking forward to being aboard. Especially when eyeing the sleek lines from the "golden age" of cruise ships. Unfortunately, the harbor at Puerto Peñasco, while supporting a huge shrimp fleet, is too shallow for the Astoria to come to any dock. It might also have something to do with the 6-meter tides that occur there. In any case, they used local companies to "tender" us out to the ship, so got a good view of it as we approached via a sizeable catamaran. It sure looked huge as we approached! We pulled up to a door just above the water line and after they tied up we climbed up a short ramp to enter. Our luggage was in piles at the dock and took quite a while to catch up to us. Later I spied the same catamaran full of luggage and a crew humping them on board. It was nice to not be restricted to a single bag under 50 pounds like the arlines. And how DO you pack for an 11-day trip? I ended up over-packing, with 2 suitcases, and also a small telescope and tripod, hoping to do a little viewing from the deck...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-yz3c-8haxCL7jiAY0DWeleyA7mPdTyZBE2Po61lWE9atRX1NeeAXC5hQL30KVsp7XL5XgWBPg2I2tSPzY2CDzE9fyUPtrF55s8hbbioKZBRgz7Q10o3_22PxmVzgoAUIA6_1hWWhYM/s1600/200131_Stateroom_Margie_5015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-yz3c-8haxCL7jiAY0DWeleyA7mPdTyZBE2Po61lWE9atRX1NeeAXC5hQL30KVsp7XL5XgWBPg2I2tSPzY2CDzE9fyUPtrF55s8hbbioKZBRgz7Q10o3_22PxmVzgoAUIA6_1hWWhYM/s320/200131_Stateroom_Margie_5015.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQp2a-teLoytowTEqulg8nLoa5wLVaqKN8T3jVlhnMKeu8uc11SMniTcfZGeq-7_CjhDov_4qJfM_qYTvnInWy4StBwAjLow9cw-_4SKB1F1nHzxIybX4WT4SzWrYv0kCTKa4xeI9dCk/s1600/200131_Room_With_a_View_5014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQp2a-teLoytowTEqulg8nLoa5wLVaqKN8T3jVlhnMKeu8uc11SMniTcfZGeq-7_CjhDov_4qJfM_qYTvnInWy4StBwAjLow9cw-_4SKB1F1nHzxIybX4WT4SzWrYv0kCTKa4xeI9dCk/s320/200131_Room_With_a_View_5014.jpg" width="320" /></a>Once onboard, we checked in and got our ID card and room key - both to be carried at all times on a lanyard. I went exploring and quickly got a feel for the ship. Nowadays, this is considered pretty small, and I never got disoriented. There were only about 4 floors where most of the action took place, from our rooms on 3rd floor to the promenade deck and movie theater on 5. The only confusing part was there were two 4th floors - one for rooms and another for the buffet dining, stores and show lounge... Margie and I quickly found our rooms - was actually a little bigger than the cramped quarters I expected. Originally signing up for the least-expensive "inner cabin" without a view, we had been upgraded to "ocean view" with a pair of 16" portholes to see what it was like outside. It looks as though at some point in the past the portholes were open-able, but they were firmly fastened now. The only bad thing was that of the two elevators on board, the one near our rooms was out of commission, so I never used the one that did work, and climbed LOTS of stairs over the coarse of the 11 days!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMynTDx5VL49oOqwz7mup9AVT08hrdvTTGWzuFUsGLVZlZIVZWufUO7-APL7aTta2PU2GLO1AvO458mtfdgP0maiIYZdCKzma2MS53Uut12SWUCXDww7uA1kBWrae_f17gAtXhKT7Wqc/s1600/200131_Buffet_Dining_5886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMynTDx5VL49oOqwz7mup9AVT08hrdvTTGWzuFUsGLVZlZIVZWufUO7-APL7aTta2PU2GLO1AvO458mtfdgP0maiIYZdCKzma2MS53Uut12SWUCXDww7uA1kBWrae_f17gAtXhKT7Wqc/s320/200131_Buffet_Dining_5886.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWwxdpGvTZnb_ehAU8kY0SjzhKoaGWKGkIBIUv-4zu37KEzlT7ramXh96LLn-h0eQE4gq_gCBV_v_7_u4r3cDvxOfDPWDSSFL5PpvmuVxQGKhn3NqePy4xTSYpOJhFaG7yCSTS5HvRzE/s1600/200131_Lifeboat_Drill_5018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWwxdpGvTZnb_ehAU8kY0SjzhKoaGWKGkIBIUv-4zu37KEzlT7ramXh96LLn-h0eQE4gq_gCBV_v_7_u4r3cDvxOfDPWDSSFL5PpvmuVxQGKhn3NqePy4xTSYpOJhFaG7yCSTS5HvRzE/s320/200131_Lifeboat_Drill_5018.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first order of business after getting settled into our rooms mid-afternoon - find out where the food was! The buffet-style dining room was 2 floors above our room, and we wandered up there - and they were serving! Usually they are open for 2 hours around breakfast lunch and dinner, so definitely not 24-hour food service like I hear about on the big ships... There was a good variety of food, a few entrees and sides, then usually appetizers, a small salad and cheese section, then a bread table and a variety of desserts. Also waiters wandered to get you what you wanted to drink, from water, soda, beer or wine - all included during dining hours. There were seating areas on both sides of the serving area, so you had good picture-window quality views while eating there, shown at left.<br />
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The other first order of business was the lifeboat drill! We needed to go to our muster station with life jackets properly worn. Shown at right, attendance was mandatory! More stair climbing, we were in lifeboat 8 (there were 8 in total). Margie is at right against the wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNnRyIdC1ojKMREJLXk00x-OD3rACLovEs_T1CBaG4gxs0nZ3nqebHMOFxhW0jEUesVAA235ljMLUsccJ9ub-Ym9gZJEi2vRacwvRuA9d76JtJr17_EgOYr5Xv0Q4Lz-G1WEdLczj2uM/s1600/200131_Promenade_Deck_5019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1600" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNnRyIdC1ojKMREJLXk00x-OD3rACLovEs_T1CBaG4gxs0nZ3nqebHMOFxhW0jEUesVAA235ljMLUsccJ9ub-Ym9gZJEi2vRacwvRuA9d76JtJr17_EgOYr5Xv0Q4Lz-G1WEdLczj2uM/s320/200131_Promenade_Deck_5019.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdIP4EDyCCmdsDWeTnGPCWOd-5E52ODBxGznv8d4XRMb_RxlK6EAL596pLb3U3-OPufPKgpxlhJHf6_ZHXqTsjg96n33_5j1dmrvdq3y5V1xCMmXGKl78os6jk2xV74s2w191buSY_OQ/s1600/200131_Sunset_5024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdIP4EDyCCmdsDWeTnGPCWOd-5E52ODBxGznv8d4XRMb_RxlK6EAL596pLb3U3-OPufPKgpxlhJHf6_ZHXqTsjg96n33_5j1dmrvdq3y5V1xCMmXGKl78os6jk2xV74s2w191buSY_OQ/s320/200131_Sunset_5024.jpg" width="320" /></a>It was such a nice ship! I like walking around and taking in the views, so multiple times a day I would be out on the promenade deck, where you could walk around the entirety of the ship (6 laps per mile!), enjoying the view, watching the crew as we docked and undocked, and just watch the stars at night. I always liked to say that I wanted to "make sure we were going in the right direction" before going to bed at night, and it was true! Also, it was fun to see the stars shift as we moved south. From Mazatlan, our southernmost point of the trip, Canopus, normally a few degrees above the horizon from Tucson, was a good 9 degrees higher! And of course, Polaris was that much lower... At left is a panorama of the promenade deck just before we left from Puerto Penasco - note the small swimming pool, and the lounge around it that was open late for drinks and conversation. At right is that first sunset just before taking off, with the sun hidden behind a light fixture...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc-x7KvYNulf7PU_JsJy3QLEtDf4cAJv_GVfaWfLNYQjca2SYdfb8qunjsvOqHNjZVtS00lhSoqmQuHGtYkqyRR7mUCIejU7smJYh63OsIsaQS0FwO1vZrHgNzt9-FdAErc2rWexxP-4/s1600/200131_Under_Way_5025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc-x7KvYNulf7PU_JsJy3QLEtDf4cAJv_GVfaWfLNYQjca2SYdfb8qunjsvOqHNjZVtS00lhSoqmQuHGtYkqyRR7mUCIejU7smJYh63OsIsaQS0FwO1vZrHgNzt9-FdAErc2rWexxP-4/s320/200131_Under_Way_5025.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKtQwlYyvkjyAKNvDunfaqAePqkHqKK8VoKumtZoC6OPM7y-z_4DO8Z89V6b7NuWGphHwD6mRuE5PlG3Rzr7Tf397sNynPYRDwxZHAgYjzQnIxlKBExT0ytzRLd5ACdiIC9XM5imbtnc/s1600/200208_You_Are_Here_6615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKtQwlYyvkjyAKNvDunfaqAePqkHqKK8VoKumtZoC6OPM7y-z_4DO8Z89V6b7NuWGphHwD6mRuE5PlG3Rzr7Tf397sNynPYRDwxZHAgYjzQnIxlKBExT0ytzRLd5ACdiIC9XM5imbtnc/s320/200208_You_Are_Here_6615.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had my little telescope set up near the pool, showing the first quarter moon to gratifying ooohs and aaahs! It was right then we took off and at left is the gradual turn south as we leave the skyline of Rocky Point behind...<br />
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Like I said, I never got lost - it was pretty easy to get around. There were maps like shown at right scattered around, and it was pretty easy to find your way. Most of the places you wanted to go to was on floor 4a, most of the others had rooms on them. The exceptions were the movie theater on 5th floor stern, and the sit-down formal dining room on the 3rd floor, literally 20 yards from our room (I ate there twice - took too long to get waited on for a 5 course meal!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyTuXQ2rxNEAA_HULCqUdvxm12VQR81e2k4gJZk_lD93iAwcyzMDoiuLOLEEuQL8Aw9zDIhbVyUePxz6REEbjWnD600829cYv3ZNqtugpym5ANTBSxTMMdwnynC8tzqtfh2oZNeho6a0/s1600/200204_Mazatlan_Cruises_3_Frame_Panoraama_6025_6027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1600" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyTuXQ2rxNEAA_HULCqUdvxm12VQR81e2k4gJZk_lD93iAwcyzMDoiuLOLEEuQL8Aw9zDIhbVyUePxz6REEbjWnD600829cYv3ZNqtugpym5ANTBSxTMMdwnynC8tzqtfh2oZNeho6a0/s320/200204_Mazatlan_Cruises_3_Frame_Panoraama_6025_6027.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax65eItL6zo7WRlp93E-l9AGUqbI3GdrGa5QDPps_E0PMqIYavsM_86omzxFF9CLjxCcnlu1JGHihUNGEJNB8Ga99O5JvHNjdgn4VReF9VOyY3lFEMIa12RARk4IV5kQ6dGdwRFq71TA/s1600/200208_Loreto_Guaymas_6612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax65eItL6zo7WRlp93E-l9AGUqbI3GdrGa5QDPps_E0PMqIYavsM_86omzxFF9CLjxCcnlu1JGHihUNGEJNB8Ga99O5JvHNjdgn4VReF9VOyY3lFEMIa12RARk4IV5kQ6dGdwRFq71TA/s320/200208_Loreto_Guaymas_6612.jpg" width="320" /></a>Like I said, the Astoria is considered a small ship by modern standards, and sure enough, we saw the proof in Mazatlan! We happened to be parked adjacent to the Carnival Panorama, put into service just 2 months before. Shown at left, you can barely see the Astoria over the warehouses on the docks compared to the Panorama. See it there, looking more like a bathtub toy compared to the behemoth! At twice the length and 10 times the tonnage, it holds 5,500 passengers, over 10X our little boat! I think it would be great for people with short attention spans, as in conversations with some of the passengers, they have everything you can think of to keep you busy for those overnight runs to the next stop!<br />
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I liked our little Astoria. Finally on our second-to-last night at sea, was able to get a night time photo of us underway. We were traversing the Sea of Cortez from Santa Rosalia on the west side to Guaymas on the eastern coast. About a 1 second exposure under a nearly-full moon, it was always a beautiful view, if not a little windy and cold...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3yKqSYg7U3kGo-ejcU1bD0zTjKurBaZhuof2S42xkV2JAm5kmbK99BOiUcI1jEYUyyb9qgnxM5M1K2dumDqn6bE74wH509PiD3Ahk2-1zjp47TPMsL33qXvds0HDqJMJJEk6KTsmhPQ/s1600/200211_Tender_Trip_6722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3yKqSYg7U3kGo-ejcU1bD0zTjKurBaZhuof2S42xkV2JAm5kmbK99BOiUcI1jEYUyyb9qgnxM5M1K2dumDqn6bE74wH509PiD3Ahk2-1zjp47TPMsL33qXvds0HDqJMJJEk6KTsmhPQ/s320/200211_Tender_Trip_6722.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TyaOJ35v5vc7zSYMLAGSXlb44hRmJbA7lp0luOftW71YCnrHkZTSOyyz8bHr_IJBl50e_nI6vg30FMEgaH7VSjBrX5RmdfEUMb68kOeuL8zqR5UUv6XMrW8r_5Oowr-T2AgVsihPB0g/s1600/200211_Astoria_Departure_6732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TyaOJ35v5vc7zSYMLAGSXlb44hRmJbA7lp0luOftW71YCnrHkZTSOyyz8bHr_IJBl50e_nI6vg30FMEgaH7VSjBrX5RmdfEUMb68kOeuL8zqR5UUv6XMrW8r_5Oowr-T2AgVsihPB0g/s320/200211_Astoria_Departure_6732.jpg" width="320" /></a>Finally it was over and it was time to leave our home-away-from-home... After 11 days we were tendered back to the docks of Puerto Penasco. Interestingly, our little catamaran tender was FAST, and we nearly caught up to the one that left before us! You can spot the harbor master in the boat shadowing us at the right... I was in about the last group of passengers to unload - my luggage was the last to be claimed on the dock...<br />
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Margie's gardener met us in her truck to haul our luggage back. It had poured rain the day before and the town was a mass of water and mud! In about the hour it took to collect ourselves and get to her place, I climbed to her observation deck and what did I spot - the Astoria heading south at full speed! They were supposed to be in England in 3 weeks to start a series of cruises between London and Norway - the "Northern Lights Cruise"!<br />
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The Washington Post article up above indicates that the Astoria is to be mothballed at the end of the Europe Summer tour season. It will be a sad day in my opinion. As far as cruises in the Sea of Cortez go, it seems to be a perfect size! While it supposedly holds 550 passengers, it held about 400 on our trip. Why bring in something much larger if it can't be filled... Anyway, <a href="https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=5383304">I found a website that shows the current position of the Astoria</a>! As of right now, 7 + days after it kicked us off, it is off the coast of Costa Rica, headed to the Panama Canal to transition to the Atlantic... Will be fun to watch it cross and ply the waters of the North Sea, wondering if our friends Aida and Elizabeth are still belting out the songs in the lounge, and if they have different trivia contests on that side of "the pond" than they do here! More posts and pictures to come...Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-90474714797989060562020-01-29T23:23:00.000-07:002020-01-29T23:23:51.733-07:00Whitewater Draw WeekendWith Winter firmly ahold of us (temps in the 60s!), it was time to plan a birding trip to Whitewater draw. <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/search?q=whitewater+Draw">I've posted about our many trips there</a> a couple times a year for nearly a decade since we discovered it. In recent years, <a href="https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/viewing/webcamlist/sandhillcrane/cranecam/">Arizona Game and Fish have installed a webcam</a> to keep an eye (and ear!) on the action there. This year showed a LOT more water than in the last few years. I'm not sure it is from more rainfall or if the irrigation system is working again after failing a few years back. It sort of put a crimp on the cranes the last few years, so was looking forward to seeing the place again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2WxssfUVyRiXemVNt1Jx51z4N_n5s7njcAwX9VTXkZdJrG8D7jRDwhj6YQpcBcCAEJx8Gl_ZCU6LUJqbPGni31JYdiymjTH57CIPvJOJBUvc-8hMesqrMu1hX3iCdWnc2sqwrBYU8Gk/s1600/200126_Cranes_5547_crop1_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2WxssfUVyRiXemVNt1Jx51z4N_n5s7njcAwX9VTXkZdJrG8D7jRDwhj6YQpcBcCAEJx8Gl_ZCU6LUJqbPGni31JYdiymjTH57CIPvJOJBUvc-8hMesqrMu1hX3iCdWnc2sqwrBYU8Gk/s320/200126_Cranes_5547_crop1_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEL2vyd01Bh6xYWZoBdKs2rq6vubRJold4NJbuUMP_E6dRCNd_-F720kotvhqA7D03vs5sEvtGAnTLs3em8Kp3DwKAX2WgPATAw_zMUDdq6g4ecRpesuzhhZ8d23oylVonvYZ2i43L9o/s1600/200126_Cranes_5547_crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1027" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEL2vyd01Bh6xYWZoBdKs2rq6vubRJold4NJbuUMP_E6dRCNd_-F720kotvhqA7D03vs5sEvtGAnTLs3em8Kp3DwKAX2WgPATAw_zMUDdq6g4ecRpesuzhhZ8d23oylVonvYZ2i43L9o/s320/200126_Cranes_5547_crop_sm.jpg" width="277" /></a>I ended up going out both Saturday AND Sunday! There were lots of cranes, but interestingly, they were all avoiding the water! Years past they all gathered in the shallow water to avoid predators (coyotes) through the night, but now they gathered on the banks. But this behavior brought them closer to the walking path, so was able to get some good close-ups. <br />
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The main activity besides resting (feeding is generally done in fields away from the wetlands), as well as male posing, presumably looking for females, or exerting dominance. The pair of males shown here were trying to out-do each other. I was in the perfect spot for the photo at left where they were standing tall with wings outstretched - mirroring each other. The left image is a full-resolution blowup to show the steely gaze of the crane looking my way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPrIjYmLZUxkMgje5OBNgChpDdXA1Tjv0FdF4oiLb49xlkiGRCXgG8rWWBJCAv0C5aW0Lbduhh1eu44_Mimvaz5KXuYuNmIl6hefvG8HZTJXl2jxaLYKfENi_h2qjM3p0Rlf3XAU9HgE/s1600/200126_5551_crop1_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPrIjYmLZUxkMgje5OBNgChpDdXA1Tjv0FdF4oiLb49xlkiGRCXgG8rWWBJCAv0C5aW0Lbduhh1eu44_Mimvaz5KXuYuNmIl6hefvG8HZTJXl2jxaLYKfENi_h2qjM3p0Rlf3XAU9HgE/s320/200126_5551_crop1_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8jtSfHyyZamQIxNiItrav-nTflsJTRxfyAN5ig86v__QONIkid8Z-e6mM4HkVDgiSPOBxVAZDNq-3HFU8NJ3TdEaQ_whFOf01QsG4SsblfiD-nvER_sTxi-UzzLeTb7WsvFeqsiSqVA/s1600/200126_Cranes_5562_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8jtSfHyyZamQIxNiItrav-nTflsJTRxfyAN5ig86v__QONIkid8Z-e6mM4HkVDgiSPOBxVAZDNq-3HFU8NJ3TdEaQ_whFOf01QsG4SsblfiD-nvER_sTxi-UzzLeTb7WsvFeqsiSqVA/s320/200126_Cranes_5562_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>It so happened that I was set up next to 2 other photographers - all of us shooting with the same setup - Canon cameras with the 500mm and 1.4X extender! I was the only local one. Anyway, the two cranes continued their antics shown here. At right, one went low the other high, and finally at right it appears the confrontation was over. I wasn't sure which one won the contest, but I'm sure that THEY did!<br />
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The group of cranes adjacent to the walking path was closest to us, but was small in numbers compared to the main group which seemed to the west side of the wetlands, about a quarter mile or so away. They were raising quite a racket out there, and in binoculars, seemed again to be avoiding the water. Some snow geese were, as usual, scattered among the sand hill cranes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmHK2LAdTGYrD02skfD3ATocecjqv9yay4A23OLlkxrYjtLWQO7qkqAfu3EtFlilqnSCSMBJxiGk47KjafDKK_9AmFQ7hmGZzINYObyMtWPrYqk6ddmJzw6QCko3eRmlno4c_qkoaqPM/s1600/200126_Cranes_5596_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmHK2LAdTGYrD02skfD3ATocecjqv9yay4A23OLlkxrYjtLWQO7qkqAfu3EtFlilqnSCSMBJxiGk47KjafDKK_9AmFQ7hmGZzINYObyMtWPrYqk6ddmJzw6QCko3eRmlno4c_qkoaqPM/s320/200126_Cranes_5596_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZmh8oYC_l6pOl5zV6GpkuwRJK0gcPrqrGyUa_9iTpHm8KlcNnA9x7o0FsHcQY2U8pjtVHW4Lq5mNeItnZBnr0uW5R9y7-B-IZNAlzqKe0GviXNzxNDPGGMZSd-aDGeZgsytBnt-SQEQ/s1600/200126_Cranes_5603_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZmh8oYC_l6pOl5zV6GpkuwRJK0gcPrqrGyUa_9iTpHm8KlcNnA9x7o0FsHcQY2U8pjtVHW4Lq5mNeItnZBnr0uW5R9y7-B-IZNAlzqKe0GviXNzxNDPGGMZSd-aDGeZgsytBnt-SQEQ/s320/200126_Cranes_5603_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>I love their rattling calls. If you tune in to the webcam above, you can hear them. On occasion when something causes them to take to the air, the show starts when you hear the wing beats of thousands of cranes taking to the air, then the ruckus starts with the calls also filling the air. I can sit and watch/listen for hours, which I generally do - occasionally taking a photo or two!<br />
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At left, the view is towards the west - the large groups of cranes can be seen at bottom, with many taken to the air, seen in silhouette against the Mule Mountains. The lowlands contain fields where the cranes often congregate. At right is a view to the northwest, again seen against the mountains illuminated by a very low sun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzecT0nsSl0gGLyOH8sxiuN5wMJ5_9aQ_KnVdmEMWTMTfjxOnAC8OWGigmWwYW9q329zEfIKsMpVrcfVcQLe6eN00hpaDd7TMNkY8BZUcASO3qF4RqeHuULJWnho2-QDFx1GUJy9fAsvU/s1600/200126_Yellow_Headed_Blackbirds_5588_crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzecT0nsSl0gGLyOH8sxiuN5wMJ5_9aQ_KnVdmEMWTMTfjxOnAC8OWGigmWwYW9q329zEfIKsMpVrcfVcQLe6eN00hpaDd7TMNkY8BZUcASO3qF4RqeHuULJWnho2-QDFx1GUJy9fAsvU/s320/200126_Yellow_Headed_Blackbirds_5588_crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx5QzUDkrARv4M0fQNE-AEkifbj0UCCl51eck-CJLkcLwY-9VX-iQ4tXk7xxJb4coLHT2vJsMvZrQVPthtzJ2OSTsdsgfxHylQ_nnoLza7Ndsbj37jzYJaTJ_TQY0DzwIpUBv46mg_FI/s1600/200126_Coots_5645_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx5QzUDkrARv4M0fQNE-AEkifbj0UCCl51eck-CJLkcLwY-9VX-iQ4tXk7xxJb4coLHT2vJsMvZrQVPthtzJ2OSTsdsgfxHylQ_nnoLza7Ndsbj37jzYJaTJ_TQY0DzwIpUBv46mg_FI/s320/200126_Coots_5645_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>As has happened a few times in the past, as sunset neared, there appeared a "tornado" of blackbirds, rushing in huge groups to congregate in the reeds and rushes around open water. Upon closer examination, they were, in fact, yellow-headed blackbirds. At left they are seen as they gather, with cranes in the background. They are evidently close cousins of the more common redwing blackbirds, but Whitewater is the only place I've seen the yellow-headed version.<br />
<br />
There were many other species of birds feeding. Here at right are seen a group of American coots taking one last feeding trip across the wetlands before it got dark. Only seen in silhouette here, they sport nearly white beaks and dark red eyes, making them more striking in full sunlight...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oawkue0xfsDOi6UD_qWUOkeIrmHVh6zJAfKadbN46GlbW0xfWwJzzDqtm28dGOqgP1Yshjzmt-Vy9d0mnfnS4iKKz-2t3Sxfl7GUO4ty3T0sPK2RXM4IJSBw3a9Nvpt9F5RDtFxJX8Y/s1600/200126_Heron_5652_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oawkue0xfsDOi6UD_qWUOkeIrmHVh6zJAfKadbN46GlbW0xfWwJzzDqtm28dGOqgP1Yshjzmt-Vy9d0mnfnS4iKKz-2t3Sxfl7GUO4ty3T0sPK2RXM4IJSBw3a9Nvpt9F5RDtFxJX8Y/s320/200126_Heron_5652_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I had spotted a great blue heron as we <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQswwY4YHvvuSrUm7NB9HxMBYA_KW-GiIDrMFslPyi26RTs46id6WR7KmOSFE38yE8Vmh10eBwqIFQhYT07X3q-gzSOUWY2iRHLjEKrwYPaK_mekI4qlZDW3etarEYqshxHW_M7qhKUNk/s1600/200126_Cranes_5721_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQswwY4YHvvuSrUm7NB9HxMBYA_KW-GiIDrMFslPyi26RTs46id6WR7KmOSFE38yE8Vmh10eBwqIFQhYT07X3q-gzSOUWY2iRHLjEKrwYPaK_mekI4qlZDW3etarEYqshxHW_M7qhKUNk/s320/200126_Cranes_5721_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>entered from the parking lot, and right on cue at sunset, it flew right in front of me to roost in a clump of vegetation not 50 yards away. In the deepening twilight, the exposure was long enough that the wing flaps were blurred, but in scanning to follow it, at least the pupil of the eye is still sharp!<br />
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The usual routine was for the cranes to return to the protection of the water as nightfall came. Many took to the air and flew nearby, and it is always a challenge to capture them against the twilight sky. At right is about my best effort as they were gliding without flapping their wings. Even as it got dark they were sharply captured.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqg8xw_oeCZ1Dxe_tVA-8ZGmuRPLXYkfjm921rdD8OzZZHPrCmGMxbuqyXsLxL5AiLZN3v31yAlgaeLZedBI2TDN7i5MrgqV-9Dd8UYtkffJfxTqD63JpbwIrJumLvwIXb1LxghfEZPs/s1600/200125_Sunset_5408_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqg8xw_oeCZ1Dxe_tVA-8ZGmuRPLXYkfjm921rdD8OzZZHPrCmGMxbuqyXsLxL5AiLZN3v31yAlgaeLZedBI2TDN7i5MrgqV-9Dd8UYtkffJfxTqD63JpbwIrJumLvwIXb1LxghfEZPs/s320/200125_Sunset_5408_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30uejWUQN90ZoHdsFwqpG9nU1FZlMLwGsMK10970jcVC9WE3mb4rR2k7PJtlqBCGKEZ_lXiY5MfeFTVfExN6fHYr4GhKAxoPQS2DOT8o9hio1p1F0HtGgF6m1T26uvqEIqOcTxVs_5RI/s1600/200126_HDR_Sunset_5412_5414_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30uejWUQN90ZoHdsFwqpG9nU1FZlMLwGsMK10970jcVC9WE3mb4rR2k7PJtlqBCGKEZ_lXiY5MfeFTVfExN6fHYr4GhKAxoPQS2DOT8o9hio1p1F0HtGgF6m1T26uvqEIqOcTxVs_5RI/s320/200126_HDR_Sunset_5412_5414_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'll have to say, that Saturday's twilight was likely the most spectacular I've ever seen! Of course, there are a lot of those in AZ, but this one was very long-lasting, actually 45 minutes of color from looking at the time stamp on my images. I've got 2 to show here, at left a single image showing some of the birders here distracted by the sunset colors. And at left is a 3-image "HDR" (High Dynamic Range) photo that combines different exposures to extend the visibility of highlights and shadows...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Bt6gzGMrWjoqG9-pDd8aM5bCdfNGDkLFhfQ3utaZy8fW5VAWFbcC1Li4YhWH3okPBE0ZOuxbrL43EXbh4XrOlk2XD2r_5uxqJsHnY0KKkU9uwC-Z46LB2JLl6Z2uBYW9favA_mdKNi8/s1600/200126_Defocused_Orion_8_sec_5752_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Bt6gzGMrWjoqG9-pDd8aM5bCdfNGDkLFhfQ3utaZy8fW5VAWFbcC1Li4YhWH3okPBE0ZOuxbrL43EXbh4XrOlk2XD2r_5uxqJsHnY0KKkU9uwC-Z46LB2JLl6Z2uBYW9favA_mdKNi8/s320/200126_Defocused_Orion_8_sec_5752_sm.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_x560XV73oiFzdIoZkzLtwAX-SYdKYu6h4Ouv21Ob6qyL5iqpyotkMyndHuQqHa00tHa4ZsLHkrCprovljhXuER_JnkmXSbN36iOxgUQ9Um1cOj2SnMlSPo6DXgjlVy3AJOvylRglrm4/s1600/200126_Defocused_Orion_5751_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1219" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_x560XV73oiFzdIoZkzLtwAX-SYdKYu6h4Ouv21Ob6qyL5iqpyotkMyndHuQqHa00tHa4ZsLHkrCprovljhXuER_JnkmXSbN36iOxgUQ9Um1cOj2SnMlSPo6DXgjlVy3AJOvylRglrm4/s320/200126_Defocused_Orion_5751_sm.jpg" width="278" /></a>It was clear enough on Sunday to take a few <br />
star photos. The big news in astronomy now is that in the constellation of Orion, the upper left star, Betelgeuse has been growing fainter than it has ever been seen! Instead of the brightest star in the prominent constellation, it is now third-brightest, effectively tied with Bellatrix, the upper right star. At left I took a photo purposely out of focus to show the colors of the striking constellation. The orange color of Betelgeuse reveals it to be a red giant star - very cool (thus orange-colored) compared to the bluish other stars of the constellation. At right is another not quite as far out of focus to show much fainter star colors. While most are still blue, many fainter ones have reddish colors as well.<br />
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I've only started to harvest images from these 2 trips, so look for more soon, as well as likely more trips while the cranes are here!<br />
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<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-42990201772703331932020-01-15T22:25:00.003-07:002020-01-15T22:25:59.164-07:00Return Trip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjJriWOb_n5_hg0kWOtRr9rWDK3Pp0OfuuZ0KI-AvNedMimpqurWZlHBWRhHJ76ENh7kKjNqX1Xlane0VKF3N_To56WmY7vhd3wVV4916pLXSlB-E3DoQJSnfbNvqWhegCgjht_lKhsQ/s1600/200101_Lake_Clinton_5185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1500" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjJriWOb_n5_hg0kWOtRr9rWDK3Pp0OfuuZ0KI-AvNedMimpqurWZlHBWRhHJ76ENh7kKjNqX1Xlane0VKF3N_To56WmY7vhd3wVV4916pLXSlB-E3DoQJSnfbNvqWhegCgjht_lKhsQ/s320/200101_Lake_Clinton_5185.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_LI7oGNvae1iGWegAphNylS-MxPK7NdguBPOrGIo7uRWbwcJt8yJJG8ozrlMsCdr_rdS2N0nQJ3_5n8Cm3G9JO4YzXqgqlW2xrYFVBmY8ci3ZvB8HGNXcAc_ABEvjGMESmxljaYtDbE/s1600/200101_Lake_Clinton_5190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1500" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_LI7oGNvae1iGWegAphNylS-MxPK7NdguBPOrGIo7uRWbwcJt8yJJG8ozrlMsCdr_rdS2N0nQJ3_5n8Cm3G9JO4YzXqgqlW2xrYFVBmY8ci3ZvB8HGNXcAc_ABEvjGMESmxljaYtDbE/s320/200101_Lake_Clinton_5190.jpg" width="320" /></a>Jeez, my return to AZ was nearly 2 weeks ago - probably overdue to post about it! It started with what is getting to be a tradition - meeting my sister Linda and her husband Lauren to hunt for eagles along the Mississippi! Clinton, IA (where I was born) has a bald eagle festival the first weekend of January. On most years, the Mississippi is iced over and eagles gather below lock and dam #13 where the open water allows fishing. When that occurs, you can see hundreds of bald eagles in the trees along the river, occasionally taking flight and hunting fish. Both last year and this, there was no ice (temps in the 60s, which we enjoyed on Christmas will do that!), so we had to go hunting for what used to be a rare sighting of eagles. Back 50 years ago growing up in the area, we never saw eagles, but they are quite common now.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwD595Qo9FsWtuQsNB2cB67jprNxb9FYHnWmEA1PUDtrGrEP4wFHpZhEiSTWXFALFJ2hLkF-056hqDHk_oXfhsfbztqbE_toqhZd1cul5dHVbZfyfwpjYnd2UXxayAz4elAwiarx-2t0/s1600/200101_Lake_Clinton_5186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwD595Qo9FsWtuQsNB2cB67jprNxb9FYHnWmEA1PUDtrGrEP4wFHpZhEiSTWXFALFJ2hLkF-056hqDHk_oXfhsfbztqbE_toqhZd1cul5dHVbZfyfwpjYnd2UXxayAz4elAwiarx-2t0/s320/200101_Lake_Clinton_5186.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7yGqyW1YNT46fFlVzOYK-WZ9AGhmNF-E8yM1j7Eg4z7R9cYqOofjZYm6ysVnzFJl7y3J5T86bY152af1vr6_AjF0xgbveFdq-94Ymht4O7r_bDlC8DfcwA9k46cMaS_mEsFjkOOsrII/s1600/200101_Lake_Clinton_5192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1500" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7yGqyW1YNT46fFlVzOYK-WZ9AGhmNF-E8yM1j7Eg4z7R9cYqOofjZYm6ysVnzFJl7y3J5T86bY152af1vr6_AjF0xgbveFdq-94Ymht4O7r_bDlC8DfcwA9k46cMaS_mEsFjkOOsrII/s320/200101_Lake_Clinton_5192.jpg" width="320" /></a>But we did have a couple brisk nights with temps in the low 20s, and some strong winds, and as we went exploring along the eastern shore of "Lake Clinton" above the dam, we saw some cool sightings of the shore, plants and rocks with a translucent coating of ice, melting in the late-afternoon sun. These were taken at "Thompson Slough" where there was a nice-looking campground that my sister's family had stayed a number of times.<br />
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It was quite striking, both the ice coating around the water line, as well as the water itself - there was enough wave action that random "puzzle pieces" in the water moved up and down relative to each other with an edge of slushy ice along the border, as shown at left. With the moderate temperatures, the ice likely didn't hang around long...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6CEkXX8EgvF2K_BBmRiuSK_-UUMiOzo8KqfE3QTy2rprxx8HSUg4GWGG54powKH_nvP6-qxHvTdeST2KvhcBcI2eVa71olC3VW_AtUTnB1z1Mdc9-BVTzy1qNlB4OmfHDzlEWjq5NkI/s1600/200101_Sabula_Lake_5212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1500" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6CEkXX8EgvF2K_BBmRiuSK_-UUMiOzo8KqfE3QTy2rprxx8HSUg4GWGG54powKH_nvP6-qxHvTdeST2KvhcBcI2eVa71olC3VW_AtUTnB1z1Mdc9-BVTzy1qNlB4OmfHDzlEWjq5NkI/s320/200101_Sabula_Lake_5212.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SybESnEGQnzJBfmlLG5sdX1KZ4PR1X0ByRicmzLOih6Jr9GNhX1AEHbjrfI0JqnBmAo9MwedFjtwbNMxpducU-aYJixWsSZ6tkZlLx-8PIUFMiOOo-ifWawJCvaGu6_KTy3D_MQE-Ys/s1600/200101_Sabula_Lake_5215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1500" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SybESnEGQnzJBfmlLG5sdX1KZ4PR1X0ByRicmzLOih6Jr9GNhX1AEHbjrfI0JqnBmAo9MwedFjtwbNMxpducU-aYJixWsSZ6tkZlLx-8PIUFMiOOo-ifWawJCvaGu6_KTy3D_MQE-Ys/s320/200101_Sabula_Lake_5215.jpg" width="320" /></a>So the search for eagles continued. Last year we had success up near Sabula - another 10 miles upstream on the Iowa side. One of my favorite aunts lived in the area until a few years ago, and there was little excuse to visit the area any more! Anyway, there is a little city park on the south side of "Sabula Lake", and as we headed there, sure enough, there were a couple eagles standing atop some thin ice on the still water... As shown at left, these were the only eagles we spotted on New Year's Day. With the river open, it was NOT fishing as normal with them hanging out in the trees along the river. These photos were taken in the very-late afternoon (about 30 minutes before sunset) with a big, 500mm telephoto lens. We were not very close to this pair (perhaps 100 yards or more), but the following close-ups are shown at full-resolution. The closer of the eagles took off just as I was setting up on it, so got a quick sequence of it jumping into the air...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIP4Uuuokpcs_VSkKtdpmMPhc5_g3xoNnZpsOKN2GtEos5xjdJZhY5OMR7nN2EYLxXUqtrTZ9_ttgJ0mqZu8wtjYYAR-lazlj6x1oRCz3H4HjsZ5lnMrSMMpuCF0ypHfLcnZ1P1a7nNk/s1600/200101_Sabula_Lake_5216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1500" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIP4Uuuokpcs_VSkKtdpmMPhc5_g3xoNnZpsOKN2GtEos5xjdJZhY5OMR7nN2EYLxXUqtrTZ9_ttgJ0mqZu8wtjYYAR-lazlj6x1oRCz3H4HjsZ5lnMrSMMpuCF0ypHfLcnZ1P1a7nNk/s320/200101_Sabula_Lake_5216.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzII8avEr9_CbY5jk48D6G4TdWxygApP-cbgdp97Zf0jbA41nOCX9sA51YYNIdCPVAmeVnLLdnXEK7wq4Hjp0lc_M2puES5IBHQSVNGIcGI6yaVwAJ3Rt-szHCPOe9jf4S6216vOALrI/s1600/200101_Sabula_Lake_5217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1500" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzII8avEr9_CbY5jk48D6G4TdWxygApP-cbgdp97Zf0jbA41nOCX9sA51YYNIdCPVAmeVnLLdnXEK7wq4Hjp0lc_M2puES5IBHQSVNGIcGI6yaVwAJ3Rt-szHCPOe9jf4S6216vOALrI/s320/200101_Sabula_Lake_5217.jpg" width="320" /></a>After the first hop upwards above, the first wing flap appears to have bounced off the ice, as shown at left. By the next stroke at right he was truly airborne and on his way. I should have cranked up the gain (ISO) on the camera in the growing gloom, but the longish exposures had subsequent images blur unacceptably...<br />
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We scurried back down to Fulton (across the Mississippi from Clinton), and met some family for dinner at Manny's - a pizza and sandwich place of some renown. All the siblings save baby sister Sheri, now in Alabama, were there, as was my Uncle John and his family, including his son who was visiting from the Boston area - a real family reunion!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMRaifrtNdNSPIVqj0ffC7Ro9GhWqa_vbBA91u6U2ZFWgVZO_Lz95fMWzW82vkmg-3UCE1J5BjGVHkolXZTLoxNnSxeLCCXOF3TgKikA_kDVnr3g4war8V8iIvSXsHAhv8TBkRgBRAXA/s1600/200103_Flagstaff_5243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1500" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMRaifrtNdNSPIVqj0ffC7Ro9GhWqa_vbBA91u6U2ZFWgVZO_Lz95fMWzW82vkmg-3UCE1J5BjGVHkolXZTLoxNnSxeLCCXOF3TgKikA_kDVnr3g4war8V8iIvSXsHAhv8TBkRgBRAXA/s320/200103_Flagstaff_5243.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Already to the Mississippi, I headed towards AZ from there. I made it to Des Moines that night, then drove all day down across Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas into New Mexico staying at Tucumcari the second night. Didn't take any photos for much of the trip, but a striking sight from even 100 miles away was the San Francisco Peaks welcoming me back to AZ - the remnant of an ancient volcano and at 14,000+ feet the highest point in the state. Here I was still 30 miles east of Flagstaff (and the mountain), but even from that distance it was an impressive view! So the trip was uneventful, short at 12 days away, but still very glad I did it!<br />
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<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-15727892063427092212020-01-06T19:28:00.001-07:002020-01-06T19:28:37.957-07:00Mr October!When I was back at "Ketelsen East" during the Fall, while out enjoying breakfast with Melinda's buddy Sallie, I happened to notice a copy of the St Charles Daily Herald open for restaurant patrons to enjoy. I noticed there was a "calendar contest" for local residents, with a deadline towards the end of October. Never having even seeing a copy of the paper or previous calendars, I wasn't sure what sort of images they were looking for, but the blurb said they wanted "photos illustrating life in the Northwest and West suburbs".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLqZegnA0jxsBnOApsMFM2EoVHttG0RJES-BCzI5Pbusl_KCI3fj7YUAj6-T3X7iZkeuESg1mXbPwuXPMku3fTJAfzjVUF568EqwKgCOzrrhpmH-sa0kCBtmEAGp53lGvkshxJYN7jaM/s1600/200106_Mr_October_5277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1500" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLqZegnA0jxsBnOApsMFM2EoVHttG0RJES-BCzI5Pbusl_KCI3fj7YUAj6-T3X7iZkeuESg1mXbPwuXPMku3fTJAfzjVUF568EqwKgCOzrrhpmH-sa0kCBtmEAGp53lGvkshxJYN7jaM/s320/200106_Mr_October_5277.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Well, I had a couple favorite macro subjects and submitted them the night of the deadline. They said winners would be contacted by December 6th. Not expecting much from the special-interest macro images, I waited...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4YLkZiO20ivUtjtQGBwi6KptSH8mw0QMjFplRVQIcS7xi9vB05MRv-ivu7hWoi0jCP8Wuac85ZVH5TtiFrkJIdXEUerpd4hYdXEBagzZM4lrxCDuBWLGOk3FEU1qf-ySBHZWStQZg6Q/s1600/100106_Calendar_5279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1400" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4YLkZiO20ivUtjtQGBwi6KptSH8mw0QMjFplRVQIcS7xi9vB05MRv-ivu7hWoi0jCP8Wuac85ZVH5TtiFrkJIdXEUerpd4hYdXEBagzZM4lrxCDuBWLGOk3FEU1qf-ySBHZWStQZg6Q/s320/100106_Calendar_5279.jpg" width="320" /></a>But miracles of miracles, I got an email from "Kat" from the paper stating I'd won! No details, but my "prize" was a copy of the calendar and while their subscribers got theirs in the Sunday, 17 December edition, they wanted to send me a copy. Since I was in Tucson, they mailed it here. I suspect it passed me as I was driving back to the Midwest this recent trip. But it was waiting for me upon my return yesterday! I'm Mr October, and my alternate submission was in the last page of "honorable mentions"!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyn5iN1nJH6EGAZMTFzqbXbYhRPFemaM1_4N56oAQV8KxQRswOgbi5DtkjidIZIcJNMJSL7-74uFGXF902v1VE9tDse_4QREL21hBBbg8VvjTixaA2g7l1QR5bv1_KeTuLPqr8Qh6n2yk/s1600/161106_Dandelion_Dewdrops_13_Frame_Focus_Stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1200" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyn5iN1nJH6EGAZMTFzqbXbYhRPFemaM1_4N56oAQV8KxQRswOgbi5DtkjidIZIcJNMJSL7-74uFGXF902v1VE9tDse_4QREL21hBBbg8VvjTixaA2g7l1QR5bv1_KeTuLPqr8Qh6n2yk/s320/161106_Dandelion_Dewdrops_13_Frame_Focus_Stack.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkmh-6AH1G9ooiQ7bJA9XYIZA_-JFdE015rwrdAr3vNSRb2HpJRornJBM0CdURenyTaC_919NRmWHfO9fXcUctoM7Cm9zfrIiO_WPpMDOo7H9gD6GJoziqWRM-22-SRyWDDR2TtZZ4M8/s1600/140503_Aphid_Dandelion_7_Frame_Focus_Stack_0328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1200" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkmh-6AH1G9ooiQ7bJA9XYIZA_-JFdE015rwrdAr3vNSRb2HpJRornJBM0CdURenyTaC_919NRmWHfO9fXcUctoM7Cm9zfrIiO_WPpMDOo7H9gD6GJoziqWRM-22-SRyWDDR2TtZZ4M8/s320/140503_Aphid_Dandelion_7_Frame_Focus_Stack_0328.jpg" width="320" /></a>The "dewdrop on Dandelion" is likely my favorite image of all time, so was hoping that was the one chosen, and indeed it was, though I had an early indication the alternate - "Aphid on Dandelion" was the one they were using. Interesting that both are of dandelions, yet, I've not seen any around the house(the camp might be spraying, or perhaps because of the Fox flooding the last couple years) the last few years... The "dewdrops" were taken in November of 2016, and the aphid in May of 2015... No, I do NOT know how you can get a copy of the calendar, since they were distributed free to subscribers. But for your viewing convenience, I include copies of the winning images here. <br />
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So I had a nice holiday surprise, but didn't get rich from it! Although they did spell my name right! Got to be thankful for that!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-83175359822313926862019-12-30T15:50:00.000-07:002019-12-30T15:50:45.317-07:00Another Window SeatTruth be told, I never PLAN to have blog posts come out only every 5 weeks - that is just the way it turns out! I still have plenty of explorations to write about, it is just that I lack inspiration and hours in the day it seems...<br />
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So am trying to get back into the habit. While generally a post with this title indicates another cross-country trip sitting beside an airplane window! Well the first part of the statement is true, but this time the trip was from the 'ole van, and pics were taken from behind the wheel. It really isn't a dangerous undertaking - these photos are split between the cell phone and my Canon 6D - easy enough to point and shoot in auto mode with a minimum of aiming, or taking eyes off the road. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story of the trip!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUkgVU-idMN2Da6IOFXGVWbQL3m3fBLx2IgPQKhwVvWI4kDA0gOTdfBHuUC0dWRPY1sUImHuxN2QWoqKvHzaevklslfbW0sZQyMjkNrwJKDYOLHcpnuOVFavjr2UzZEPaNm-vXptA1rk/s1600/191224_Fridge_5171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUkgVU-idMN2Da6IOFXGVWbQL3m3fBLx2IgPQKhwVvWI4kDA0gOTdfBHuUC0dWRPY1sUImHuxN2QWoqKvHzaevklslfbW0sZQyMjkNrwJKDYOLHcpnuOVFavjr2UzZEPaNm-vXptA1rk/s320/191224_Fridge_5171.jpg" width="320" /></a>
The reason for the drive was 2-fold. First, I HATE trying to fly near the holidays. The trips are expensive and jam-packed, and heaven forbid if there is bad weather, it might be days to get to your destination! I dislike the cattle-car packing of the flights these days, and consider myself fortunate for an empty seat near me, but it won't happen near Thanksgiving or Christmas. The other reason for the drive was that I had a payload - I'm packing up another telescope to the Midwest and returning one to Tucson to sell - as well as toting a refrigerator! The fridge in St Charles has been acting up a little - compressor ALWAYS seems to be running, though still cold, but the appliance repairman said there was nothing to be done - newer models aren't designed to be worked on. A couple weeks before my trip, my friend Susan near Cornville, AZ indicated the fridge she got when she bought her house worked fine, and had a water and ice dispenser - but was a side-by-side, which she didn't care for, so she made me a gonga deal, and it was out of her garage! Her big, strong housemate helped me load it (shown at left), and 3 days before Christmas (Sunday, 22 December), I was on the road!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReTFjnm2Ggc7GVhtYc0j6M_bXTpWgzBtjlMk9dDcdfQyoD14R6x6eZFUWqnS3fLMJpWW-BG6dpCUP6DuMtqN_jQww__UmRCbGEC9VRmi2z3hIhjAcIV6cv7REwsIN3IeX5EmfHZTjdz8/s1600/191222_Meteor_Crater_5054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReTFjnm2Ggc7GVhtYc0j6M_bXTpWgzBtjlMk9dDcdfQyoD14R6x6eZFUWqnS3fLMJpWW-BG6dpCUP6DuMtqN_jQww__UmRCbGEC9VRmi2z3hIhjAcIV6cv7REwsIN3IeX5EmfHZTjdz8/s320/191222_Meteor_Crater_5054.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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The weather was great, no systems moving through, so looked to be clear sailing for the 25 hours of driving. The plan was to stop somewhere near the halfway point and break it into 2 days. The first opportunity to stretch my legs was about 90 minutes after my start as I passed Meteor Crater! No plans to visit the big hole itself, but it never fails to amaze me to pick out the raised rim crater from nearly 20 miles away! I pulled off the interstate for a photo, and at right, the shot is from nearly 5 miles distance. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" hrep="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/search?q=meteor+crater">Go here for some other posts and shots of the crater itself</a>...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGJywfBI3vV4caXhEXJla6vcOEvFqXjOk7vKW5f0JercIOsaQxJcTU3tQg2i2s_IJiWWVHMKNtgtPJG4zWwEACrtHZEASdP8tOHftq2HNAKcHtEiQHNy7w9oJ9ptrGPgc9xm98duDeQs/s1600/191222_Navajo_Land_5062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1200" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGJywfBI3vV4caXhEXJla6vcOEvFqXjOk7vKW5f0JercIOsaQxJcTU3tQg2i2s_IJiWWVHMKNtgtPJG4zWwEACrtHZEASdP8tOHftq2HNAKcHtEiQHNy7w9oJ9ptrGPgc9xm98duDeQs/s320/191222_Navajo_Land_5062.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwrB-pmRVVUo4GTbpaEgWa8N_BpQxoqxI3NigOPkH1_mTNhEs8tfVJH5jOibeBPm0ii0E2KZL0-X9DkGVP_KJqzykAoV2Cvz6Uq_hyJDHS_GmdX-9K3-sXZp0WZjDr0bxEyEPtbmx6_M/s1600/191222_Mt_Taylor_5071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwrB-pmRVVUo4GTbpaEgWa8N_BpQxoqxI3NigOPkH1_mTNhEs8tfVJH5jOibeBPm0ii0E2KZL0-X9DkGVP_KJqzykAoV2Cvz6Uq_hyJDHS_GmdX-9K3-sXZp0WZjDr0bxEyEPtbmx6_M/s320/191222_Mt_Taylor_5071.jpg" width="320" /></a>Back on the road, I soon ventured into new territory! While I'd been to Meteor Crater a good 3 or 4 times, a few miles beyond at Winslow, was new countryside. From southern AZ, I'd always gone east on I-10 to Las Cruces and diagonal across New Mexico on highway 54, so I finally got to see northern AZ to Albuquerque along I-40. It was quite scenic heading into Navajo lands, with spectacular landforms lining both sides of the highway. I should have done a little studying before hand to learn more about the area. Of course too, it would likely have paid to not be in such a hurry, with time to visit the Petrified Forest National Park, and the Chaco Culture Historical Park, which my friend Margie has been bugging me to visit for a decade if not more... At left is some of the landforms along I-40 while still in AZ, and at right are hills and mountains near Grants, New Mexico, including the snow cap of Mount Taylor, at over 11,000 feet elevation. And if Grants sounds familiar, we flew over it a few months ago on my last trip to the Midwest - the funky landforms helping me locate the town of Grants on Google Maps! This time I drove around that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_NaNDbiXyRSdQe6OIbFByRgT9tNoTaULtrMxX8aLh63ihwnCwNRV2m4J5GchU-9i81D_jW6Eh532FAAcxmxIheH96JLD-sDQ1n2BxvEYWVVgfXKEPVsJt-gz_6TtLiPOiknFUtZ3YLc/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Milan_Grants_4186.jpg">same funky plateau, seen in the photo I had taken here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W9pWyftvhnFd4aXHcQGq391k91Yjtd0zCEocuA0hvEZ9ZNMduPWUcNOzXYYjItZr0OogGNgmabYmSaaXNv4bBxVg5CFw7YGxU9tFyO5z_f_wR7sRt3w4kS82fZkmCW7Qjzz8ZCZ1kfo/s1600/191222_Albuquerque_5075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1200" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W9pWyftvhnFd4aXHcQGq391k91Yjtd0zCEocuA0hvEZ9ZNMduPWUcNOzXYYjItZr0OogGNgmabYmSaaXNv4bBxVg5CFw7YGxU9tFyO5z_f_wR7sRt3w4kS82fZkmCW7Qjzz8ZCZ1kfo/s320/191222_Albuquerque_5075.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJQ1_qhlGe0mN7dwzJL5UInX632fkEfboWXHjFppc3tTYth8PG01dByimrfVxXR7YR-PNoGMLTapxz9XdmVk5XOiSpKXmKQsmKU-P15siO0YOylPnKb59CSh3tpBH22PcoN4GFZxC6sg/s1600/191222_Sunset_West_Texas_4789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJQ1_qhlGe0mN7dwzJL5UInX632fkEfboWXHjFppc3tTYth8PG01dByimrfVxXR7YR-PNoGMLTapxz9XdmVk5XOiSpKXmKQsmKU-P15siO0YOylPnKb59CSh3tpBH22PcoN4GFZxC6sg/s320/191222_Sunset_West_Texas_4789.jpg" width="320" /></a>A few hours later and I was coming into Albuquerque - approaching it from the west. I had passed through before from the south, again heading east on I-40, so was back on familiar ground. This time, however, I've seen the complete story arc of "Breaking Bad", which was supposedly filmed in the Albuquerque area, so was interesting to see some of the area, even driving at 60+mph! At left I'm descending down into the valley with an inversion layer over the city with the Sandia mountains forming the eastern limit to Albuquerque expansion... Nothing but a bathroom break there, but proceeded past Santa Rosa on to Tucumcari for another potty and snack break. I was into Texas for the sunset and managed to get the twilight glow in the rear view mirror while looking out upon a farm of windmills... I was hoping to spot "Cadillac Ranch", an art piece out in the middle of a field that <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2008/07/trip-to-illinois.html">we blogged about on one of our earliest posts</a>. How can you miss it - 10 Cadillacs buried nose down, where you are invited to invest in spray paint and "make it your own"! But I missed it in the dark... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiaR56KZHdF6WilOXFiQEhJsz8mlevxENain31x_UzWFX-FFCV6vqCbH0YzTWeB2G_IF0qzWqJ2lLi0QlkqJwNv-FNalS5lU2iR07G4Fy2c9SJzrTypc1rd6Q5yHLfVZgLUzJHM55qgo/s1600/191223_Oklahoma_City_Sunrise_5081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiaR56KZHdF6WilOXFiQEhJsz8mlevxENain31x_UzWFX-FFCV6vqCbH0YzTWeB2G_IF0qzWqJ2lLi0QlkqJwNv-FNalS5lU2iR07G4Fy2c9SJzrTypc1rd6Q5yHLfVZgLUzJHM55qgo/s320/191223_Oklahoma_City_Sunrise_5081.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLRaoc9ygxbozdDd30OwYU5Dbyj8UYeHHVaDLcspixpbBXM7MDEHhPCr-KuLSD3rCy1Nw8G6_WyS7PiMIqWptFemxuwRFNGmna_nUHXGuu9Imfi0z2vlEoB0a_Ewg3EAlyjCo8e1lfRY/s1600/191223_Sunrise_Oklahoma_City_4797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLRaoc9ygxbozdDd30OwYU5Dbyj8UYeHHVaDLcspixpbBXM7MDEHhPCr-KuLSD3rCy1Nw8G6_WyS7PiMIqWptFemxuwRFNGmna_nUHXGuu9Imfi0z2vlEoB0a_Ewg3EAlyjCo8e1lfRY/s320/191223_Sunrise_Oklahoma_City_4797.jpg" width="320" /></a>I made it to the western edge of Oklahoma City, where I figured the halfway point was located. Calling ahead after a smartphone search, found a Motel6 with reasonable rates an hour before arrival, and crashed for the night...<br />
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Sleeping well, I woke relatively early and packed well before sunrise, but paused for a pretty view of the waning crescent moon in the twilight sky over the frosty van after the chilly night. It was cool and humid enough there was considerable fog in the area. Eventually the sun rose up through the fog layer and made for a spectacular sunrise - right in my face, of course! But there were periods where the visibility dropped to almost zero in some locations, but eventually the rising sun burned it off...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83VNBSH2VSLJdM7ymsR9QfqKrsk2Z_KNDhjKqptNy77Fiubr5bCkha8Tqk5qqYEnr50RP_TCif4jQmLlnr6UOAMaOpgqbR8errMDcgb5DkhcKZT_9fblHO6mqZR6TX0DYs5Nubp8z13Y/s1600/191223_Mississippi_5085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83VNBSH2VSLJdM7ymsR9QfqKrsk2Z_KNDhjKqptNy77Fiubr5bCkha8Tqk5qqYEnr50RP_TCif4jQmLlnr6UOAMaOpgqbR8errMDcgb5DkhcKZT_9fblHO6mqZR6TX0DYs5Nubp8z13Y/s320/191223_Mississippi_5085.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMb_vICeoQipYvIFGr6co7wKjYSvhkBnofnjV7J9mIA7fpC7Sm5TMxHvaLwtQORwWbWicpLiN0FQEy49D2kQBKfSk5Ue7sEJ0_YT0pyjCFP_8oS6xD74IlGPPeqFGgEn-gUxNPeAkrEw/s1600/191223_Gateway_Arch_5093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMb_vICeoQipYvIFGr6co7wKjYSvhkBnofnjV7J9mIA7fpC7Sm5TMxHvaLwtQORwWbWicpLiN0FQEy49D2kQBKfSk5Ue7sEJ0_YT0pyjCFP_8oS6xD74IlGPPeqFGgEn-gUxNPeAkrEw/s320/191223_Gateway_Arch_5093.jpg" width="320" /></a>The second day was mostly a blur. Moving diagonally across Oklahoma on I-44, then across Missouri towards St Louis. Stopped twice for gas and a time or two for bathroom and snack breaks. The only photogenic shots were approaching the Mississippi River bridge on the bypass around the south side of St Louis (have never tried going through that city). Being later in the day, 2 days before Christmas, traffic was already bad and I didn't want to risk trying to go through it this time! Along the bypass, there is always a good view of the distant skyline and the Gateway Arch. Have always wanted to visit it with Melinda, who grew up in the area and remembers it being built. Some day, but missed my chance to make the trip with her!<br />
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The trip across Illinois was uneventful - up I-55 to I-39 until we got closer to the Fox River Valley. Pulled into my Jewel store for some groceries about 7pm, which was just jammed with holiday shoppers, and pulled into the driveway about 8pm. Wasn't long and the heat was on and the place was homey again... Hope you had/are having a great holiday season!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-27566640164520146282019-11-22T20:54:00.005-07:002019-11-22T20:54:54.902-07:00Look to the Skies!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczj3J0u-SH1u4U96bKOJzB3EKBp2cjbrbTxlDg0LyfLsiH-vPd0r7BviV-V_gvKEDlOZI62JVZVR9qDo4eviUqj4EKOY93tlPJn6e3iL2htj1_pmcyFmKTlb-OYh5Eg-lp5V-wWMjCa4/s1600/191122_Venus_Jupiter_Mercury_4849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczj3J0u-SH1u4U96bKOJzB3EKBp2cjbrbTxlDg0LyfLsiH-vPd0r7BviV-V_gvKEDlOZI62JVZVR9qDo4eviUqj4EKOY93tlPJn6e3iL2htj1_pmcyFmKTlb-OYh5Eg-lp5V-wWMjCa4/s320/191122_Venus_Jupiter_Mercury_4849.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY55FwLI5utyKTHZpu-wuVl4YbNKbQ3OY8KbruiOZ7ATfazh6I2Af4Mcj5QCmGZlLgQRGIrCb4A7rsSXSECfBnTigOnTzq3lB1aiwg3HzzvpRt1c-qfRygV0jrSkwLIfICensQUEHVQ4/s1600/191122_Venus_Jupiter_Mercury_4849_label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY55FwLI5utyKTHZpu-wuVl4YbNKbQ3OY8KbruiOZ7ATfazh6I2Af4Mcj5QCmGZlLgQRGIrCb4A7rsSXSECfBnTigOnTzq3lB1aiwg3HzzvpRt1c-qfRygV0jrSkwLIfICensQUEHVQ4/s320/191122_Venus_Jupiter_Mercury_4849_label.jpg" width="320" /></a>It seems to have been a while since we've had a good planet grouping in the evening sky, but the current show is starting now! While Jupiter and Saturn have been in the evening sky for a few months, they are slowly retreating towards the Sun as the Earth's more rapid motion appears to move them to the far side of the solar system. Meanwhile, Venus has leapt from behind the sun (again, its motion is more rapid than the Earth), and is about to join the other pair in the early evening. Tonight Venus was still well below Jupiter, but tomorrow (Saturday, 23 November) will approach within 1.5 degrees (3 moon-diameters), making a striking sight! Next week, on Thanksgiving night, the crescent moon joins the grouping, and finally on 10 December, Venus passes Saturn and the conjunction show will end for now. Here is how they looked tonight (Friday, 22 November) from near Cornville, AZ. The planets are about to set behind the Mingus Mountains, with the lights of Cottonwood, AZ in the foreground. In the labeled image at right, you can also see the "teapot" asterism of Sagittarius as it also moves behind the sun for the season.<br />
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Catch the show while you can!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-73012164090532415382019-11-14T21:58:00.000-07:002019-11-14T21:58:14.133-07:00The Window Seat!It was a week ago now that I transitioned back to "Ketelsen West". The move was just in time evidently as the high temperatures back east are in the teens and single digits, and Tucson is warm (80s) and sunny. But I enjoy both locations, so pretty much am home at either location.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dCBdq8jhRD5444_QaNEBmEhY4arUevNME1S0bKxe_Pr9v6gy9N4Hi0Y-ZtmJavKA7DQLs3GEisEvPjyd4zBqIPN-JTd2uIRuQ-zSVwSMDHwZM5wUHBln0_Lud3xzEOUONVUjiFEh8uI/s1600/191106_Takeoff_Glory_4669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dCBdq8jhRD5444_QaNEBmEhY4arUevNME1S0bKxe_Pr9v6gy9N4Hi0Y-ZtmJavKA7DQLs3GEisEvPjyd4zBqIPN-JTd2uIRuQ-zSVwSMDHwZM5wUHBln0_Lud3xzEOUONVUjiFEh8uI/s320/191106_Takeoff_Glory_4669.jpg" width="320" /></a>
As always, I enjoy the plane ride and always book the window seat - looking down sun, of course! Having the sun shine into the window you are sitting creates bad reflections and makes for lousy photos. Always shooting down sun is the way to go. So for the morning flight, I was on the right side of the plane, scoping out the northern direction from our flight path. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUzfWdml_CROWukSMhCfr80kqqUXvYGFIZao0QudFTc5mcGqwt937q4fYBWHDF9qkb-y9mkYIGRWVtwwGG81ctLnu9Wd_wUeEWFIxr7k3ptlwA0kOMKz5XVHPv7apv7bVKTxue17umVo/s1600/191106_Mississippi_Moline_4687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUzfWdml_CROWukSMhCfr80kqqUXvYGFIZao0QudFTc5mcGqwt937q4fYBWHDF9qkb-y9mkYIGRWVtwwGG81ctLnu9Wd_wUeEWFIxr7k3ptlwA0kOMKz5XVHPv7apv7bVKTxue17umVo/s320/191106_Mississippi_Moline_4687.jpg" width="320" /></a>We had full overcast, but not the predicted freezing rain as we took off. It made for a boring start to the flight other than what was seen as soon as we cleared the cloud deck - <a href="https://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/gloab.htm">a glory</a>! Now these are not unusual - I've even <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2014/12/another-classroom-session-from-our-trip.html">blogged about them a couple times before</a>. In this last link, I even demonstrated that you can infer the cloud droplet diameters by measuring the diameter of the first ring of the glory. You can also tell from the centering of the rings that I was sitting at the rear of the plane. Everyone who looks has their own - the pilot in the front sees one centered on the front tip of the plane. <br />
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The clouds hung around thru all of Illinois, and it magically cleared showing the Mississippi and the "Quad Cities". Shown at right, is the River, with Davenport above it, Bettendorf to the right, Rock Island in the middle of the River and Moline below. Below Moline is the regional airport I've flown out of a few times when visiting family back in the 90s.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lVEmeCiEYrlUYogEkhMacwoMfzsi798W2ih1XAPxJolu9V1CTlZTwIzJvxtmu2PT3jwAIUnwE7Ei0qycwFXraPeKr0IqzhBcAGfb4QVEyVC_vHXrEH6F9CpmBqHjpequTurlQ4STll8/s1600/191106_Confluence_Iowa_Cedar_Columbus_Junction_Fredonia_4700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lVEmeCiEYrlUYogEkhMacwoMfzsi798W2ih1XAPxJolu9V1CTlZTwIzJvxtmu2PT3jwAIUnwE7Ei0qycwFXraPeKr0IqzhBcAGfb4QVEyVC_vHXrEH6F9CpmBqHjpequTurlQ4STll8/s320/191106_Confluence_Iowa_Cedar_Columbus_Junction_Fredonia_4700.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmLbT7P0yNq4EN6yapv45k2cMpg7nEnRlqOZK5AFIOoGo6SmUvXI9rgTyfZzhyBfxs-AKiahm1b9VV0zj1ydKFjwhWZFLtkWtmdDT6BXZsZ2ArreRcnFvVR8FaXmxz9YLLyT6V-jx4Uc/s1600/191106_IR_Confluence_Iowa_Cedar_Columbus_Junction_Fredonia_5232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmLbT7P0yNq4EN6yapv45k2cMpg7nEnRlqOZK5AFIOoGo6SmUvXI9rgTyfZzhyBfxs-AKiahm1b9VV0zj1ydKFjwhWZFLtkWtmdDT6BXZsZ2ArreRcnFvVR8FaXmxz9YLLyT6V-jx4Uc/s320/191106_IR_Confluence_Iowa_Cedar_Columbus_Junction_Fredonia_5232.jpg" width="320" /></a>The little game I play is to see how far I can keep track of our flight path. Of course, rarely we fly over my house or family farms I've spend my early years tending. When/if I get disoriented, take a photo of a distinctive landmark you can find on Google Maps and re-set the internal clock - even when after the flight! For a little ways we paralleled the Mississippi until it turned more south, and shortly after that I spotted the confluence of what must be the Iowa and Cedar Rivers in SE Iowa. I also had my IR camera at the ready which much more readily shows the streams and wetland areas as pure black at a much higher contrast. Here the color shot is at left and the infrared version (beyond our range of vision to the red at right. I purposely used the wider view for the IR since with its additional property of haze-cutting, it also shows details at greater distance too. In the color shot, you can spot the towns of Columbus Junction to the left of the confluence, and Fredonia to the right. Just above the confluence is a huge Tyson Foods processing plant...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt8DFKWKztnYq_hicY_7E_gLnYBujaytdtzfqbYf0ZHhVE7Wx02OVtMQGo6i-Z7i9upGvuoku3gYjLrhmcq-UXeGHKIxQ8iyPbjeIirTTclCV9O2VrNcwndj5nfLuIdQFjP5OozzKz9c/s1600/191106_Missouri_River_Oxbow_Big_Lake_4722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt8DFKWKztnYq_hicY_7E_gLnYBujaytdtzfqbYf0ZHhVE7Wx02OVtMQGo6i-Z7i9upGvuoku3gYjLrhmcq-UXeGHKIxQ8iyPbjeIirTTclCV9O2VrNcwndj5nfLuIdQFjP5OozzKz9c/s320/191106_Missouri_River_Oxbow_Big_Lake_4722.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6B1cPGxV4or5Hfg9CLMR4ShJwOlj-zsLx4YeKW42WCqyPJtHlG4LWc8Z5USLS1ThBtM_iUvvxvuJW4wS4zoPlsFKgQ9SyLJp3F8PfTKL6f1jr9FTahDXeCdq1tnYuOL3ScRk33Q3Frs0/s1600/191106_IR_Missouri_River_Oxbow_Big_Lake_5248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6B1cPGxV4or5Hfg9CLMR4ShJwOlj-zsLx4YeKW42WCqyPJtHlG4LWc8Z5USLS1ThBtM_iUvvxvuJW4wS4zoPlsFKgQ9SyLJp3F8PfTKL6f1jr9FTahDXeCdq1tnYuOL3ScRk33Q3Frs0/s320/191106_IR_Missouri_River_Oxbow_Big_Lake_5248.jpg" width="320" /></a>Crossing southern Iowa wasn't particularly exciting - no major metropolitan areas. There are a couple big reservoirs which served as waypoints as we crossed hundreds of miles of farm land. The next BIG appearance was the Missouri River. The Missouri has seen some major flooding in recent years and I've not kept up with its current status. In the visible image at left, the main channel seems full and perhaps some nearby farmland appears flooded. What I noticed in taking the photo is there was a loop-de-loop in the center, and a cursory search revealed it to be an "oxbow" lake, where the meandering of the river got cut off, forming the characteristic shape lake. This particular one is called Big Lake Recreation area, about 25 miles northwest of St Joseph, Missouri. If it can be believed, the area looks even more impressive in the IR as shown at right. With the plethora of darkness, there might be much more flooding down along the Missouri that I first realized...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGI41n4WxQh_vsa5I_DS24ae9M_KeZGKMFVi8KmFZGY_ME0WxUG4ZgvW92ztvym1y8bd0ooSn7v4MYIQK80aiey1UMV3OtswpkiZOEmqOSGma3gezUguKucxnk17X1hS4UQwB0KlILRqE/s1600/191106_LaCrosse_KS_street_Signs_4747_Crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGI41n4WxQh_vsa5I_DS24ae9M_KeZGKMFVi8KmFZGY_ME0WxUG4ZgvW92ztvym1y8bd0ooSn7v4MYIQK80aiey1UMV3OtswpkiZOEmqOSGma3gezUguKucxnk17X1hS4UQwB0KlILRqE/s320/191106_LaCrosse_KS_street_Signs_4747_Crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Once into the northern Kansas area, all bets were off as far as keeping track of the flight path. At least off the right side of the plane, there were no metropolitan areas - only the occasional reservoir allowed checking the flight path later. <br />
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There is another interesting optical phenomenon seen when looking down sun. When very high (we were at 32,000 feet), where the plane's shadow would normally be, you see a subtle bright spot instead! Called the Opposition Effect, it is an enhanced brightness as there is a small area without shadows, and possible brightening depending on what type of surface it is. I was waiting for this brightening to pass over a town or urban area, and it finally did - over Lacrosse, KS. Shown at left, the diffuse bright spot is tough to pick out, but what it does do is make all the street signs glow brightly! You can see many of the signs along the main drags brightly colored as the glass balls built into the signs to enhance brightness at night also work to reflect the light back to the observer during the day (me, in this case, the shadow being cast on the town)...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2EX_FY7SGGeuhlEVI8doWP854GMH5UIS3ug17r7htXhC5akpX3dT3mQfcvv0Q5f0Lh2XssAZR9Za3wO1Od2wpVLEYqUcQk0h5VVBhGTNyNS419CoemAFnbJOh0w_AXorpMjEamW49Q0/s1600/191106_Rillito_Park_Tucson_4790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2EX_FY7SGGeuhlEVI8doWP854GMH5UIS3ug17r7htXhC5akpX3dT3mQfcvv0Q5f0Lh2XssAZR9Za3wO1Od2wpVLEYqUcQk0h5VVBhGTNyNS419CoemAFnbJOh0w_AXorpMjEamW49Q0/s320/191106_Rillito_Park_Tucson_4790.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsqx6scCummH4PjIwQiAXV-RONfJ9DiAi6KrN1ecSGeS4KKLj5oIpZySkfVg1shgAfZNhkLcczs241ppmRNYKOLwWgPubBNKqfJ2TBPegRjZb68ujODzppOlpoVa-PV7J4fuNJKUVVCc/s1600/191106_Tucson_Mountains_Kitt_Peak_4799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsqx6scCummH4PjIwQiAXV-RONfJ9DiAi6KrN1ecSGeS4KKLj5oIpZySkfVg1shgAfZNhkLcczs241ppmRNYKOLwWgPubBNKqfJ2TBPegRjZb68ujODzppOlpoVa-PV7J4fuNJKUVVCc/s320/191106_Tucson_Mountains_Kitt_Peak_4799.jpg" width="320" /></a>At the western edge of Kansas, dropping into Colorado and New Mexico, the clouds increased and there was nothing more to see. I missed the normal sight of Albuquerque, the VLA Telescope, and Mount Graham as we approached Tucson - all lost in the clouds. It didn't really clear till we crossed the Rincons on the east side of Tucson. Circling the town once, to land towards the southeast, we flew pretty much right over my house, so got a good view of the Rillito Racetrack - a horse racing venue during late winter about a mile north of my house. Also seen on the image to the left is the bike paths that trace both sides of the Rillito wash where I bike all the time.<br />
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Continuing to circle, we had a view to the west also, where a distant view of Kitt Peak (the flat-topped mountain in the far distance) was seen over the nearby Tucson Mountains.<br />
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Another journey complete, but I'll guarantee you that next trip I'll be watching out the window yet again!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-61471121039592153462019-10-30T13:37:00.002-07:002019-10-30T13:37:46.942-07:00Colorful Coin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJ4Jzpu5T6HZLMI7QAZVM-lrutSxfcDPTtJkljTU8y6FijFrykmzMOijHYVnoqjsvGxEkUhPUG_MRbBqcf-wSXBY-xTPcSpOqqZpc3_Yx9OYCaid0EVhMKWvgX-T4IBRQn8MFFm0nvIc/s1600/191029_Painted_Quarter_1X_65mm_4_Frame_Focus_Stack_4556_4559_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="1500" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJ4Jzpu5T6HZLMI7QAZVM-lrutSxfcDPTtJkljTU8y6FijFrykmzMOijHYVnoqjsvGxEkUhPUG_MRbBqcf-wSXBY-xTPcSpOqqZpc3_Yx9OYCaid0EVhMKWvgX-T4IBRQn8MFFm0nvIc/s320/191029_Painted_Quarter_1X_65mm_4_Frame_Focus_Stack_4556_4559_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhZQyQ9wATA-klYVVafds_3q1xd06R_xnDkKmVRlETvkYQKPo1PAsE_LhOpocSV49c4JhKyplW3caMVMnROqusCcRz9H4EW1Qs4dKAx1vO_ciFsWenw6RwJZiEebz7PEf19xp5dm0aJo/s1600/191029_Painted_Quarter_4560_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1500" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhZQyQ9wATA-klYVVafds_3q1xd06R_xnDkKmVRlETvkYQKPo1PAsE_LhOpocSV49c4JhKyplW3caMVMnROqusCcRz9H4EW1Qs4dKAx1vO_ciFsWenw6RwJZiEebz7PEf19xp5dm0aJo/s320/191029_Painted_Quarter_4560_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Under the category of "what the heck is that" is this coin I received in change the other day... The front side (left) is normal, but the back is in color! I didn't think much of it, figured someone was doodling with fingernail polish, and didn't think much of it. I finally dug it out of my change jar yesterday and took a good look at the obverse side. Shown at right, it appears someone took cares to color at least part of the design - trying to stay inside the lines, anyway... I took out my "supermacro" (Canon MP-E 65mm) to document here. The upper images here are at the lowest magnification I can get - about 1:1, or life-size on the sensor. The quarter just quite does not fit in the field of view. But even here you can see that the scene isn't a straight painting, rather it appears to be a multi-layer screen print. Note the screen dots on the details of the woman and what she is carrying - indicative of some sort of a screening or printing procedure.<br />
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I was not aware that this was a "thing", but a quick internet search showed them available at Amazon and Ebay for as little as $2 each when bought as a complete set. They appear to be legal tender, which is likely how I received it, when someone needed a quarter and spent this for whatever purchase was needed...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv46O-2wUQEOj0qHWN0Zrcj7KFA-iKrzF3b2FLB57mTBjSs14NPtQXJJNQLHCgS6eW2Z6ytz6w4QFfDezqov2MQOtwQjapMkQkrDTGYYbzrnbEKZ8I-wiLnOgtHcHFREzkVEV-6fU-rA/s1600/191029_Painted_Quarter_3_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv46O-2wUQEOj0qHWN0Zrcj7KFA-iKrzF3b2FLB57mTBjSs14NPtQXJJNQLHCgS6eW2Z6ytz6w4QFfDezqov2MQOtwQjapMkQkrDTGYYbzrnbEKZ8I-wiLnOgtHcHFREzkVEV-6fU-rA/s320/191029_Painted_Quarter_3_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2CfOrIRHDnOWdCZ_hO5KD6qLNs0WxDce39APFtQ3wx2NDNtAiNMKmkf7qZtU-kVSMzcfQYgpdvPN1UyE4ZTc55BllptX1QeXlIu9_Ma9lTw0nbGxce2qUXGLPQ6HRTWdkzdtj6i0fEk/s1600/191029_Painted_Quarter_4_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2CfOrIRHDnOWdCZ_hO5KD6qLNs0WxDce39APFtQ3wx2NDNtAiNMKmkf7qZtU-kVSMzcfQYgpdvPN1UyE4ZTc55BllptX1QeXlIu9_Ma9lTw0nbGxce2qUXGLPQ6HRTWdkzdtj6i0fEk/s320/191029_Painted_Quarter_4_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>The close-ups here were taken with the same lens at about 3X magnification (scale at bottom is in millimeters. Note especially on the "Pennsylvania" detail, there appears to be a slight registration error of about a half millimeter. At right you can also see the barely-visible E Pluribus Unum through the layer of color at bottom...<br />
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All-in-all, an interesting circumstance to run into this item. They do not appear to be common, as after posting last night on FB, most have indicated they've never seen one! One fellow knew someone that collected them, but were new to another half dozen commenters. But they are out there and another reason to pay attention to your money!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-29901487608037946082019-10-23T10:57:00.000-07:002019-10-23T10:57:27.349-07:00The Window Seat!Sorry I've been missing... I don't intend to go 3 weeks between blog posts, just a lot less inspired these days than I used to... Always intend to do better - I've got 3 or 4 I WANT to write, just seems something more important comes up, even if it is sitting watching a movie on TV!<br />
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I've been at "Ketelsen East" for weeks now, and the trip up was quite spectacular! Perfect weather for the first half of the trip, and I took nearly 200 frames on the flight. Of course, a lot of those were for stereo pairs, so sometimes took 2 or 3 as we flew along for a good baseline for clouds or features on the ground.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKldF4y_o55ZyM2zxQzQ1j_qJVGsgyPVKJmeT10mnj1yPNF9V6KXUKTJcS5poaEMGFYO9Eju5mv5UPuDf6QSJro0bWm78zfw_E3ZGwSZ_yVSZK0FvXB5dNaD3MMvwQio4_ALBrzO9qixs/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_4133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKldF4y_o55ZyM2zxQzQ1j_qJVGsgyPVKJmeT10mnj1yPNF9V6KXUKTJcS5poaEMGFYO9Eju5mv5UPuDf6QSJro0bWm78zfw_E3ZGwSZ_yVSZK0FvXB5dNaD3MMvwQio4_ALBrzO9qixs/s320/190929_IL_Flight_4133.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcmOVUS29bVuW97qrWXDPnmuOhN23s8P5vlrZ3SeJmrri3pAM0-k9_g2XlzXznvhSwLYgkJV20rWqRuPt4C7vF9sG6Kz3EUBqi8-kJ2_9viqHm3xSEOLWpN04ZzVQL-nDnS7l1L_nQQg/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_Boneyard_3D_Anaglyph_4133_4134_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcmOVUS29bVuW97qrWXDPnmuOhN23s8P5vlrZ3SeJmrri3pAM0-k9_g2XlzXznvhSwLYgkJV20rWqRuPt4C7vF9sG6Kz3EUBqi8-kJ2_9viqHm3xSEOLWpN04ZzVQL-nDnS7l1L_nQQg/s320/190929_IL_Flight_Boneyard_3D_Anaglyph_4133_4134_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>The flight was delayed - the plane came
in late. The Chicago noon flight originates there in Illinois, then returns on the flight I take. Once we took off (about 20 minutes late) I could tell the pilot was intending to make up time as he turned northeast immediately! Usually we take off towards the SE and sometimes go 80 miles or more before heading towards the NE, but even shortly after takeoff we flew over the "Boneyard" of the Davis Monthan Air Force Base. The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) stores over 4,000 planes for long-term storage for possible return to service or for use in parts for planes in use. At left is one view of part of the storage facility, and at right, a second frame is added from a couple seconds later to make an anaglyph stereo pair (red/blue glasses needed to see the 3D!). For reference, I've never flown over it before - my first indication that we had started our northward journey early!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKXDLx-VPpJB-dady4NV20RlxTerxPU_gE6K50T6e-uBTUCme3GOkJoFd4DwJe5lm06kTBOTHirn8OEGSk7mdgys5t3ep1rHAzqmJcXWu9qJqKaxrT3r3wWwfsKNQIC2FUhExbNxCX70/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_4150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKXDLx-VPpJB-dady4NV20RlxTerxPU_gE6K50T6e-uBTUCme3GOkJoFd4DwJe5lm06kTBOTHirn8OEGSk7mdgys5t3ep1rHAzqmJcXWu9qJqKaxrT3r3wWwfsKNQIC2FUhExbNxCX70/s320/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_4150.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzOqeTB0DFsl6_Pdk38LgxVyIootCGPqgDD3O81srAOscPv1yFQnR1Exnn62ef52f1m-6CzOpMpH2y3p-o9g1xpWWvl3W0XZqzYcAU2Goa2Se6_SewikKGfgMKgl-rxthoVnF4XhXdR8/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_3D_Anaglyph_4150_4151_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzOqeTB0DFsl6_Pdk38LgxVyIootCGPqgDD3O81srAOscPv1yFQnR1Exnn62ef52f1m-6CzOpMpH2y3p-o9g1xpWWvl3W0XZqzYcAU2Goa2Se6_SewikKGfgMKgl-rxthoVnF4XhXdR8/s320/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_3D_Anaglyph_4150_4151_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>I usually book the left-side window so that I'm not looking or shooting into the sun. That means going towards Chicago Mount Graham and the LBT telescope are some distance out my window. We've been as far as south of Willcox, so it can be as far as 20 miles or more away. I was suspicious when I couldn't spot it and suddenly it appeared almost straight down below me! I could barely catch it without the observatory partially blocked by my window frame! Shown at left is a wide shot of the 3 telescopes atop the mountain. The mountain road up from near Safford (east side of the mountain) winds west past the Observatory, then snakes up the slope from the west as shown here. Then at right is shown the stereo anaglyph that reveals the telescopes "popping out" from the peak, and the local terrain as well as the winding road climbing the hill.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1UnAJguDbaCqdZWmyAQYxrUMyFnSvDY8KrcDdWigrOwjWc0jztUSBsh6lFmU48vK4RwG2VZ-xANwwEhtstPaBQdwQ25g7LBx24QpeAOtpI1KB-MWbD5zGvokrcJ9L3XOzRavux5rHgk/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_4151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1592" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1UnAJguDbaCqdZWmyAQYxrUMyFnSvDY8KrcDdWigrOwjWc0jztUSBsh6lFmU48vK4RwG2VZ-xANwwEhtstPaBQdwQ25g7LBx24QpeAOtpI1KB-MWbD5zGvokrcJ9L3XOzRavux5rHgk/s320/190929_IL_Flight_MGIO_4151.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMvuvCN8IQwqV-aE7X5fq1sFEcvum11rDiBorsRcQG4xRgbXsZOTzSR_oEcixgsAdoJn4YRjRz3dqmzqsjYZLaPdafb7B1T46MQAItm7LpS9aV1hrGsqrznssru7jzC9R9Kiq1DOYGDE/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_MGIO_3D_Anaglyph_4153_4154_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMvuvCN8IQwqV-aE7X5fq1sFEcvum11rDiBorsRcQG4xRgbXsZOTzSR_oEcixgsAdoJn4YRjRz3dqmzqsjYZLaPdafb7B1T46MQAItm7LpS9aV1hrGsqrznssru7jzC9R9Kiq1DOYGDE/s320/190929_IL_Trip_MGIO_3D_Anaglyph_4153_4154_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Shown here is a close-up of the Mount Graham International Observatory (MGIO) which consists of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in the large rectangular structure, the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) at left, and the Sub-Millimeter Radio Telescope (SMT) between them. Interestingly, I did a substantial amount of work on all three of the telescopes! Also recently in the news, the SMT was recently one of the telescopes that added data to image the black hole in the galaxy Messier 87! And of course, another 3D image as above, starting to show some of the topography of the east side of the mountain as well...<br />
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I think this is about the first time I've been able to get a good look at the mountaintop since <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2017/07/arizona-aflame.html">the big fires there a couple years ago</a>. It looks to have pretty much decimated the stands of trees atop Graham other than the well-defended area around the observatory. Go to the link to see the amazing footage of a DC-10 dropping retardant on the fire which all but saved the Observatory!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJwEDiq5vIsJIeNVXUkA9We6us-bR2Xtmm5Xtc6KV5aTezf9aOzFmtyA-kJ3D_9qx0sm_L4km7IrFL_eQDW-Ury_Gc3IGuT3tgKSo4bnxkBkWTXrKBJjlbZ5M0sO3R0Vxw-7IGO4ajHk/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Morenci_Mine_4164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJwEDiq5vIsJIeNVXUkA9We6us-bR2Xtmm5Xtc6KV5aTezf9aOzFmtyA-kJ3D_9qx0sm_L4km7IrFL_eQDW-Ury_Gc3IGuT3tgKSo4bnxkBkWTXrKBJjlbZ5M0sO3R0Vxw-7IGO4ajHk/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Morenci_Mine_4164.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx8NTQOgQ6Htm3-5wbvZRz14LtGN96gZru8HJV7SQ4xFH6itMrz_GRLBmpfqjtKjVKKBeTPk2CTb2X6gb2BxJDGpTsGXnai5UdWNNCH_g3IvXb53J7E3O_xFiYi93hhtDcazdQzYfC-Y/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Morenci_Mine_3D_Anaglyph_4163_4164_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx8NTQOgQ6Htm3-5wbvZRz14LtGN96gZru8HJV7SQ4xFH6itMrz_GRLBmpfqjtKjVKKBeTPk2CTb2X6gb2BxJDGpTsGXnai5UdWNNCH_g3IvXb53J7E3O_xFiYi93hhtDcazdQzYfC-Y/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Morenci_Mine_3D_Anaglyph_4163_4164_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another 30 miles past the Observatory is another feature usually seen some distance away - the largest open-pit copper mine in the western hemisphere - 740 million pounds was refined in 2017, and employed over 3,000 people! This time, again we flew pretty much right over it, and a pair of frames a few seconds apart show good stereo results, as shown in the image at right...<br />
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According to references in Wikipedia, it has ore reserves of 3.2 billion tons grading at about .2%, so 500 pounds of ore must be processed to return a pound of pure copper! <a href="https://www.mining-technology.com/projects/morenci/">From an industry paper describing the operation</a>, it is the largest application of leaching/solvent extraction operations in the world. The leaching fields are not well shown in these images (out of frame to lower left), but the pits are shown well and give a great 3D effect in the anaglyph at right...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLFbTC_eXuJYG63p4fxO7RhilQs7YLY91C_9DSy_F0PUOP24Dg3WqDB-SMWKcO1gg-SDoFpkBcvu1n4BTtNkMelIw1oMcsgc5X6GqhlqneS45Ht3CARUmSX3lIZjbcgkYfAwzFxJ8r60/s1600/190929_IL_Flight_3D_Anaglyph_4171_4172_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLFbTC_eXuJYG63p4fxO7RhilQs7YLY91C_9DSy_F0PUOP24Dg3WqDB-SMWKcO1gg-SDoFpkBcvu1n4BTtNkMelIw1oMcsgc5X6GqhlqneS45Ht3CARUmSX3lIZjbcgkYfAwzFxJ8r60/s320/190929_IL_Flight_3D_Anaglyph_4171_4172_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_NaNDbiXyRSdQe6OIbFByRgT9tNoTaULtrMxX8aLh63ihwnCwNRV2m4J5GchU-9i81D_jW6Eh532FAAcxmxIheH96JLD-sDQ1n2BxvEYWVVgfXKEPVsJt-gz_6TtLiPOiknFUtZ3YLc/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Milan_Grants_4186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_NaNDbiXyRSdQe6OIbFByRgT9tNoTaULtrMxX8aLh63ihwnCwNRV2m4J5GchU-9i81D_jW6Eh532FAAcxmxIheH96JLD-sDQ1n2BxvEYWVVgfXKEPVsJt-gz_6TtLiPOiknFUtZ3YLc/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Milan_Grants_4186.jpg" width="320" /></a>Shortly after the mine, I got lost... We typically pass over the VLA radio telescope array in west-central New Mexico, but I never saw it - likely off the right side of the plane. Also never seen was Albuquerque - another waypoint I usually always spot. Another indication that we were north of the usual path taken. What I did spot was some interesting terrain NE of the Morenci mine - likely in the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. There are some striking canyons seen before there, and while these weren't exactly the same landforms, that's what I'm calling them! They make an interesting 3D view at left...<br />
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When lost, you look for something striking to try to identify from Google Maps. After not seeing Albuquerque, I spotted some contrasting dark and light landforms. A quick look online found it - the towns of Milan and Grants in north-Central New Mexico, shown at right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonRc60EZcupuHgCkBuIkuPBtyLLmegkTCedXvexfUU7dHE1Xf3Y7a_AIBSslKNoIpIK-QNl9jX6FP_-i-aPcZNlgj4jJlS6MjWnpEYdV8BcjIl0txIF_CR6S_EJFDuGCal-fzCfXZfUg/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Cerro_Alesna__4189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonRc60EZcupuHgCkBuIkuPBtyLLmegkTCedXvexfUU7dHE1Xf3Y7a_AIBSslKNoIpIK-QNl9jX6FP_-i-aPcZNlgj4jJlS6MjWnpEYdV8BcjIl0txIF_CR6S_EJFDuGCal-fzCfXZfUg/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Cerro_Alesna__4189.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygKJcURdPV-BdHAzf-ObJk7S0V6iveH6BeJnpjzxSOkD4IZ0bwapsLvBzTicQYIBCM_gC4liMxGoZvAZS_XqPaie4YifagfCfztessqLxRCD_QRWAkdOfUtcRpM8dts4PzCsS-VwjZFg/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Cerro_Alesna_3D_Anaglyph_4189_4190_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygKJcURdPV-BdHAzf-ObJk7S0V6iveH6BeJnpjzxSOkD4IZ0bwapsLvBzTicQYIBCM_gC4liMxGoZvAZS_XqPaie4YifagfCfztessqLxRCD_QRWAkdOfUtcRpM8dts4PzCsS-VwjZFg/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Cerro_Alesna_3D_Anaglyph_4189_4190_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>A few minutes later another interesting shot - northern New Mexico, like the area around Flagstaff in northern Arizona, is full of volcanic features. We passed over a distinctive peak that otherwise defied description. I think it is Cerro Alesna. It is described as a "volcanic neck", which I believe is the remnants of a lava plug in the volcano, then the volcano eroded away, leaving the remarkable outline. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11qRVSbdrRu633HAGqX2EDbEW15kJdwP2Ew-rTfrli0jMX6QutWHR9wtBqobv3IhvHde7bcE1CF_fr2_72a-sLUtKcgalL3ct3c9jq7rMMa3nG79lnUPCJr73ekkTqxC1S-sycES3BD4/s1600/14_October_Riggs_Rance_5_Frame_Pan_sm.jpg">Baboquivari south of Kitt Peak</a> where I've spend many hours gazing, is a similar form and also quite striking. The peak part here is so dark it is difficult to see details in the 3D image, but you get the idea... Straight shot at left, 3D at right...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_j3HInzI_rq6gbg7G2M30MZ8mREeJ4xqj_RzXS01dwS9Hj1VjuJLwTejTSNKCrUNSCvy0Vf6PuJtsDxqY6PUSoykOXNuKaQ1QNFK9L_dPqz-hjXbU5F5WIvu4Bld9LWiCDs0H7YdOcw/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Colorado_Springs_Butts_AAF_4219_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1500" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_j3HInzI_rq6gbg7G2M30MZ8mREeJ4xqj_RzXS01dwS9Hj1VjuJLwTejTSNKCrUNSCvy0Vf6PuJtsDxqY6PUSoykOXNuKaQ1QNFK9L_dPqz-hjXbU5F5WIvu4Bld9LWiCDs0H7YdOcw/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Colorado_Springs_Butts_AAF_4219_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEAk2-WXoG0KIOuaOYqyiYdo-3swQXzJ6jvf6G8J0kIzf4Nd4Wm5mnK8ZFK6-XDc_HG4RhMSjkkbiUo0ZhpUHGJBOPjMLKEEj3mA3zeLTzfauvS6pfbygayqBPrp3UbqLa7tRyYjQypw/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Fountain_Nixon_Power_Plant_4220_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1500" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEAk2-WXoG0KIOuaOYqyiYdo-3swQXzJ6jvf6G8J0kIzf4Nd4Wm5mnK8ZFK6-XDc_HG4RhMSjkkbiUo0ZhpUHGJBOPjMLKEEj3mA3zeLTzfauvS6pfbygayqBPrp3UbqLa7tRyYjQypw/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Fountain_Nixon_Power_Plant_4220_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>I got lost again - easy to do in southern Colorado with the southern Rocky Mountains... Again, was looking for something striking to find on a map and once clear of the mountains, found this colorful set of catchment ponds at the south end of a city on the eastern edge of the mountains. Yes, it was Colorado Springs, and the catchment ponds (bright yellow, orange and white) are associate with the Nixon coal-fired power plant near the small town Fountain. On the upper left of the frame at left, which is the bottom of the next frame at right is the landing strip for the Butts Army Air Field serving Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, which is the metropolitan area snuggled up against the Rockies in the photo at right...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFsVnzQ18u18rNtnmMMc777HvF7zpXlo-NNRY5H5wT9c9a7r0PDc1u-7_OhtjlOveZLMmbiyIIu8zSCuGeB_TOXkmOs4hUOQ6iN5mcJQzcnDLRfkMWYwjAaXK7TCqDmXrxkKHIvpFezE/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Swanson_Lake_Trenton_NE_4227_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFsVnzQ18u18rNtnmMMc777HvF7zpXlo-NNRY5H5wT9c9a7r0PDc1u-7_OhtjlOveZLMmbiyIIu8zSCuGeB_TOXkmOs4hUOQ6iN5mcJQzcnDLRfkMWYwjAaXK7TCqDmXrxkKHIvpFezE/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Swanson_Lake_Trenton_NE_4227_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVnLrSeaPof-i_8fvCY9gCRtLgW1y0xWoB5UIhbihr4lT1kyM9qB6UTreeoWSAHaGVIgF-DQ89SnYSG0ripEKVWe282iPafkNpypKuVAHytDQAGH996oid3ZqHXNUGON7cnW3B7bZSLo/s1600/190929_IL-Trip_Red_Willow_NE_4231_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1500" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVnLrSeaPof-i_8fvCY9gCRtLgW1y0xWoB5UIhbihr4lT1kyM9qB6UTreeoWSAHaGVIgF-DQ89SnYSG0ripEKVWe282iPafkNpypKuVAHytDQAGH996oid3ZqHXNUGON7cnW3B7bZSLo/s320/190929_IL-Trip_Red_Willow_NE_4231_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Colorado is a big, mostly featureless state - at least the eastern half. So I got lost again. I saw a huge windmill farm that seemed to go on for many miles (and minutes of flying time at 500mph!), but windmill turbines are difficult to locate on Google maps, especially if they are new and maps are not! It wasn't until another 20 minutes till I saw another positive landmark, easy to spot on the Google maps - a big reservoir! A long straight one, then followed by another a few minutes later. Couldn't find anything in Kansas (the usual route), but finally found them. At left is Swanson Lake near Trenton in southwestern Nebraska, and at right, the distinctive shape is of Red Willow Reservoir.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QGGiXX05yYDlLA7EEJ7jmBkL8AOF_x5l9NI1Q99IYFmc6y_Fn-mJ7EieTQZYz1D4qxBicmYacRmHDseR5ved4SPnAstLvJOf6hgCqjWmA9ba0HY7sz7B7t_H92MDUSDbPvzcfZyQKIo/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_4213_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QGGiXX05yYDlLA7EEJ7jmBkL8AOF_x5l9NI1Q99IYFmc6y_Fn-mJ7EieTQZYz1D4qxBicmYacRmHDseR5ved4SPnAstLvJOf6hgCqjWmA9ba0HY7sz7B7t_H92MDUSDbPvzcfZyQKIo/s320/190929_IL_Trip_4213_sm.jpg" width="232" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgWRehY99eRmSwSjph-SAkX3Sm20UuYa8g5dCkDbMQhFUK5FUE9304nz9NViMYAVFrgHlBvraDezHhVdo5S6kPERz_Q4-ZHqFuDElZI4PcgrqXaE8ZcwAmIWdiRIPmSKjQRlHK6BY1P4/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4213_4214_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1031" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgWRehY99eRmSwSjph-SAkX3Sm20UuYa8g5dCkDbMQhFUK5FUE9304nz9NViMYAVFrgHlBvraDezHhVdo5S6kPERz_Q4-ZHqFuDElZI4PcgrqXaE8ZcwAmIWdiRIPmSKjQRlHK6BY1P4/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4213_4214_sm.jpg" width="219" /></a>As can be seen in these photos, even over the few minutes between these last photos, clouds were increasing, and they became quite thick - I never saw the Missouri or Mississippi Rivers, but clouds are fun to watch too - especially in 3D!<br />
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These photos were taken in southern Colorado, with the front range coming into view. At left is a single photo - one of the few showing the sky. Note how dark blue it is when flying close to 40,000 feet - not much scattering to make it the normal sky-blue we see from the ground! And while the horizon looks curved, I'm not certain I should point it out as lens distortions, especially at wide angles, can cause that too! At right is the 3D anaglyph version. I wasn't sure that the wing, obviously not displaying ANY baseline 3D, would screw up the image, but it is obvious that it does not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzINWxOsjfWr2ruDNiBhCfwLNBGJReTgW12yp7hPCHp-gVR2A2pTbrOdqqbiTDLF2P_I6wZoQaLL3FUp5pr1IEoVEgbzcKLyWg8i-W6i2gLdMJxCem-QOJ05JHUW7QVg3e9OW7vOjI5c/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_3D_Anaglyph_4271_4272_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzINWxOsjfWr2ruDNiBhCfwLNBGJReTgW12yp7hPCHp-gVR2A2pTbrOdqqbiTDLF2P_I6wZoQaLL3FUp5pr1IEoVEgbzcKLyWg8i-W6i2gLdMJxCem-QOJ05JHUW7QVg3e9OW7vOjI5c/s320/190929_IL_Trip_3D_Anaglyph_4271_4272_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVXLenaTGeGwBiLZVk1GPGN1uKps_6FPJPd1WD9glbYfNOyK2p4249RWgbJgAeojIHJe6DFiqLxikwBlhKbVblWqKccx11_QCwxEFOKcvo1f3SnpR1fZVsw0iTDuxv4Zm0cqc4Al4KGk/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4273_4274_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVXLenaTGeGwBiLZVk1GPGN1uKps_6FPJPd1WD9glbYfNOyK2p4249RWgbJgAeojIHJe6DFiqLxikwBlhKbVblWqKccx11_QCwxEFOKcvo1f3SnpR1fZVsw0iTDuxv4Zm0cqc4Al4KGk/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4273_4274_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>Photos of clouds are oftentimes confusing, as you lose perspective when they can appear at several levels and is difficult to interpret if a piece here is in front or back of others. The 3D versions are MUCH more definitive, and works on even the messiest of photos - in stereo it is usually easy to see the shape and relative distance to the clouds. Here are a couple more interesting structures I shot once the skies clouded up over the Midwest and there was nothing else to see till we landed in a misty rain in Chicago.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI_qeqJMQko9PXxtNYLvxlW0B2RKjMQzun2UvGwSRYOZFi4Jmbw1HMZDd3G9W9sKIgiTgAwhm1J6I4EsQCz4WDG2rC9J3pKRwqY1vIO2nS3mfkrHyCyg9jlXtISRtGNvrF4Vjc3ZAq6A/s1600/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4275_4276_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1500" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI_qeqJMQko9PXxtNYLvxlW0B2RKjMQzun2UvGwSRYOZFi4Jmbw1HMZDd3G9W9sKIgiTgAwhm1J6I4EsQCz4WDG2rC9J3pKRwqY1vIO2nS3mfkrHyCyg9jlXtISRtGNvrF4Vjc3ZAq6A/s320/190929_IL_Trip_Clouds_3D_Anaglyph_4275_4276_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
So you will have to forgive my weakness for 3D images - or at least trying to capture them! Seems the anaglyph version of display is easiest for people to view (many have the required red/blue glasses. Of course, it can mess up the color balance of objects that are colored similarly to the red or blue colors of the filters needed to view the images. At least I have fun - up to YOU if you enjoy them too!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-53555187714232472452019-10-01T18:47:00.000-07:002019-10-01T18:47:43.850-07:00Three Years!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1poNX8j1AIkmZ16W8Motvnesf9FUV8v8EchuM-9ucpVz_ZUEz7X3SOoEJTGgqur1tRmRLa_2y2eSovI1Z0XVnV3zMl1sGFZSuM8FJRROdYkkfwaLq-jIChTRJKf1gVXrY6uhT2I8kU0/s1600/061215_Melinda_RP_3909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1poNX8j1AIkmZ16W8Motvnesf9FUV8v8EchuM-9ucpVz_ZUEz7X3SOoEJTGgqur1tRmRLa_2y2eSovI1Z0XVnV3zMl1sGFZSuM8FJRROdYkkfwaLq-jIChTRJKf1gVXrY6uhT2I8kU0/s320/061215_Melinda_RP_3909.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had known it was coming, but wasn't sure to dread or look forward to the third anniversary of Melinda's passing this last 22 September. I decided to embrace it, and when a friend told me she had business in Puerto Peñasco, the die was cast! Melinda and I had travelled many times to the little port an hour south of the SW Arizona border, so invited myself along and retraced some of our steps there! PP has the closest beaches to Tucson, and the port on the Sea of Cortez is best known for its prized shrimp. Most of our trips down across the border were to visit our friend Margie, who spends much of the winter there, but have also made other trips with friends, so drew from that trip too. Shown here are a trio of my favorite photos of her there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaCJ7-PqT7g875CyseGAgcs3RZJU8fM_ugbzoYqtRYX5XRm9q4ZwCaJPhPg7NdgRa9F5zc9vDpm105hEu7SAtKNN0k4XmqgKd0ST0VO6X9ntTqmv_NLsq1fxVoro8XPX_Egs6bOMBibc/s1600/120304_Melinda_RP_1421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaCJ7-PqT7g875CyseGAgcs3RZJU8fM_ugbzoYqtRYX5XRm9q4ZwCaJPhPg7NdgRa9F5zc9vDpm105hEu7SAtKNN0k4XmqgKd0ST0VO6X9ntTqmv_NLsq1fxVoro8XPX_Egs6bOMBibc/s320/120304_Melinda_RP_1421.jpg" width="320" /></a>At left is an early photo, taken the day before my birthday (December 15, 2006), just a few months after we started dating. It is a spectacular photo - some thought it was taken in front of a mural, but is actually a live sunset from the patio of a favorite restaurant "Casa del Capitan" atop a large hill next to a lighthouse overlooking the port. It is often windy out there but this evening it was calm and spectacular not only watching the sun set, but seeing the stars come out as the evening progressed - a memorable evening indeed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRGWf2XESw25wHPc9PElWmvt9rdFTz8WNzJfH7fYwsKjrD7gP3brhU8CbFicj89QKb6XRaKQnTyaEnZkvyt7xhrnVng1Bdxo1az-Dg97edfQCwsQ9m3nvr_T7R6gava4fquh5RRgwPHk/s1600/131223_Melinda_RP_1565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1232" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRGWf2XESw25wHPc9PElWmvt9rdFTz8WNzJfH7fYwsKjrD7gP3brhU8CbFicj89QKb6XRaKQnTyaEnZkvyt7xhrnVng1Bdxo1az-Dg97edfQCwsQ9m3nvr_T7R6gava4fquh5RRgwPHk/s320/131223_Melinda_RP_1565.jpg" width="246" /></a>
Fast forward 5 years and a few months, and we were down again with her good friend Carolyn. Margie wasn't available this trip, so Melinda found a 2 bedroom condo rental for a long weekend that was less expensive than a hotel at the still-under-construction Esmeralda. We only saw one other room in the huge building that was occupied, even though it was near the peak of the influx of tourists (4 March, 2012). At right is a photo of her relaxing on our 7th floor balcony overlooking the Sea of Cortez towards the west.<br />
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Finally a year and a half later we returned for the Christmas holiday (23 December, 2013) at Margie's. She has a beautiful place there, including this outside eating location when the weather is good (most of the time!). Margie has it strung with Christmas lights and the view of the post-sunset sky and scattering of colored lights was too magical to pass up! This was taken 5 months into the start of her cancer treatments, but the Melinda smile is still bright!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxAHhKif9dTqffTzjmI109AJa3xdW9y3Q6ZgRoP-SdmWCUqMwICdBRo5CEl_u1-Eb14xw5SsVnu5HBAWbr4RDj9xTOGlr6gcTFAXrACmVVPPoAWyw723WQ9clbRkBxcvzlqcO9k-GpoY/s1600/190922_RP_Sunset_4094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxAHhKif9dTqffTzjmI109AJa3xdW9y3Q6ZgRoP-SdmWCUqMwICdBRo5CEl_u1-Eb14xw5SsVnu5HBAWbr4RDj9xTOGlr6gcTFAXrACmVVPPoAWyw723WQ9clbRkBxcvzlqcO9k-GpoY/s320/190922_RP_Sunset_4094.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOJESer0YrM9YfZMMFcnzUk4z-yYqYylA0Q7whlJGaKI51C3TWBk-4F0Lmz-bRUYT62bkXshxHlpt4ZjgVkLXmdTI3MePoytvK7hXoGOd6XXUIEwVWdQCiRXqB-51YSBLy_QPgEcQAAs/s1600/190922_RP_Sunset_4101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOJESer0YrM9YfZMMFcnzUk4z-yYqYylA0Q7whlJGaKI51C3TWBk-4F0Lmz-bRUYT62bkXshxHlpt4ZjgVkLXmdTI3MePoytvK7hXoGOd6XXUIEwVWdQCiRXqB-51YSBLy_QPgEcQAAs/s320/190922_RP_Sunset_4101.jpg" width="320" /></a>This trip I insisted on dinner atop the lighthouse hill where the top photo was taken. It was a nice evening - storms to the east, but a nice sunset. Dinner was at Pane e Vino Ristotante, adjacent to Captain's, a pizza place below and upscale Italian above. There was an excellent view of the sunset and port below from the high perch I'm guessing a couple hundred feet above the Sea of Cortez. The sunset shots here are handheld with a 200mm lens. It seems to set so quickly over the water. Distant mountaintops from Baja can be seen to the nearly due west, since this was taken nearly on the Autumnal equinox... When you click and enlarge them, I love the "crepuscular rays" emanating upwards from cloud structure or mountains, even after the sun had set from my location...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-lapzpcikcAUexWxeqpg2aLVCrk80Mu1Qw9OzAmPPK-ShzinjksjrNFH8FICpkls6AeSRsWEQN-f5TEZuIf0hgifgc9qyJGdw6VCkSxZoWhyB0_x0236DzjGV6zq6BE3pz_HHw-28og/s1600/190922_RP_Sumset_HDR_4122_4124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-lapzpcikcAUexWxeqpg2aLVCrk80Mu1Qw9OzAmPPK-ShzinjksjrNFH8FICpkls6AeSRsWEQN-f5TEZuIf0hgifgc9qyJGdw6VCkSxZoWhyB0_x0236DzjGV6zq6BE3pz_HHw-28og/s320/190922_RP_Sumset_HDR_4122_4124.jpg" width="320" /></a>
The natural lights of twilight faded quickly and the lights of Puerto Peñasco came up at the same time. Back to the kit zoom lens, the wide shot here is a 3-frame HDR, a combination of 3 frames of different exposures to record more light levels. At lower left is "the Malacon", the commercial center of Puerto Peñasco, including restaurants, fish and shrimp mongers, dentists, pharmacies and tourist trinkets - most anything you want in an over-the-border destination! Across the bay are the high rises and condos of "Sandy Beach, and the body of water leads to the right to the port where hundreds of shrimping boats are docked before heading out. You can see why we have loved the view from there when weather conditions allow a meal out there!<br />
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So it was a nice trip - not particularly emotional for me, though shed a few tears when I re-read <a href="http://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-week-to-forget-that-i-will-always.html">my blog entries of her last days 3 years before</a> - the first I've reviewed them since putting down those thoughts... Melinda will always be a part of me, our decade together among my happiest. I know all of you who knew her also have a special place in your heart for her. <br />
<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-32875893720985145502019-09-04T21:24:00.001-07:002019-09-04T21:24:55.027-07:00Blooming Season Far From Over!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58viMA7n5kXWnfc4Ge4tzxDG216l0-2JDV9nOZvsfYPv3YnVBI1rxXNBNuBtDyl_-SoixQrb1GTJD_M_68oxj5yrXTl-ihWt5SPG0eba_Nvn7lg8_R9OF6QnEwUjMOs7BpcguBi6SIPc/s1600/190904_Cereus_7452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58viMA7n5kXWnfc4Ge4tzxDG216l0-2JDV9nOZvsfYPv3YnVBI1rxXNBNuBtDyl_-SoixQrb1GTJD_M_68oxj5yrXTl-ihWt5SPG0eba_Nvn7lg8_R9OF6QnEwUjMOs7BpcguBi6SIPc/s320/190904_Cereus_7452.jpg" width="210" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zmwr6UKqfcMH9zDeSAK7LHWHYu_dOOkQdIK6BQBb9o3WN9KP6yJZ1umRcZOa5Wluc5HzFbA5z4qAD6WBEKkr08COipcG9BTHnXVF9IApQyNpFfblhTzI_2iLguRli2RHtjp4xJ9AkBc/s1600/190904_Cereus_7454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1500" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zmwr6UKqfcMH9zDeSAK7LHWHYu_dOOkQdIK6BQBb9o3WN9KP6yJZ1umRcZOa5Wluc5HzFbA5z4qAD6WBEKkr08COipcG9BTHnXVF9IApQyNpFfblhTzI_2iLguRli2RHtjp4xJ9AkBc/s320/190904_Cereus_7454.jpg" width="320" /></a>Even though my <a a="" href="http://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2019/08/all-night-long.html">last post was about my blooming cereus</a>, and the monsoon officially ends in 2 weeks (generally marking the end of the cacti blooming season), perhaps because of the lack of monsoonal rain, the cereus are shooting out buds like there is no tomorrow! First appearing last weekend as microscopic (almost) swellings, by now I've counted 27 (!) buds on just two branches - on the same plant! So there will be another massive blooming session in a few days, perhaps over the weekend. A few are very near the roof line, so may set up something up close to flowers for some new viewpoints! Time will tell!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-65015664560119859072019-08-30T22:12:00.000-07:002019-08-30T22:12:32.528-07:00All Night Long!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGMMu0HuUFt1OTExRCXlLQaS-hcaEzYM5HSynZZrxDZ_NYg30Ejs16ZjrbIJFMcuGWPbnivcaODTFRshf32VojcEgdlYaspqI_XhC_wwbvY0ejKnQFVoDS5g0RQgtf7nLM4dtn_jUAZw/s1600/19_August_Cereus_Repandus_3616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1059" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGMMu0HuUFt1OTExRCXlLQaS-hcaEzYM5HSynZZrxDZ_NYg30Ejs16ZjrbIJFMcuGWPbnivcaODTFRshf32VojcEgdlYaspqI_XhC_wwbvY0ejKnQFVoDS5g0RQgtf7nLM4dtn_jUAZw/s320/19_August_Cereus_Repandus_3616.jpg" width="242" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qZxF234fY-wm43AlXgLK0WP61TCcZdrR_LVfJWkBHHtNaUief7xYvh3gHOqj7YCBU-lfgxLQlZYz1kW6UpFZTFq3a_aKPQD9KGSrGsJsVB3eVE5_rOflwCNAtQb02yRW9u7VSXHgcxg/s1600/19_August_Cereus_Repandus_6483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1140" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qZxF234fY-wm43AlXgLK0WP61TCcZdrR_LVfJWkBHHtNaUief7xYvh3gHOqj7YCBU-lfgxLQlZYz1kW6UpFZTFq3a_aKPQD9KGSrGsJsVB3eVE5_rOflwCNAtQb02yRW9u7VSXHgcxg/s320/19_August_Cereus_Repandus_6483.jpg" width="228" /></a>I've been back at "Ketelsen West" for nearly a couple weeks. When I make plans to be out of Tucson in July, everyone always asks how I can miss the monsoon rains - so welcome to the desert dwellers. Well, I miss the start of the 2+ month rainy season here, but also a lot of the hottest weather and the wondering when the first storms will arrive... The one thing that I do hope I don't miss is the flowering of my cereus repandus - night-blooming cereus cacti! They typically start their spectacular blooming shortly after the monsoons start and last through most of the rains till it cools off the end of September. And while the flowers are indeed impressive, what is fun and "sporting" is capturing the pollinators that inevitably come by to feed on the flower's nectar and in that process, distribute pollen among other plants and blooms. I was in luck - shortly after my return, a quartet of flowers bloomed the same night - on the same arm of the cactus! At left is how it appeared right about sunset - the 4 telltale buds were swollen and about to bloom the next few hours. At right, by 10pm, they were open and awaiting action!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVoQjNNE4kU0ddi1rV0yXy3_kzRX0gCXmgC6V_0nTPAcM2iWF7WzSyuAI4ME1h57i-2UztAQ_9FL8OMRma4kcCZKveAhSfhxTfjaf2UZUUWTbqlHzlPQPVPZ_8UrW64Wv5A4MKHi62-c/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6495_Full_Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVoQjNNE4kU0ddi1rV0yXy3_kzRX0gCXmgC6V_0nTPAcM2iWF7WzSyuAI4ME1h57i-2UztAQ_9FL8OMRma4kcCZKveAhSfhxTfjaf2UZUUWTbqlHzlPQPVPZ_8UrW64Wv5A4MKHi62-c/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6495_Full_Res.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoS_XsrQoMyhK8hh7daMYQKfEZbhfesP0aXYiIHlc497OfPqdojyNym9rgx4_wUSx8ONTdfokjsPbFw-1ILCX8vSfq2xvNUcEOlWrfJp1zIlT6OCoj35LOkzSFrqNXPTzU5_exYV3tQI/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoS_XsrQoMyhK8hh7daMYQKfEZbhfesP0aXYiIHlc497OfPqdojyNym9rgx4_wUSx8ONTdfokjsPbFw-1ILCX8vSfq2xvNUcEOlWrfJp1zIlT6OCoj35LOkzSFrqNXPTzU5_exYV3tQI/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6642.jpg" width="320" /></a>But in recent years, I've enjoyed capturing the rustic sphinx moth pollinators. They appear randomly during the night, perhaps drawn by the very subtle (to me anyway) odor of the flowers, or something else that tells them there is food here... The challenge is always to capture as many as their flighty visits, without taking a million photos! Of course, I could sit there and man the camera myself, pushing the button as they visit to feed. Likely also it would be straightforward to rig up something to do it automatically as they come by. I was able to capture a few of the earliest visitors manually, as they started visiting shortly after the flowers opened. With my head-mounted red light, they buzzed my head as they approached, seemingly as large as a bat as it came past me to feed. There was no missing their approach, and even during their stay, I could see the cat's-eye reflection of my red lamp from their eyes! The most fascinating thing to me is there nearly 15cm (6") long proboscis, so tried to take their photo before they landed on the flower. The results here demonstrate that successful plan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnswh4Z-KgtPaRJdPddxYPVRn4qSt05EyuwQbB6-DccWxSaGXlJKSd7UR_iPVYb7ok7hIjqi2HPwe5w5YyC7yULBZroeHKLL544c_tbh6H-msoZ8rGBcj9xNtBncdyJsrjcLhn61fHY7M/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphinx_7109_6999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1344" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnswh4Z-KgtPaRJdPddxYPVRn4qSt05EyuwQbB6-DccWxSaGXlJKSd7UR_iPVYb7ok7hIjqi2HPwe5w5YyC7yULBZroeHKLL544c_tbh6H-msoZ8rGBcj9xNtBncdyJsrjcLhn61fHY7M/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphinx_7109_6999.jpg" width="268" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCGH92jU1NiQ54F_aUoPhu2SDmE6LtDM_7ctTeycq9kZeTemFc9nEkaK_8RwoN4jMkYq8lV9MdgEOwMJIZtZEhx4fbbWvSVeS66bPWf9Z9E5Oo7C-6zTw3sEOBmLsqBFFg8gA79u2YR8/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_7009_7114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCGH92jU1NiQ54F_aUoPhu2SDmE6LtDM_7ctTeycq9kZeTemFc9nEkaK_8RwoN4jMkYq8lV9MdgEOwMJIZtZEhx4fbbWvSVeS66bPWf9Z9E5Oo7C-6zTw3sEOBmLsqBFFg8gA79u2YR8/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_7009_7114.jpg" width="262" /></a>But I was not prepared to stay flower-side all night. I increased my chances by setting up the camera so all 4 flowers were in the image. That way, if any moths came to any flower, I'd document its visit. Also, I used the on-camera flash (on my 10-year old Canon XSi) to illuminate the scene. Taking a photo every 20 seconds (3 per minute, 180 per hour!) I was hoping to catch a few moth visits! 5.5 hours later, the camera and flash were still going after nearly 1,000 photos! The next day I downloaded the all and went thru it frame-by-frame - I had caught over 80 images of moths! That included 4 frames where there were 2 moths in the frame - an absolute first for me! They weren't consecutive frames either, so weren't the same 2 moths hanging out together! These two frame sets show the 4 images with moth pairs in them...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzjZh5A-zKG4UhFagiX9Im5KuHDTGuhjbUJj-Yi8frV82t2hfIlVY3WVDywvOuLMAYfVswYsRaZyaqtWJLvGE-_YAI1wBjkINg9CCR-TWFDg_HNWBHKtbtwCNFAzWIvPUbkAE-AC07Uk/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzjZh5A-zKG4UhFagiX9Im5KuHDTGuhjbUJj-Yi8frV82t2hfIlVY3WVDywvOuLMAYfVswYsRaZyaqtWJLvGE-_YAI1wBjkINg9CCR-TWFDg_HNWBHKtbtwCNFAzWIvPUbkAE-AC07Uk/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_6814.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MrIO8uiPpVKpE1XWcbDf61Pi7cEz4ba_FzCBSvBrOnWsZixvvcTl_ChMxD7mQgW79VFL5dpEmLMk2miOvmv55LFr0LYpgSfO6UCK7UweHOzNWeT13agAKnTY8TBQT0bRHhD8IM7_nuM/s1600/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_7363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MrIO8uiPpVKpE1XWcbDf61Pi7cEz4ba_FzCBSvBrOnWsZixvvcTl_ChMxD7mQgW79VFL5dpEmLMk2miOvmv55LFr0LYpgSfO6UCK7UweHOzNWeT13agAKnTY8TBQT0bRHhD8IM7_nuM/s320/19_Aug_Rustic_Sphynx_7363.jpg" width="320" /></a>What is most amazing about these moth images is the length of their probiscii! At least when they are flying around the cereus repandus flowers they appear to be fully extended. I believe I've seen images showing them coiled up when not in use, but flying around with something extended that is larger than your wingspan must be dangerous, if not at least a little risky! The image at left is quite incredible! Be sure to click on it to load the full resolution image...<br />
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And some of the moths dig so deeply into the flowers. Either they are a little smaller, or perhaps they've got a shorter or broken proboscis, and need to go deeper to feed. Check out the image at right - can barely see the moth body...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtRspj6KbD7VLfg4H8yQcaoWhepJwUYISqWihKWgoVUNHiccD1_zRCZj7nFfCTeac4m_P3kdHBF67fl2WYDoH-JkqM2x8fgaAEripOmIxhx6njmB5N31e6zOZKcaMXaW6DaGdanruCrQ/s1600/19_August_Cereus_Closeup_10_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtRspj6KbD7VLfg4H8yQcaoWhepJwUYISqWihKWgoVUNHiccD1_zRCZj7nFfCTeac4m_P3kdHBF67fl2WYDoH-JkqM2x8fgaAEripOmIxhx6njmB5N31e6zOZKcaMXaW6DaGdanruCrQ/s320/19_August_Cereus_Closeup_10_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxhh3_XeltRA29dwvgiVrZQ0UaNx_m1IQ0_N9WfrmHg1QihvQYLXmnwCgUk9NFgg7PfqmdHKDtD619Bdrkwn7Udhit0CRr79S7APvkNtbT2w37_vcHziVuVUo1NCqoSfuZ18n8-TIVnI/s1600/19_August_Cereus_closeup_9_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxhh3_XeltRA29dwvgiVrZQ0UaNx_m1IQ0_N9WfrmHg1QihvQYLXmnwCgUk9NFgg7PfqmdHKDtD619Bdrkwn7Udhit0CRr79S7APvkNtbT2w37_vcHziVuVUo1NCqoSfuZ18n8-TIVnI/s320/19_August_Cereus_closeup_9_Frame_Focus_Stack_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>So this particular night (19 August) was a particularly busy one! I had stopped the camera at 4:30am, but stopped by a couple hours later to do some close-ups to compare to some I had taken earlier in the evening. At left is a "before" photo showing the abundance of pollen and the still-green stigma and pollen-covered anthers... <br />
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At right is a close-up of the stigma after a busy night of pollination. You can see the moths have transferred a lot of the little round pollen grains, and it appears that the moths have also left behind an abundance of their scales - the feather-looking filaments that appear to be stuck to the stigma. Note how bare and naked the anthers are, now devoid of pollen...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHTp2VUMmLcXeDnndiGGBk9zQSlUHMqFIdEloNw7WOaelJe8jz1YPksVQjNEjcCsv1Bwz-ECZwyWNpIYgeiYK3orr0sD7l17KfF5Awi8m10lnbQ8ZSmv_AsUysy8_RPm3ES7tiXfXRzE/s1600/19_August_Cereus_Closing.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHTp2VUMmLcXeDnndiGGBk9zQSlUHMqFIdEloNw7WOaelJe8jz1YPksVQjNEjcCsv1Bwz-ECZwyWNpIYgeiYK3orr0sD7l17KfF5Awi8m10lnbQ8ZSmv_AsUysy8_RPm3ES7tiXfXRzE/s320/19_August_Cereus_Closing.gif" width="213" /></a>
At 6:00 the sun was just coming up and the flowers were about to close. I set up the camera once more with the timer to take a photo every 8 minutes for 3 hours. Rather than make a time-lapse, I made a GIF, shown here demonstrating the rapid closing of the flowers once the sunlight hits them. <br />
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It looks like the bud/bloom cycle continues, as does the monsoon rains. Will keep my eyes open for more photo opportunities!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-14243173322396320332019-08-11T12:09:00.001-07:002019-08-11T12:09:58.719-07:00Following the Path!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHVaPpDqOQK7YoTyp_m18xl5r4WT-msPS5UKZZBnYh5CAz5NZO6tigw5pzsRg6oAS1YTU0RxOWU0gN9rd7LtPIwFMeIizOz-55OPyPvNXKTVvPQVbjM842v6KK8uVuCNiR6BFyxXVMXg/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4190_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1200" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHVaPpDqOQK7YoTyp_m18xl5r4WT-msPS5UKZZBnYh5CAz5NZO6tigw5pzsRg6oAS1YTU0RxOWU0gN9rd7LtPIwFMeIizOz-55OPyPvNXKTVvPQVbjM842v6KK8uVuCNiR6BFyxXVMXg/s320/190810_Labyrinth_4190_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1giZ2O7zD3hDEISAoXv6JsTekL3jrSgQNP9f_6BGe1bs2TW-Bhhhibpt6Qa9mYFeMLG5va4tuVCjszZV27Q6AuXA2___x9_CswfXuVkM5impqna5qj3OI8JnWp2bI7ZOdbcKH6oulxHs/s1600/Chatres_Labyrinth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1giZ2O7zD3hDEISAoXv6JsTekL3jrSgQNP9f_6BGe1bs2TW-Bhhhibpt6Qa9mYFeMLG5va4tuVCjszZV27Q6AuXA2___x9_CswfXuVkM5impqna5qj3OI8JnWp2bI7ZOdbcKH6oulxHs/s320/Chatres_Labyrinth.jpg" width="320" /></a>This trip to "Ketelsen East" is winding down. Last night Melinda's niece and her boyfriend stopped by for a barbeque dinner. They evidently "collect" labyrinths, which I did not know was a thing! They search out, visit and walk these patterned paths. They had found one near me in St Charles, so went there to visit before our dinner.<br />
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They labyrinth at the St Charles Episcopal Church is of the <a href="http://www.lessons4living.com/chartres_labyrinth.htm">Chartres Cathedral design</a>, shown at right. It has a single path that meanders to the center and the same path is followed to exit. Those who walk it use it for spiritual centering, meditation or prayer. It is in a nice quiet location adjacent to the parking lot of the church, surrounded on 3 sides by nature. The 22-year old labyrinth has a nice dedication stone as shown at left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsEt2XgUCpv-xmQHXzSuaFk2T71EFNIJRHj4psxKSEdO69-8lWoCxhFpi3CqMFUJBkAfytyAoEIjqf0w0Yt2lfICJMH8fsAxS5XElKxzoFHiTj3DNfIDAJMiLLhr_fM6pYEbcRY5wWxw/s1600/O%2527odham+Man+in+Maze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1000" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsEt2XgUCpv-xmQHXzSuaFk2T71EFNIJRHj4psxKSEdO69-8lWoCxhFpi3CqMFUJBkAfytyAoEIjqf0w0Yt2lfICJMH8fsAxS5XElKxzoFHiTj3DNfIDAJMiLLhr_fM6pYEbcRY5wWxw/s200/O%2527odham+Man+in+Maze.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7Bj_H1SGCfq24U-r5_3I_T4YI6kDBPa_0sF36Q3PuRt2ijScjYAXxQ92wGZ7PexiYg8CQdjI39nTIGzMsBqTEiXgHF1PBE3KdEF7sOE83PDqmoPuUsLdOTPpYZaXW1yfA30JObIic3A/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4189_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1200" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7Bj_H1SGCfq24U-r5_3I_T4YI6kDBPa_0sF36Q3PuRt2ijScjYAXxQ92wGZ7PexiYg8CQdjI39nTIGzMsBqTEiXgHF1PBE3KdEF7sOE83PDqmoPuUsLdOTPpYZaXW1yfA30JObIic3A/s200/190810_Labyrinth_4189_sm.jpg" width="200" /></a>Given the complexity of the design, the paths are narrow and don't allow side-by-side walking or even passing each other without stepping off the path, but it was an interesting amble around the path. I've never meditated, nor am particularly spiritual, but can see the parallel to life as a spiritual journey, and also the parallels to the Tohono O'odham "Man in the Maze" journey through life (shown at left) in the American Southwest. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-f3Mc-C80fjFCcrMZqRwykNditylFgM3q3f8q5dGtLKCVxixN96uoBoKYuqqCY7khEzr8FSLVXlcBKtxTsXvTvNTfFYFsn8774DToPBNSjljixhzuiQI5eCAQ2_vRbWSyFtO24cVjTw/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_Panorama_4191_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-f3Mc-C80fjFCcrMZqRwykNditylFgM3q3f8q5dGtLKCVxixN96uoBoKYuqqCY7khEzr8FSLVXlcBKtxTsXvTvNTfFYFsn8774DToPBNSjljixhzuiQI5eCAQ2_vRbWSyFtO24cVjTw/s320/190810_Labyrinth_Panorama_4191_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA90GJZkorcDX6TvPSUQKyQDqOlJSZeQ8YCMT-9RvN_j2gvX2XfVa3qx5fmLbf4kEDhPWv060a6AwcmB0Ft0OgTNvbmrwOBvstam5RIW46Ogh07TbD4iUOVZhLVbFx6uty4tSD4o5n6g/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4192_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA90GJZkorcDX6TvPSUQKyQDqOlJSZeQ8YCMT-9RvN_j2gvX2XfVa3qx5fmLbf4kEDhPWv060a6AwcmB0Ft0OgTNvbmrwOBvstam5RIW46Ogh07TbD4iUOVZhLVbFx6uty4tSD4o5n6g/s320/190810_Labyrinth_4192_sm.jpg" width="240" /></a>It was a pleasant enough excursion - nice temps in an early-evening outing, investigating something new. The entire labyrinth is shown in the panorama at left, with Kathy and Jonathan at far right. In the right hand image, you can see the brickwork in its construction as well as the near exact copy of the Chartres Labyrinth above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuiOA2dg9gbeXN9kb4QDxd__7q5S0CRQVuVw6Nnwq2g1oEcacamZ3wyfiLMZhUdwUZwYpsMmS1n1VhqxPoBBn8TwJ3HTpCjXfrRsd-qLtMh4nT6luEyafYz-B9NfXsgm1GowpZRT9ewo/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4186_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuiOA2dg9gbeXN9kb4QDxd__7q5S0CRQVuVw6Nnwq2g1oEcacamZ3wyfiLMZhUdwUZwYpsMmS1n1VhqxPoBBn8TwJ3HTpCjXfrRsd-qLtMh4nT6luEyafYz-B9NfXsgm1GowpZRT9ewo/s320/190810_Labyrinth_4186_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQBnLQNjcc34qu-bir_CxyyH8GTNclRaBe2miIFdrVCZ1_SNZw0EYlWuqDSXSpskLVhpw0iTrWlTgcdsvsOv7Qz4ykvuAtS-cSQiWRhvyLWoN1eUP1oaxgn1rNgGLlGG0faG6i2uu_JI/s1600/190810Labyrinth_4193_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1400" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQBnLQNjcc34qu-bir_CxyyH8GTNclRaBe2miIFdrVCZ1_SNZw0EYlWuqDSXSpskLVhpw0iTrWlTgcdsvsOv7Qz4ykvuAtS-cSQiWRhvyLWoN1eUP1oaxgn1rNgGLlGG0faG6i2uu_JI/s320/190810Labyrinth_4193_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>On our way out, we noticed the pine tree adjacent to the labyrinth - I've never seen pine cones oozing sap as prolifically as this one was. Seemed each cone had "icicles" of sap oozing out of it! Interesting...<br />
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We returned to the country estate of "Ketelsen East" and finished prepping for dinner and started the grill and cooking. The menu has become a staple of mine - a protein of choice, more and more pork chops, or more likely, pork loin on the grill. Accompanying that dish, are bacon-wrapped, cream-cheese filled jalapenos, and a mix of assorted vegetables, here green beans, finger potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, with shredded cheese atop. And to wrap it up, while not really lo-carb, are barbequed beans... My guests enjoyed BBQ sauce and a beer, though wasn't on my allowed list!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68ExExyjup2xSHM49XPyn1Ru98YGO8DovFlDzoDE1wfNTebJtRALRjvmkaDMkZOotKntSwqhPNJusHLfZKgbmpcgdkWxLi477ykagPEm99pktBzrYImWMDuDVzYdOMn8TMWu0bCvOzRs/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4194_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68ExExyjup2xSHM49XPyn1Ru98YGO8DovFlDzoDE1wfNTebJtRALRjvmkaDMkZOotKntSwqhPNJusHLfZKgbmpcgdkWxLi477ykagPEm99pktBzrYImWMDuDVzYdOMn8TMWu0bCvOzRs/s320/190810_Labyrinth_4194_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynuCC05GOwZyhehWqSeJPfHSq6AvLg6ABVtPQULDgcGbmKXqprUay4q29MgS30XJDwEI1NmPY3iTA8kigqUNmEXLUoADY5NBXOdMvR_u0y9-faCmZW2wsuUxTL5iR3mXzM2kbIiHdBwo/s1600/190810_Labyrinth_4196_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynuCC05GOwZyhehWqSeJPfHSq6AvLg6ABVtPQULDgcGbmKXqprUay4q29MgS30XJDwEI1NmPY3iTA8kigqUNmEXLUoADY5NBXOdMvR_u0y9-faCmZW2wsuUxTL5iR3mXzM2kbIiHdBwo/s320/190810_Labyrinth_4196_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>We finished late into the sunset and decided to risk biting insects in going out to the Fox River to enjoy the "big picture"! From the nearby boat dock (about 100 yards from my door) we took in the late sunset colors and a nice panorama of the water, last light of the day and the far shore.<br />
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Always nice to enjoy the evening with family, cooking outdoors and taking in an exploration of some sort while the weather is nice. I'm glad we could all get together in this little part of our lifetime journey...<br />
<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-79573856979235224072019-07-21T16:25:00.001-07:002019-07-21T16:25:39.113-07:00Keeping Up With Buddies!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzwnhyphenhyphenZKBfJ3VQzG97xxhOdTQxuCvcEM9b_nXBMLCZ_5x4qxv5f_H7Jj2kXMuXVyj14Wzf697I7IHt_OKmhfchPpoGstQHkRep1qCldxRR-izq08ikZVMfQj3bHr-qR9C7fbPKE7zchY/s1600/Vision1sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzwnhyphenhyphenZKBfJ3VQzG97xxhOdTQxuCvcEM9b_nXBMLCZ_5x4qxv5f_H7Jj2kXMuXVyj14Wzf697I7IHt_OKmhfchPpoGstQHkRep1qCldxRR-izq08ikZVMfQj3bHr-qR9C7fbPKE7zchY/s320/Vision1sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I'm about halfway through this trip to "Ketelsen East" in the far western suburbs of Chicago. I've been in a "decluttering" mode, and one of the items I don't use any more is a recumbent bicycle given to be by RAGBRAI buddy Carl. A decade ago I hadn't been riding much after my pair of open-heart surgeries, and he passed on the recumbent that someone had given him. It was a unique piece of gear, and totally different to ride than a "normal" bike. The riding position was very comfortable, but the under-seat steering took a little getting used to! Also, after stopping, starting up again was surprisingly difficult, and usually included wobbling across the lane of traffic and aborted starts on many occasions! So I mostly did not ride it in traffic, and mostly rode laps around the mile-long path in a local park. Oh, and in going uphill, it had difficulty getting out of its own way! And there are plenty of hills near the river where I live! After I got a new hybrid bike here (which I love), the recumbent was abandoned so thought I'd pass it back to Carl to pass on to someone else! That's me on an early ride at left...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-KGYfYgC5FX0C857gYkRtW1VtQXLtFjVKUcGcuESix-FcjgkpO7iWCdF4_Gvv08nMwlOsXcxN20DZ_q_9SCIhBWpZ8rE_BHlYefwSlKqJbpRrywXyTKL-xMdDAAq_XhnXUcn2xPC_C4/s1600/190716_Bike_Ride_3973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-KGYfYgC5FX0C857gYkRtW1VtQXLtFjVKUcGcuESix-FcjgkpO7iWCdF4_Gvv08nMwlOsXcxN20DZ_q_9SCIhBWpZ8rE_BHlYefwSlKqJbpRrywXyTKL-xMdDAAq_XhnXUcn2xPC_C4/s320/190716_Bike_Ride_3973.jpg" width="273" /></a>
So THAT gave me an excuse to take a day trip to Iowa and cross paths with Carl. Back in 1993 when I did my first cross-state ride, he was one of the riders in the dozen or so crazies from the Toddville area that soon became my fast friends. He now is their intrepid leader, motivating them to train and keep on going year after year. He figures he's been on 29 of the 500 mile long rides across Iowa! Lately he and his wife Terri spend their winters in the Phoenix area near where one of their daughters live. While we crossed paths once this last winter in AZ, we didn't get a ride in, but since he is in "training", we did one earlier in the week when I visited. That is us at left, post-ride when I was pretty sweat-soaked, but it was a great, if warm and steamy day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hj3ot9PEYO56aITe324FamjHrERIRP2wDarPNOliE_gwqBbN827A4ZtE6XFa9SF5dZviTbrQov_TW5RThDQXzwB-yFjDDFolx2q2QaRXcqv2ec4lTLWwSgL0nuwmchsrSBUEL-6uo7M/s1600/190716_Bike_Ride_3969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hj3ot9PEYO56aITe324FamjHrERIRP2wDarPNOliE_gwqBbN827A4ZtE6XFa9SF5dZviTbrQov_TW5RThDQXzwB-yFjDDFolx2q2QaRXcqv2ec4lTLWwSgL0nuwmchsrSBUEL-6uo7M/s320/190716_Bike_Ride_3969.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
We met about 9am. Interestingly, I live next to a river, so have to climb a hill to leave the house. He lives atop a hill, so coast down to leave. Unfortunately, that means you climb that hill as you finish! He took me on a route that finished out at 20+ miles, and included 700+ feet of climbing - both records for me since restarting riding! A good part of it was over a rails-to-trails bike path - the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, which travels all the way from Cedar Rapids to Waterloo, over 60 miles, paved a good part of the way! I was surprised how busy it was - we would pass bikes or groups of bikes every minute or two! We stopped in a shady spot for a drink (at right), and Carl immediately found someone to talk to. The stop also included a latrine in the background, so a nice rest stop on a warm humid day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qk3eM7TOBpwaFnOI20o9PFotZmI0bVWdL15iO3RNC8PV5VYnv-KdaSAa2g23lBEAA8C-xQsMHYYmdcvFoZe4zkrjyJS4BwqHA2KvFsxNgtfpB5Z2lc5JEd9dJs7ce85X8d7VdBPwEWE/s1600/190716_Bike_Ride_3972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1500" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qk3eM7TOBpwaFnOI20o9PFotZmI0bVWdL15iO3RNC8PV5VYnv-KdaSAa2g23lBEAA8C-xQsMHYYmdcvFoZe4zkrjyJS4BwqHA2KvFsxNgtfpB5Z2lc5JEd9dJs7ce85X8d7VdBPwEWE/s320/190716_Bike_Ride_3972.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzgnUlWDq99X-3tW71vrmkf5jgxsVzTcGZkkDYcAqCIRVTBX4wWQY3daAkPZeRpLQp0LpCxgIKl2QDb1pjBnr7-aduFneP6i5cQbDZM9C8KyAyal41S2L0osk-WYiktXfLlWxEEGHNx0/s1600/190716_Dean_Harper_3979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzgnUlWDq99X-3tW71vrmkf5jgxsVzTcGZkkDYcAqCIRVTBX4wWQY3daAkPZeRpLQp0LpCxgIKl2QDb1pjBnr7-aduFneP6i5cQbDZM9C8KyAyal41S2L0osk-WYiktXfLlWxEEGHNx0/s320/190716_Dean_Harper_3979.jpg" width="314" /></a>After traversing sometimes busy roads to get there, it was a relief to not battle car and truck traffic, and it was nice to ride side-by-side for miles to chat and tell stories. Shown at left is a shot I took as I slowed to record what it was like as we biked along the very nice path.<br />
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We got back to Carl's and wondered if they wanted to go into town to Culver's for lunch. They were blessed to have their granddaughter Harper staying with them - she is a cutie, though seems pre-occupied with games and apps on her cell phone. She was plenty friendly and tolerated well my teasing her and attempting to steal her rapidly melting custard out at a table. See how photogenic she is at right?<br />
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I left the trio at the Cedar Rapids Culvers and headed south to Iowa City to make a pilgrimage to "Prairie Lights", my favorite book store, then on east to have dinner with sister Kathy, her husband Rich, and friends in Wheatland. Leaving them all for the 2.5 hour trip home in St Charles, I got in about 10:30. A long, but very fun day!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-79862821664329118942019-07-12T20:51:00.003-07:002019-07-12T20:51:50.118-07:00Wavy Wispies?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3S-_fLC4gFs4nn4RskeFsuXHsfp8MrOl7qo75JkCx58PMVmo2onKzuRqsGvg6duRJiZjA1dplQ1wvTMHAvwTy4PgYK-auzZ4sPDA3BFNNkz9V90UcHCNptcK784YP8u7EFlXp2znYHk/s1600/190712_Wave_Clouds_3948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3S-_fLC4gFs4nn4RskeFsuXHsfp8MrOl7qo75JkCx58PMVmo2onKzuRqsGvg6duRJiZjA1dplQ1wvTMHAvwTy4PgYK-auzZ4sPDA3BFNNkz9V90UcHCNptcK784YP8u7EFlXp2znYHk/s320/190712_Wave_Clouds_3948.jpg" width="320" /></a>
One thing I've been able to adhere to at "Ketelsen East" is my daily bike ride. In 12 days so far in July, I've gotten in 10 rides for a total of 105 miles! Mostly I bike the mile to a local park with a nice 1 mile loop to get in at least 5 miles or so, then jump on the bike path along the Fox River for more hill work and a little variety. But today I noticed something different!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg31IY0THpQP0OSH0hXTHUggbM4Ipj8JsB7XkT8qp2PBGUik-w5XcjWtdjKCaVg6FaxnF4-v_GglCDfz2VEWKlw6lckngAnpaCb2Bs-FqK8nLxFF6dzAHtn9LvEA-OHPK5SNhKwHmQYA/s1600/190712_Wave_Clouds_3947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg31IY0THpQP0OSH0hXTHUggbM4Ipj8JsB7XkT8qp2PBGUik-w5XcjWtdjKCaVg6FaxnF4-v_GglCDfz2VEWKlw6lckngAnpaCb2Bs-FqK8nLxFF6dzAHtn9LvEA-OHPK5SNhKwHmQYA/s320/190712_Wave_Clouds_3947.jpg" width="320" /></a>As an astronomer and observer of nature, I've seen all sorts of clouds, but today was different - wavy clouds filling up the eastern sky! Fortunately I had my phone (tracks my bike rides) handy to take some photos. Kinda weird, eh? The foreground is River Bend Community Park, about a mile up the hill from me, and you can see it is a nice place to bike. But the whispies did not look like any clouds I've seen. I think the giveaway is the bluish nature of them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAct-G34Tm4CkoMSSwRnA9_cTR2zCoCobTvY_Td3JX6mpd8JIEG07D9l2JC7Rd57KOjamZxmEEhcEXHUhk39uI-DrebvSQvjXNxYd-rRzR2EAOkD9Xi09wWJd5NasdQuYw0YEPPJ8WP_k/s1600/190712_Wave_Clouds_3949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAct-G34Tm4CkoMSSwRnA9_cTR2zCoCobTvY_Td3JX6mpd8JIEG07D9l2JC7Rd57KOjamZxmEEhcEXHUhk39uI-DrebvSQvjXNxYd-rRzR2EAOkD9Xi09wWJd5NasdQuYw0YEPPJ8WP_k/s320/190712_Wave_Clouds_3949.jpg" width="320" /></a>
The weathermen have been pointing out that some of the haziness we've been seeing has been due to forest fires across the border in Manitoba and Ontario Canada, and I suspect this is smoke from those fires. By afternoon they had moved off, the sky turning completely clear, so obviously the wind moved them out of the area. But they sure were striking for a while!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-42757320444475676842019-07-08T22:12:00.000-07:002019-07-08T22:16:32.616-07:00After The Meeting...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXeUYNieYAfBEL4OPdZghGeuZ4oxbE9bq5KDFhYK-fQlowhTtDza53w72V6qf30eFS1FuidFfIpygdsU47EQka8wdRCTD70cLQv20q7RCebIZhMG9IgL9REvCsPMoMPnRyDseyL1bREg/s1600/190708_Mark_Meade12in_3938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="942" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXeUYNieYAfBEL4OPdZghGeuZ4oxbE9bq5KDFhYK-fQlowhTtDza53w72V6qf30eFS1FuidFfIpygdsU47EQka8wdRCTD70cLQv20q7RCebIZhMG9IgL9REvCsPMoMPnRyDseyL1bREg/s320/190708_Mark_Meade12in_3938.jpg" width="274" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD0izwHZJ1gO7xeVeSz7moo4c2tZBBopjAhW1H7_FBc5PLpy7zpgMOAA78uQzIU3rcffuAQ-yW2l6R3hz43Vrhp6ZDYupTiILo-0S3s4IXv8ShyKWhfMTUpy58q1ive4F3R8e-69y0xI/s1600/81055_NexYZ_3-Axis_Universal_Smartphone_Adapter_01_570x380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD0izwHZJ1gO7xeVeSz7moo4c2tZBBopjAhW1H7_FBc5PLpy7zpgMOAA78uQzIU3rcffuAQ-yW2l6R3hz43Vrhp6ZDYupTiILo-0S3s4IXv8ShyKWhfMTUpy58q1ive4F3R8e-69y0xI/s320/81055_NexYZ_3-Axis_Universal_Smartphone_Adapter_01_570x380.jpg" width="320" /></a>Tonight was the monthly meeting of the <a href="https://fvasil.org/">Fox Valley Astronomical Society</a>. An interesting meeting about Apollo 11's Moon landing 50 years ago. Part of the discussion was about the "where were you" stories. Some were deployed in Vietnam. I was a 15 year old working on my Grandparent's farm. It was a Sunday as I recall, so didn't have to do much work - I remember shooting hoops with my younger cousin. I think there is a photo somewhere. I also took photos off the TV of Armstrong and Aldrin with my Instamatic - was a space nerd even then!<br />
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After the meeting, my friend Mark was setting up the club's 12" Meade in the parking lot at Peck Farm Park where we met (shown at left). He asked if I'd seen <a href="https://www.celestron.com/products/nexyz-3-axis-universal-smartphone-adapter">Celestron's new cell adaptor</a>, which quickly allows mounting of a cell camera to shoot through the telescope. I'd not seen it, but was quite impressed as it allowed 3-axis of motion - X, Y, and focusing motion too! Shown at right in their advertising, it would come in handy at the Grand Canyon as EVERYONE wants to take photos of what they see in the telescope... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0SQsVqYGXX9borFaPg67F6Ijx4ikFu0fnYZ7bxEjpOItZfAbC1yX0iBnhuYfWqZjYQWeKMBfPxebcdFzsDqWhNlaKktfM9-jXRu3bVSjFr_LLtkpe2AgkouQAgNSFBnJH-7VG60J6lg/s1600/190708_Moon_3934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1115" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0SQsVqYGXX9borFaPg67F6Ijx4ikFu0fnYZ7bxEjpOItZfAbC1yX0iBnhuYfWqZjYQWeKMBfPxebcdFzsDqWhNlaKktfM9-jXRu3bVSjFr_LLtkpe2AgkouQAgNSFBnJH-7VG60J6lg/s320/190708_Moon_3934.jpg" width="237" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoPBe4WYDonwS5HDIRZCP5-yX9_sEq_oVqtfu5ELW9hlRRnVoNdVWWxxJZA2kMDaxUbICuz0DKd93Cz9Jt2L9m1niFa8dj4UYV04G4g-ooi9wLebUjj9k5Klq06Z9hfjaU_LGjzQZbS0/s1600/190708_Moon_3932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoPBe4WYDonwS5HDIRZCP5-yX9_sEq_oVqtfu5ELW9hlRRnVoNdVWWxxJZA2kMDaxUbICuz0DKd93Cz9Jt2L9m1niFa8dj4UYV04G4g-ooi9wLebUjj9k5Klq06Z9hfjaU_LGjzQZbS0/s320/190708_Moon_3932.jpg" width="240" /></a>Well, with the quarter-moon high in the west, it was a perfect opportunity to try it out. The only difficulty we had was in setting up and aligning the camera lens to the eyepiece in the dark. A little red light might have been handy, but we eventually found the light coming out of the eyepiece. A wide shot of the moon is shown at left. Note the bottom edge is clipped by the edge of the eyepiece, NOT the lower limb of the moon...<br />
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At left, with the addition of some digital zoom in the camera, more detailed close-up is shown. It was an impressive demonstration with the brightest thing we observe in the night sky!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT607HxfDd0lIykbZZ3EAla4F5ACOZGjQKe9flJSFaqqSmnvC607kzJ1Kq3LlysWLMyFT3iQTb3MQDcOK6Sef87pQ-pGUZKKCgIJv3z_4YJ5jIzUPQkOjzjzq2sjQR7wo8RCLDNc64x0/s1600/190708_Jupiter_3941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1500" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT607HxfDd0lIykbZZ3EAla4F5ACOZGjQKe9flJSFaqqSmnvC607kzJ1Kq3LlysWLMyFT3iQTb3MQDcOK6Sef87pQ-pGUZKKCgIJv3z_4YJ5jIzUPQkOjzjzq2sjQR7wo8RCLDNc64x0/s320/190708_Jupiter_3941.jpg" width="320" /></a>
A bit later we looked at Jupiter, and were easy to see and record the 4 Galilean moons. Shown at left, the overexposed disk of Jupiter is at center, and left-to-right are the moons Ganymede, Europa, with Io and Callisto on the right. I tried but was unable to reduce the exposure to more properly expose for bright Jupiter. A higher power might have helped, but I suspect there was too much black sky - not enough "bright" to trigger the auto-exposure... I would have stayed for Saturn, low in the SE, but the mosquitos had drunk enough of my blood, so moved on towards home to post these. All in all, I'm tempted to get one of these devices - looks like an easy way to at least document the moon and bright planets with a cellphone.Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-44797582632031991982019-07-04T14:42:00.001-07:002019-07-04T14:42:26.091-07:00Visible and Invisible<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiNfHdanz1aOtW72sm3wiM_67Xe7eQ1r-75-6PdgbD1jeuoVMDbxA2_P_CzBWItWKlphQS6-O7Za2aJ9vdzW_2kogXCjTw3Y4MYVIhYPcCEVOfKKgDlpsFtaAAKIiBzYJzCTi8hT9erw/s1600/29_June_IR_Field1_5080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiNfHdanz1aOtW72sm3wiM_67Xe7eQ1r-75-6PdgbD1jeuoVMDbxA2_P_CzBWItWKlphQS6-O7Za2aJ9vdzW_2kogXCjTw3Y4MYVIhYPcCEVOfKKgDlpsFtaAAKIiBzYJzCTi8hT9erw/s320/29_June_IR_Field1_5080.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ACQSeAlRX6XVfjejVchaPJjzZ6O_dp9ZokJ5fXdifoRUE9HexeAN2BQ5ZT8cl3mAsAfNDc43D5vr3W_bZ6u1S2Sb7jcyb-osD1xoUdBgJVT4teF3or7NqnJi5dCEjdcQYUqPNLFURs/s1600/29_June_VIS_Field1_2573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ACQSeAlRX6XVfjejVchaPJjzZ6O_dp9ZokJ5fXdifoRUE9HexeAN2BQ5ZT8cl3mAsAfNDc43D5vr3W_bZ6u1S2Sb7jcyb-osD1xoUdBgJVT4teF3or7NqnJi5dCEjdcQYUqPNLFURs/s320/29_June_VIS_Field1_2573.jpg" width="320" /></a>Woo Hoo - back in the Midwest for a visit to "Ketelsen East"! But what is this watery substance my skin is excreting??? For the first time the last few Summer visits, it is miserably hot and humid! A big change evidently as they have been "enjoying" a cool, very wet Spring. Farmers have been unable to get into fields to plant and evidently a slow-motion disaster is in progress...<br />
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Anyway, last weekend my maternal grandmothers family held a reunion that I was able to attend! Held every 2 years, it has been going on a few times. Held in a church camp in eastern Iowa (Grace Lutheran Church Camp), I didn't take any photos of relatives I've not seen in decades, but knowing that there would be some blue sky and greenery, I took my IR-modified camera to take some landscape photos! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc41Wx7agZTdgEgSJQJ9JeJk0SU2hwWVEyvigrXJ07XxOWM9ZVCBuKXdcn9o7YJDbdJslmrpU3fMZwU9zGw08zTf8-px31G_PqLrjBbJNCrM_DT-SNBzgZcPpGFfXtsAyU0hrQH9JZV8/s1600/29_June_IR_Field2_5081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1500" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc41Wx7agZTdgEgSJQJ9JeJk0SU2hwWVEyvigrXJ07XxOWM9ZVCBuKXdcn9o7YJDbdJslmrpU3fMZwU9zGw08zTf8-px31G_PqLrjBbJNCrM_DT-SNBzgZcPpGFfXtsAyU0hrQH9JZV8/s320/29_June_IR_Field2_5081.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-za0C-XKfvs9cVOc7QKQDEm8lmb1GTn6le7k322WcUO93oS8BvBIrUNpQNn0vppcxZiMTQInn0DB5vu110nfGMcG69DQ-h4ofX7s4VrjyR6Jkd2sj0uHa96l56lRF6X9nRdNoywGj5Zo/s1600/29_June_VIS_Field2_2574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1500" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-za0C-XKfvs9cVOc7QKQDEm8lmb1GTn6le7k322WcUO93oS8BvBIrUNpQNn0vppcxZiMTQInn0DB5vu110nfGMcG69DQ-h4ofX7s4VrjyR6Jkd2sj0uHa96l56lRF6X9nRdNoywGj5Zo/s320/29_June_VIS_Field2_2574.jpg" width="320" /></a>Most modern cameras are sensitive to infrared (IR) light, but the sensors are filtered to specifically block those wavelengths invisible to the eye beyond the red end of the visible spectrum. Well, there are some neat effects going on just past our vision limits and 8 or so years ago I got an inexpensive DSLR camera on Ebay and paid a modest fee to remove the IR blocking filter and replace it with an IR pass filter. While the view through the camera looks normal, the photos are anything but! As shown here, the IR shots show white trees and grass, indicative of chlorophyll, which is a strong reflector of IR, and dark water and sky, which absorb or do not scatter IR light. Please enjoy the photo comparisons, which I've tried to match the exact field with the modified Canon 20D, and the visible color images from my Canon 6D. The IR shots do not look unlike the view of a snowfall covering grass and vegetation, but that is indeed NOT the case.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9eSRWiW3-3DNzjFqcxCdKqL1LMq2OnSJYrcDxxXRed_ig1XCRsZY_TO7zptRXRioDctIoLQVn5C6YvhN5ko-QbXrFViYmO6dSA29yP2xRzslJHtawl_oT86SCQr_Zrmq-IfaX5_NUeI/s1600/29_June_IR_Field3_5082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9eSRWiW3-3DNzjFqcxCdKqL1LMq2OnSJYrcDxxXRed_ig1XCRsZY_TO7zptRXRioDctIoLQVn5C6YvhN5ko-QbXrFViYmO6dSA29yP2xRzslJHtawl_oT86SCQr_Zrmq-IfaX5_NUeI/s320/29_June_IR_Field3_5082.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_381t3qmL2BVkyo_yVmh5PlXdygcma9roNSRW1wJSNqQzx1g6H-gXlJkJZUx1hnP0zXX96xeWytIwWxs14ksitR13lSWVIWbTiL2bj0OmavqMPRCV65xFUisBAmuAMs4-ArXVWHaDQI/s1600/29_June_VIS_Field3_2575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1500" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_381t3qmL2BVkyo_yVmh5PlXdygcma9roNSRW1wJSNqQzx1g6H-gXlJkJZUx1hnP0zXX96xeWytIwWxs14ksitR13lSWVIWbTiL2bj0OmavqMPRCV65xFUisBAmuAMs4-ArXVWHaDQI/s320/29_June_VIS_Field3_2575.jpg" width="320" /></a>The longer IR wavelengths easily penetrate haze and dust, and are scattered less by the atmosphere. Looking at the photos above, the clouds just above the treetops are more easily seen in the IR shot as it is less affected by haze and contrast is increased. In the long-distance views from mountaintops in AZ, this effect can be used to more clearly discern distant details. But since the horizon is at most only a mile or two away in flat and tree-infested Iowa, this effect is much less. But note in these photos left and right that the algae mats growing along the water edge also glow white from chlorophyll!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDKwM0_9rLw_WwhJqch-Q1zZJVKY9GkcIGG9QgC1Z6veNkXjtHn55jEYqd-6bq5AvgD5wVj5SnEohv8hZDeXIJDLmTeI5OTrS0bkG2eDJ0WjTcxHCEj6KQW0IKp4J50xrCcO5aOHFG50/s1600/29_June_IR_Leaves_5085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1500" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDKwM0_9rLw_WwhJqch-Q1zZJVKY9GkcIGG9QgC1Z6veNkXjtHn55jEYqd-6bq5AvgD5wVj5SnEohv8hZDeXIJDLmTeI5OTrS0bkG2eDJ0WjTcxHCEj6KQW0IKp4J50xrCcO5aOHFG50/s320/29_June_IR_Leaves_5085.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45stjMxqng4odHqhkmfm4F4Ja4qcdpiQLCpzhddNDMk7aLAOFbvlPiUwIcY6Y_RPVPTlKsO3N8s5jOYlja3Cpb6T9lxRXO-sh7zXcbGx-ARBKO3USPNntl1ceOMH_uV1KhTZ1eC-tTBc/s1600/29_June_VIS_Leaves_2578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45stjMxqng4odHqhkmfm4F4Ja4qcdpiQLCpzhddNDMk7aLAOFbvlPiUwIcY6Y_RPVPTlKsO3N8s5jOYlja3Cpb6T9lxRXO-sh7zXcbGx-ARBKO3USPNntl1ceOMH_uV1KhTZ1eC-tTBc/s320/29_June_VIS_Leaves_2578.jpg" width="320" /></a>For years I've tried to photograph details within the structure of a leaf, but it all glows so completely white it is hard to pick out any details. These photos are from an oak tree, and structure is clearly seen in the color image at right, but harder to discern in IR, even with severely playing with brightness and contrast. What you can see are some little spots that align with little leaf defects, perhaps insect bites or other small intrusions, that clearly show a lack of chlorophyll.<br />
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You may see more from the IR camera in coming weeks - I love seeing the normally hidden world revealed!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-470857131171733912019-07-01T15:49:00.004-07:002019-07-01T15:49:48.608-07:00Grand Canyon 2019!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiNr0zy_LVgjWQaa5ME3YNdGvACj37L8qV1vqNSFHHu4P6JamdzG7HyHXiN_7QKUBtZzumDjvb6Wt11RRc6XGrmgGZz69Nebc8iPttWc7TtQXoZfc-e1RpFLAIRrXLOaiAgK0-_4qVdU/s1600/190623_Milky_Way_1722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiNr0zy_LVgjWQaa5ME3YNdGvACj37L8qV1vqNSFHHu4P6JamdzG7HyHXiN_7QKUBtZzumDjvb6Wt11RRc6XGrmgGZz69Nebc8iPttWc7TtQXoZfc-e1RpFLAIRrXLOaiAgK0-_4qVdU/s320/190623_Milky_Way_1722.jpg" width="320" /></a>Last week was the 29th Grand Canyon Star Party! Next May 6 will be the 30th anniversary of Vicki and me getting married in Vegas, and honeymooning at the Canyon for a couple days. We discovered that most any optics set up at the rim would attract a crowd, so we started inviting friends to join us in setting up scopes for a week-long public star party. About the first thing we did was to move it to June when it was a little warmer, but has only grown in popularity. They now attract upwards of 2,000 people a night to more than 60 telescopes. I now know what it is like to see your children grow up to do great things, as I feel this event is my offspring! I'm still the only one that has been to all of them (including the zeroth one!) and I hope to continue the streak!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM23CohdLrUeH3imo10MXZfCTddQ-MG_NQeQBoA74GyVaAHo5EkxJSm76Z4xMo75_tBI3Lyr76_KFa__M1xxk0dhH0OLKX3qQK7EdwVyieW6UNBnRWhCXfJHnW8Gtl7c3QfnVQsg0OoiM/s1600/190624_Canyon_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM23CohdLrUeH3imo10MXZfCTddQ-MG_NQeQBoA74GyVaAHo5EkxJSm76Z4xMo75_tBI3Lyr76_KFa__M1xxk0dhH0OLKX3qQK7EdwVyieW6UNBnRWhCXfJHnW8Gtl7c3QfnVQsg0OoiM/s320/190624_Canyon_2013.jpg" width="258" /></a>I took lots of photos (nearly 1200), mostly destined for some time-lapse clips. The weather was uniformly very good - perfectly clear for 3 nights of the 4 that I was able to attend. Sunday night we had memorably good seeing, permitting to see amazing details on Jupiter and Saturn, stars of the show in my eyes! Seems I spend most of the 3-hour window of observing on one of those two objects. In the 3 nights of observing, over 720 people looked through my telescope - numbers that were a little down from previous years, but with more telescopes, the number/scope would naturally drop a little. That is me at right with my Celestron 14, with a 500mm telephoto mounted atop it for some astro-photos later when the crowds died down...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Wu4O57B5skvc-pHWgdH7j-8vK-OYiivaTnMt7DiG-rXsJM2qouO2nKD3XA56B3JuWsIAoB_5HGdZHjOpLjJpMgNKH3TSNB0oWr79wcGFdnW6BHjj6t3uLLSdubWSu07q21AcGSD3WbQ/s1600/190622_Mather_Amphitheater_5_Frame_Pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1600" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Wu4O57B5skvc-pHWgdH7j-8vK-OYiivaTnMt7DiG-rXsJM2qouO2nKD3XA56B3JuWsIAoB_5HGdZHjOpLjJpMgNKH3TSNB0oWr79wcGFdnW6BHjj6t3uLLSdubWSu07q21AcGSD3WbQ/s320/190622_Mather_Amphitheater_5_Frame_Pan.jpg" width="320" /></a>
One of the coolest events that happened during the week (2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon as a national park) was the bestowing of "Dark Sky Park" status to the Grand Canyon by the International Dark-sky Association (IDA). Over the last few years, the Grand Canyon Conservancy has done a full census of lighting in the park and retrofitted over 5,000 lights to "dark-sky friendly". The photo at left shows the ceremony held the first day of the star party at Mather Amphitheater for speeches and the award (as well as some killer cookies!). Again, I'm thinking that our little event helped motivate the National Park Service into recognizing that dark skies are a resource and worthy of protecting!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBje0La1nhzJFjAV_zyJyMatuqHFsOvz05oinRyxePm2KhHnuG2aa83Dr1wYxy9ZxRO72UGx7empdZOvZ0qsCd8TdzKb4wWvqGbdJb4NVVx0vK-c4sNVvA2HBUyDok737iCgubelr-Umk/s1600/190622_Chris_Fuld_40in_1463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1600" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBje0La1nhzJFjAV_zyJyMatuqHFsOvz05oinRyxePm2KhHnuG2aa83Dr1wYxy9ZxRO72UGx7empdZOvZ0qsCd8TdzKb4wWvqGbdJb4NVVx0vK-c4sNVvA2HBUyDok737iCgubelr-Umk/s320/190622_Chris_Fuld_40in_1463.jpg" width="320" /></a>
It takes a special kind of amateur astronomer to use their valuable vacation time to migrate to Arizona every year to show the sky to the public! We've had a great set of regulars who have attended nearly from the beginning. It is always fun to catch up with people we only see at this event and find out what is going on in their lives. This year we had a new addition - Chris Fuld showed up from Seattle with his 40" telescope - the largest we've enjoyed for a couple decades! All the astronomers are busy during prime observing, but I heard he enjoyed an hour-long line to look through his behemoth. I got a glimpse through it late one night after closing down when I was only second in line. I saw the "Needle Galaxy" <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTM6L-WYfXhpNA7o2HT4BIO2j7bxc2-IKz2p4fAN3kYnKZJ7QJHXhYlz6FcopeKqaDSKIHEXcOu_tnoDKeUMMYvqi6kCl65bLjIXYdYtho7QduNYg3RATo0_6oO1iVBSGK3XRI4XPuzg8/s1600/3_May_N4565_Straight_7Frame_Stack_18m_11in_sm.jpg">NGC 4565 spread out across the field of view with a dust lane through the center</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC8pWuycOWYVN4rjKoX6jCXlSdxYgSdfTWRWzv23nj7C9eyexQ4wUh75oQYndggKLr1PtZY4LCyx2OfkgBaq7PzOdCmi4iUUyDMKDax3VdAULq5y-c23rVJd_kiAkD8R1xBE6tbm3C6c/s1600/190622_Jupiter_5X1m_200mmF32_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC8pWuycOWYVN4rjKoX6jCXlSdxYgSdfTWRWzv23nj7C9eyexQ4wUh75oQYndggKLr1PtZY4LCyx2OfkgBaq7PzOdCmi4iUUyDMKDax3VdAULq5y-c23rVJd_kiAkD8R1xBE6tbm3C6c/s320/190622_Jupiter_5X1m_200mmF32_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yx_XNxF0jelPQsjFQGpD0n4cmUfES6Br_I2hyphenhyphenJSCcSkYEqBOA_QrRkAqh65STn-uSesH2g8Q3SIEmnVGuUyE4K6ApaAMG7mWTM1dzcIE8Wu0UNUyqHwoT3F_ub3wCe2EmyyjGwqlxKM/s1600/190622_Jupiter_and_Dark_Clouds_3_Frame_Mosaic_200mmF32_5min_each_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yx_XNxF0jelPQsjFQGpD0n4cmUfES6Br_I2hyphenhyphenJSCcSkYEqBOA_QrRkAqh65STn-uSesH2g8Q3SIEmnVGuUyE4K6ApaAMG7mWTM1dzcIE8Wu0UNUyqHwoT3F_ub3wCe2EmyyjGwqlxKM/s320/190622_Jupiter_and_Dark_Clouds_3_Frame_Mosaic_200mmF32_5min_each_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>I did take a few celestial sorts of photographs. The photo of me by the scope shows the 500mm telephoto mounted up, and I did take a few shots with it. Unfortunately, about the time the crowds thinned and allowed taking photos, the astronomers also started driving up to load up their scopes for the night! So many were affected even by the parking lights as they approached. Shown here is a frame with the 200mm lens showing Jupiter among the dark nebulae of the Summer Milky Way. For those familiar with the dark clouds of the Milky Way, just to the left of Jupiter is the crooked knee of the "Prancing Horse" nebula. Also, the dark Snake Nebula (B72) can be seen at lower left. Once this photo was taken, I took a pair of others to bridge the distance to nearby Antares with the 200. Shown at right is the assemblage of frames. There are likely some gradients in the photo from both parking lights and improper vignetting correction. Each frame is only a stack of about 5 frames of a minute exposure each, so great things should not be expected, only something to return to and do better next time!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_8u3oyqjQPz0brOK_3Ays7eGN9N_cKq9SmKhKC2nDA70znvjXobnUYdefyRRZ_IWqL1iiEUJmyTGOOVY45OJkbe0a28izP5h9-Xpnydm1sRjfpM2taJ9H24X-lK7Jwkymiva1df50bY/s1600/190621_Sunset_5_Frame_HDR_1425_1429_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_8u3oyqjQPz0brOK_3Ays7eGN9N_cKq9SmKhKC2nDA70znvjXobnUYdefyRRZ_IWqL1iiEUJmyTGOOVY45OJkbe0a28izP5h9-Xpnydm1sRjfpM2taJ9H24X-lK7Jwkymiva1df50bY/s320/190621_Sunset_5_Frame_HDR_1425_1429_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Our observing spot is about a quarter mile from the rim of the Canyon, and rimside is a popular place come sunset time... But the period around sunset is pretty busy for the astronomers setting up their gear and arranging last-minute details. I only witnessed one sunset, and that was the night before the star party (went up a day early). We thought we were going to miss it as the sun disappeared behind a cloud bank, but at the last minute it popped out just before setting behind a distant canyon wall. This is an "HDR" shot, combining 5 exposures of different lengths to try to capture all details that can be seen...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-FkKpSUSuJ0RchFaEQvWdHq8mBFK2uVaFfpAFXdXkTH3eew1iHpToFKta05Rp3vuTScdrOpGLo2hk2tBGAcnTuENC08G5WRN4b7wOT72Vmpfv_QKNMYDLJ8ks0Gh6B_4TygZ8Ksq8rE/s1600/190625_Canyon_2226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-FkKpSUSuJ0RchFaEQvWdHq8mBFK2uVaFfpAFXdXkTH3eew1iHpToFKta05Rp3vuTScdrOpGLo2hk2tBGAcnTuENC08G5WRN4b7wOT72Vmpfv_QKNMYDLJ8ks0Gh6B_4TygZ8Ksq8rE/s320/190625_Canyon_2226.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDT4ra649rgylG0CI5BNTvbkhyphenhyphenw7TrBaPJoBbTnMw5qpQ082le0LCGhqFPdraWUxRx4_koJxw0lINvTSdYbPHWb9Xz2zDs-1VzoKxw2_oxFWqpLdHMaPi3Crq4vGhWEGBJuIuQAPBvMA/s1600/190625_Canyon_2105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDT4ra649rgylG0CI5BNTvbkhyphenhyphenw7TrBaPJoBbTnMw5qpQ082le0LCGhqFPdraWUxRx4_koJxw0lINvTSdYbPHWb9Xz2zDs-1VzoKxw2_oxFWqpLdHMaPi3Crq4vGhWEGBJuIuQAPBvMA/s320/190625_Canyon_2105.jpg" width="320" /></a>On a couple afternoons I set up my camera to take some time-lapse sequences that may or may not ever make it to these pages. One of them was at a popular overlook - Mather Point, where there is a rock that people from around the world stand in line to get photographed atop with Canyon in background. These two are my favorites - one looking like a pair from a cheer squad, and another striking a yoga pose. Fun stuff!<br />
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Well, that is it for another year. Always fun to get people excited about what they can see through a telescope. Next year's evens will be held 13-20 June, so mark your calendars now and I'll see you there! You can't say I didn't give you enough warning to make plans!<br />
<br />Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-47183656666583175172019-06-13T21:56:00.000-07:002019-06-13T21:56:13.716-07:00Jury Duty!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1mfqyQm8f857BXVLGUD0nA2FOV3sLGODKcZm1CQYQe-2Fx_avTGa9263Cq_AgIrczOsULlC7O1TL_j7dZPJDBtnA952p6nW5xxSln8c0WgER7E1thyphenhyphenhxtrdFYVZaDvCwPJAO4U1ZFZU/s1600/190611_Jury_Duty_3846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1243" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1mfqyQm8f857BXVLGUD0nA2FOV3sLGODKcZm1CQYQe-2Fx_avTGa9263Cq_AgIrczOsULlC7O1TL_j7dZPJDBtnA952p6nW5xxSln8c0WgER7E1thyphenhyphenhxtrdFYVZaDvCwPJAO4U1ZFZU/s320/190611_Jury_Duty_3846.jpg" width="265" /></a>
I got called for jury duty way back in March or so, but with a deferment or two and travel plans, I finally got the assignment to go in on Tuesday. It has been well over a decade since I've been called, let alone served, so was looking forward to it.<br />
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I rarely get downtown much where the courts are, and now we have a new way to get downtown - the "modern" streetcar! I can park for free on campus, then take the streetcar downtown and ultimately save on parking downtown. So for the second streetcar ride of my life, I paid $4.50 for a round ticket and headed out early Tuesday (assigned a 7:30am start)! The streetcar is shown at left...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E4mYjSxcy19yMgOQ8L3_gt5mQ8dAh09Tq64f6ZzolaEgbl21rH_8-0pAItmIrWSNgJ4ibfPzzWFZPPPW91lCjud_oEJwAo83MITmH22nk8-nldyGmjOb82YWwRyKfwCTOHfknVjUNS8/s1600/190611_Jury_Duty_3847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E4mYjSxcy19yMgOQ8L3_gt5mQ8dAh09Tq64f6ZzolaEgbl21rH_8-0pAItmIrWSNgJ4ibfPzzWFZPPPW91lCjud_oEJwAo83MITmH22nk8-nldyGmjOb82YWwRyKfwCTOHfknVjUNS8/s320/190611_Jury_Duty_3847.jpg" width="320" /></a>After an uneventful ride in, I had plenty of time to spare to check-in at the jury assembly room. Shown at right, turns out I was not supposed to take photos, but no one can likely be recognized, so don't tell anyone! After watching the orientation video, I immediately got called to go to "city court" a few blocks away, escorted by court officials...<br />
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Of course, I got called into the dozen members of the pool who got to be interviewed about employment, jury experience (I had by far the most experience at 4 juries!), bumper stickers. magazine and favorite TV shows... We were told it was a DUI case, and several were excused because of law-enforcement connections, having taken law classes, schedule conflicts, and a few other excuses. After a brief break where the attorneys chose the jurors they wanted, Me and 6 women got picked for the trial! After a 90 minute lunch break, we were to reconvene and the trial would start.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2rgQj3gO-M8anD9o3-sEoufcFF6RIun7ZoADEjA2zRCkgXGYCBDJUliFHkN6Ux0YfM8h6GsjhpOjtFThyphenhyphenE5WiybRCIyK_VchffzciGYpa6iwS7fPncnfsu-Zs4JUV0Epzc0otJ2q3K0/s1600/190611_Jury_Duty_3851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1182" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2rgQj3gO-M8anD9o3-sEoufcFF6RIun7ZoADEjA2zRCkgXGYCBDJUliFHkN6Ux0YfM8h6GsjhpOjtFThyphenhyphenE5WiybRCIyK_VchffzciGYpa6iwS7fPncnfsu-Zs4JUV0Epzc0otJ2q3K0/s320/190611_Jury_Duty_3851.jpg" width="270" /></a>
With my successful maneuvering of the streetcar system, I had heard seniors (that's me!) could get an ID card that allows them to ride for $0.75 per ride. The office was only 2 blocks away, so dropped in at my lunch break. There was a huge crowd - over 20 ahead of me, so with number in hand went to a Mexican place around the corner for a snack. By the time I got back there were still 10 ahead of me, but most had given up, so my number was soon called. I'm now official with a real card, refillable from logging in online!<br />
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So the trial got under way. It was only supposed to last 2 days, so would make my dentist appointment on Thursday... The jist of the case was that the defendant had been caught speeding by a motorcycle policeman at 12:30am way back in August of '17, over 18 months ago. He had been caught going 46 mph in a 25 zone, and once stopped, showed symptoms of consuming alcohol. Once out of the car, the officer applied the "Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus" (HGN) test, where involuntary eye twitching while following a moving target MAY indicate impairment. The defendant failed the HGN test. In the process of administering the walk/turn test, the defendant could not stand without moving his feet during the instruction phase of that test. After refusing to continue the walk/turn test, and also to blow into the meter, he was placed under arrest, where he eventually agreed to a blood test. A police phlebotomist was called and a blood sample taken within 45 minutes. 4 days later the samples were run in the lab and returned a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.093, well over the .08 limit. Besides testimony from the arresting officer, we also heard from the Phlebotomist as well as the fellow who ran the test on the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_chromatography">Headspace Gas Chromatography</a>" device. We heard all about the details of its operation, as well as its statistical accuracy. HGC is the universally accepted state-of-the-art, being only superseded by the much-more-expensive mass spectrometer analysis. So by the end of Day1, we had heard from all three of the prosecution's witnesses, and were sent home with the defense starting on Day2.<br />
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I again, used the streetcar on Day2, this time with my brand-new card! After waiting for the defense witness, we didn't get started till nearly 11. The defense emphasized the HGN test can occur with BAC as low as .05, still legally able to operate a motor vehicle. They also pointed out some miniscule wiggles in the HGC readout that MIGHT have been due to methanol, which should NOT have been seen in the blood samples as it is poisonous. The prosecution pointed out a number of alcohols, foods, drugs and smoking that can leave slight levels of methanol in the blood.<br />
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In the end, the jurors all decided the accuracy of the HGC device was undiminished and the .093 BAC had an accepted confidence level of 99.7%. We had little choice but to find him guilty after about 30 minutes of deliberation. The judge thanked us, handed out some very nice thank you notes, and we were dismissed by about 4:30.<br />
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After posting on FB, I was amazed that people really HATED jury duty. I think it is pretty cool and very instructive to see our system of courts at work. How can your favorite shows be lawyer shows (at least, from what I heard in the juror interviews) and then avoid jury duty like the plague? I had a nice time, had some nice conversations with my fellow jurors, and learned all about Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, and Headspace Gas Chromatography! Plus supposedly I made $12/day!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382653067342630034.post-18278642585617081452019-06-09T14:54:00.000-07:002019-06-09T14:54:38.975-07:00Kitt Peak Kraziness!Late May and early June in the Southwestern Desert... Hot and clear! Again, I apologize in not posting for nearly 2 months! I continue to lack inspiration! But the clear dark skies here in AZ truly inspire! I had a couple friends visit that had never been under a dark sky - so the need for outings descended!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aJaVsBKIExYNFFPtNRgxflMzmGHacyV2U9lSqFl_jvXvoFTS7RblsPgfRNctBu_NRECP41ImEl1ceZUp7TMXyzVq5D945oI7VansYid1EnUcrIdzOXLur_TkC6-IGKo3fuH6oftJkFM/s1600/190531_NOP_0962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aJaVsBKIExYNFFPtNRgxflMzmGHacyV2U9lSqFl_jvXvoFTS7RblsPgfRNctBu_NRECP41ImEl1ceZUp7TMXyzVq5D945oI7VansYid1EnUcrIdzOXLur_TkC6-IGKo3fuH6oftJkFM/s320/190531_NOP_0962.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdUsAGxFV5UBADmA0Oy9UJZDovxhAE6MwecnFk9gL8m2Bszp2uswUNOqX_XUugVAmoGw95Ltzy3BxWGSV2-38NmQeRoMjEHo83_Wtbbb0bKS7kdjDtLSVoif_RNkBOoS56zXRhkFaBI0/s1600/190531_NOP_0969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1500" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdUsAGxFV5UBADmA0Oy9UJZDovxhAE6MwecnFk9gL8m2Bszp2uswUNOqX_XUugVAmoGw95Ltzy3BxWGSV2-38NmQeRoMjEHo83_Wtbbb0bKS7kdjDtLSVoif_RNkBOoS56zXRhkFaBI0/s320/190531_NOP_0969.jpg" width="320" /></a>My friend Karen from Chicago was down and didn't know what all the astronomy fuss was about, so I scheduled a trip to <a href="https://www.noao.edu/kpno/">Kitt Peak National Observatory </a>for one of their <a href="https://www.noao.edu/kpvc/Prog/nighttime.php">"Nightly Observing Programs" (NOPs)</a>. It is a pretty cool program (literally, a temperature relief with nearly 20 degree cooler temperatures than Tucson), that allows you to be among the research telescopes at the National Observatory 40 miles SW of Tucson. One drives their own car to the site after it normally closes to the public. After checking in the program, it starts about 90 minutes before sunset with an orientation and a box dinner. Then we head out to watch the always-enjoyable sunset. We had Charles leading the group, who gave a fantastic tour of all we could see, both locally on the mountain, and phenomena in the sky to watch for. That is him at the left with the setting sun in the background. A few moments later, we all watched spellbound for an appearance of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash">"Green Flash"</a> as the last rays of the sun set below distant mountains. I'm pretty sure I saw it, but was a second or two early with the photo at right for a pure green!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgru3MzxfEeOxrAEO3ttHCs9obm9pBYpsP7lk9OcD_L5szu0xD8ifWWu9xcWut9a1BZxKPoSt2CjsxXPRFtM0p4qtqn2Yb0wnYbB4TrA59pUcZWeipWVSj1uYpUw12lhpi8_PR1pMWT2Bo/s1600/190531_NOP_0975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgru3MzxfEeOxrAEO3ttHCs9obm9pBYpsP7lk9OcD_L5szu0xD8ifWWu9xcWut9a1BZxKPoSt2CjsxXPRFtM0p4qtqn2Yb0wnYbB4TrA59pUcZWeipWVSj1uYpUw12lhpi8_PR1pMWT2Bo/s320/190531_NOP_0975.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuP0Db_vCOia2tZgI7DNN6D9RA-YoPCkW7rv0DYRIusjU7PMEgLaXW4rvzQwPgkThAscixHZVAgPTDbBixAk6qOvbWQWDXvwoMq9uy7I4BCWbF_xUcfM8xGCuGYQDqrhorUkc1Rsj2Mk/s1600/190531_NOP_0996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1344" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuP0Db_vCOia2tZgI7DNN6D9RA-YoPCkW7rv0DYRIusjU7PMEgLaXW4rvzQwPgkThAscixHZVAgPTDbBixAk6qOvbWQWDXvwoMq9uy7I4BCWbF_xUcfM8xGCuGYQDqrhorUkc1Rsj2Mk/s320/190531_NOP_0996.jpg" width="320" /></a>Shortly after sunset, a glance to the east reveals one of the "often seen, but rarely noted" phenomena - the shadow of the earth rising into the sky! In the image at left with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMath%E2%80%93Pierce_solar_telescope">McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope (now closed due to defunding)</a>, the dark line above it is the rising shadow of the earth, topped by the pink sunset line of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_of_Venus">"Belt of Venus"</a>, where the still-shining sunset is tinted pink by sunlight going through massive amounts of atmosphere - just like how our viewed sunset colors are seen. Charles continued his monolog of post-sunset items of interest, then descended back to the Visitor Center. There our group was split into 3 groups - the "Dark Sky Discovery Program" went off to their own 16" telescope for the evening. The remaining 45 folks in the NOP was divided in half, one group to the 20" scope, the other for their orientation to observing with planispheres and binoculars. That is our leader Robert at right, the lights in the VC now using red lights to preserve dark adaptation...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7CHtw42BKPkxj94WjNnLWkixOGu02YvLl8r6OfV6eYlEHsXoSUs4n_-t0poO5uSOjPUW66O7q-hKQsVpSycMOM4WPO9MGsRLlgfLgI0KbGNLFAZCDo73XG-yYgUoWyZ47Hxz2n8_gCM/s1600/190531_NOP_1133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7CHtw42BKPkxj94WjNnLWkixOGu02YvLl8r6OfV6eYlEHsXoSUs4n_-t0poO5uSOjPUW66O7q-hKQsVpSycMOM4WPO9MGsRLlgfLgI0KbGNLFAZCDo73XG-yYgUoWyZ47Hxz2n8_gCM/s320/190531_NOP_1133.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pUYT3f7o6j7s5vXHLBltaxLWM2gK_I3x8wu36_YAZSEV8hRCvTnD2YqsZ5MXXMEwFE5Pfn_ocW5HaGeXEqWXxznBH2nhSr2z6IHUX6qaR36FBzPQe05pRUPNefxsrLOaWqxc9U6LVx4/s1600/190531_NOP_1133_labels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pUYT3f7o6j7s5vXHLBltaxLWM2gK_I3x8wu36_YAZSEV8hRCvTnD2YqsZ5MXXMEwFE5Pfn_ocW5HaGeXEqWXxznBH2nhSr2z6IHUX6qaR36FBzPQe05pRUPNefxsrLOaWqxc9U6LVx4/s320/190531_NOP_1133_labels.jpg" width="320" /></a>Even though taking night-time photos was discouraged, I did not get permission, but rather, turned down the screen brightness, and the Canon 6D does NOT have a built-in flash, so the effect on nearby large telescopes was nil... I set up on the Visitor Center patio with an old Nikon 16mm fisheye taking in a large swath of the VC and sky, as well as the people out using their planispheres. At left is a single exposure, 15 seconds long at ISO 3200 with the fisheye at F/2.8. I took these a good portion of the evening, perhaps to someday make a time-lapse, but not today! At the left of the VC is the dome of the fine 20" telescope that we used for our observing a little later. Be sure to click the image and see if you can make out the major constellations in the northern sky in June. For your convenience, I've done the work and labeled the same photo at left...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikU3Ztuisvcc4cvlbxHbQ4sIpeXnndAi-WXXkledkRi-MPeBcg2C4Eq-iuBM4f4dKzj4FLcGolyCk_OjFTuydS6U1wbpKeoKqyV1LbDjGOFrPO19EBJBKIElnkVmoaV2KhH5_pWDkjiZE/s1600/190531_NOP_1215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikU3Ztuisvcc4cvlbxHbQ4sIpeXnndAi-WXXkledkRi-MPeBcg2C4Eq-iuBM4f4dKzj4FLcGolyCk_OjFTuydS6U1wbpKeoKqyV1LbDjGOFrPO19EBJBKIElnkVmoaV2KhH5_pWDkjiZE/s320/190531_NOP_1215.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I let the camera run unattended while we went to the telescope to observe. With the large group of people (23) and only an hour to observe, we only had time for 4 objects. It's always an issue in a dark dome with big crowd as queuing up is always an issue without clearly defined pathways... And with a big telescope and fully-dark skies, I had issues with some of those 4 objects - a double star? Really? And the Beehive open star cluster? With a 20"? Both Karen and I LOVED the view of the M13 Globular Cluster and rising Jupiter (disks of moons could be resolved, even at its low altitude!), but the decision not to show ANY of the spectacular galaxies in the springtime sky is unconscionable! Oh well... Some may remember I used to help run this program a few years back, so I've got stronger opinions than most... <br />
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With the large amount of time we had sitting in the dark dome, I got permission to step downstairs to relocate my camera to the elevated catwalk of the dome and took few shots showing the rising Milky way over the mountaintop - shown at left. Still with the Fisheye, this is a 25 second exposure, still at ISO 3200. A piece of the 20" dome at upper left, and along the mountain profile is the 2.1 meter, the 50", the WIYN 36" and the WIYN 3.5 meter. The red streaks are from folks walking back to the VC from the rest rooms... Jupiter is the bright object leading the Milky Way across the sky.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEX5c600ByvAJOvKVkMPYf8awbL56D-jjeF12-pney6bVglRTwVEwf5QdWV2vLD7Elbbw2Oh-NaKvatbpvAtAaq1-4YyXmzVxWYlEW3XABhESaIhBnP5F6Hzx54h0HFm3g0uoTpYD-A0/s1600/190531_NOP_0929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEX5c600ByvAJOvKVkMPYf8awbL56D-jjeF12-pney6bVglRTwVEwf5QdWV2vLD7Elbbw2Oh-NaKvatbpvAtAaq1-4YyXmzVxWYlEW3XABhESaIhBnP5F6Hzx54h0HFm3g0uoTpYD-A0/s320/190531_NOP_0929.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmzpRM4_EhzgY7AdI9iI9AWX5vggh4TNlaZCDX_Y4HE92qGv6U3xKfxlCzF-QGZw5-DuszJtdUtNDXOqfhF-aukYJU90Yv81TLT7RYOtJ0BRqRglbflTNuGSpBzBYOvddxs0kyTmYnus/s1600/190531_NOP_1227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmzpRM4_EhzgY7AdI9iI9AWX5vggh4TNlaZCDX_Y4HE92qGv6U3xKfxlCzF-QGZw5-DuszJtdUtNDXOqfhF-aukYJU90Yv81TLT7RYOtJ0BRqRglbflTNuGSpBzBYOvddxs0kyTmYnus/s320/190531_NOP_1227.jpg" width="320" /></a>With the end of observing, we moved back downstairs. I sent Karen in for final instructions from the NOP crew. I knew there were shopping opportunities, so I had a few minutes to continue some projects on the patio. One of my thoughts was to try to shoot the rising Milky Way in the "new" sundial (likely now 20 years old!). Shown at left in daytime, the "crystal ball" effect provides a wide field visible in the polished sphere. Unfortunately, it isn't optimum for my application as the projection screen normally receiving a spot of the sun for telling the time, blocks a good chunk of the sphere and the image it transfers. My best effort is shown at right... Still, I liked the sharp little image contained therein, and also loved the out-of-focus stars that reveals their colors more intensely than when in focus! I might have to make my own ball for a repeat!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJ0aLu05xIjQLJ2HYICB7gXuUVmWGsxwoJK8MB4VzwmpOZfuyMmUv5NY1TZDUk-vU8ZFKiuZ6eANAutej9ohtPOGWFiVF-jxQJnPqsceulz-6gSgMXcSQ_oMDcwhvHq3dAL0cX4D1yRU/s1600/190531_NOP_2Frame_Mosaic_50mmF2_ISO4000_5X15s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJ0aLu05xIjQLJ2HYICB7gXuUVmWGsxwoJK8MB4VzwmpOZfuyMmUv5NY1TZDUk-vU8ZFKiuZ6eANAutej9ohtPOGWFiVF-jxQJnPqsceulz-6gSgMXcSQ_oMDcwhvHq3dAL0cX4D1yRU/s320/190531_NOP_2Frame_Mosaic_50mmF2_ISO4000_5X15s.jpg" width="289" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgoZZpJ1zHPGIRMoiBZOCP9aMdDbJJETxucplCP77Uy7u8XWajoN-f8Sfy4OamcvD8-QH-6GC2RBoHJMzYfEMgy7i4CkxDOg_SEJqNcbs3Czy071jY9VfvR2pWTBDFUmLaa4iRdNgRD0/s1600/190531_Defocussed_SMW_2_Frame_Mosaic_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1418" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgoZZpJ1zHPGIRMoiBZOCP9aMdDbJJETxucplCP77Uy7u8XWajoN-f8Sfy4OamcvD8-QH-6GC2RBoHJMzYfEMgy7i4CkxDOg_SEJqNcbs3Czy071jY9VfvR2pWTBDFUmLaa4iRdNgRD0/s320/190531_Defocussed_SMW_2_Frame_Mosaic_sm.jpg" width="283" /></a>Thusly inspired by the colors of out-of-focus stars, I purposely took a set of exposures both in-focus, then intentionally out. The rising constellation Scorpius seemed a suitable target, and these are both 2-frame vertical mosaics with a 50mm lens, each frame a combination of several exposures (stacked), 15 seconds each at F/2 to minimize trailing (no tracking device this night!). I love the details seen in such short exposures - the dark nebulae against clouds of Milky Way stars especially!<br />
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And while I love the exposure at left of sharp stars, I also love the defocused star images at right that more intently shows the star colors! When in focus, the star colors turn to white as they are mostly saturated in brightness. Defocused, they retain the true star colors. And of course, you know what you can derive from their colors - anyone??? Yes, you in the back - YES, you can tell their temperatures! Well, at least the blue ones are hotter than the yellow or white ones!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbBalQLDEnIuE4KOiiZHvP8UyGdU1fj46_U_Yk1JsCRvI0q5HzwU3T3poAQl3xNN2skkXlIFE41ZKu4rQ1bENhMyoDuG_mmbK30S0ak0CIMg1vu0GY3VEWk8-NdVaBJ-Vj2tON1mBFCE/s1600/190531_McMath_SMW_50mmF2_15s_ISO4000_sm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbBalQLDEnIuE4KOiiZHvP8UyGdU1fj46_U_Yk1JsCRvI0q5HzwU3T3poAQl3xNN2skkXlIFE41ZKu4rQ1bENhMyoDuG_mmbK30S0ak0CIMg1vu0GY3VEWk8-NdVaBJ-Vj2tON1mBFCE/s320/190531_McMath_SMW_50mmF2_15s_ISO4000_sm2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The last image taken was just barely seen, but looks much more impressive in the photo as levels adjustments can be made! The Milky Way was rising behind the solar telescope, partially diminished by the lights of Green Valley and Nogales. Pretty amazing what the 6D and 50mm lens can do in 15 seconds!<br />
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With that, the crowd was leaving, so packed up the tripod and camera and headed down the mountain, the first mile with headlights covered. Were back home by 12:30 with what I can now confirm were pretty nice images!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8fxwIz9HQdgx9JLHttfDLAUGsJxxYILCm5uIqTnid98mPb57MNxoip6-rJhcfeIb7bekBi1Ib23U-YX5Vr08ptiefh-W2aT6gv3pASllVzHFg8jCFHnL5MyYfnh5R3PKzBte0V_9Uok/s1600/190604_Pipe_Neb_3_Frame_Mosaic_500F5_crop_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8fxwIz9HQdgx9JLHttfDLAUGsJxxYILCm5uIqTnid98mPb57MNxoip6-rJhcfeIb7bekBi1Ib23U-YX5Vr08ptiefh-W2aT6gv3pASllVzHFg8jCFHnL5MyYfnh5R3PKzBte0V_9Uok/s320/190604_Pipe_Neb_3_Frame_Mosaic_500F5_crop_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a>
BUT! While tripod shots can be fun, Tracked shots are even more fun with the depth, details and colors they can record. I was looking for another opportunity to go photograph with a tracking mount. I've had an <a href="https://optcorp.com/products/astrotrac-tt320x-tracking-mount-autoguiding">AstroTrac for a few years now (may no longer be available)</a>. While it seems fine with a 200mm and 300mm lenses, I've not really found the upper limit, so wanted to try the 500mm F/4 camera and lens on it. So 4 days after the above Kitt Peak trip, I returned to the Mountain, this time to a pullout to set up my own gear with friend Susan who claims to have never been under a dark sky. Well she got an eyeful as the Milky Way made an appearance. The 500mm seems to work well with the mount, though I think polar alignment is a bit dodgy! There was slight trailing, but acceptable if the sub-exposures were kept to 90 seconds or so. This required an ISO of 4,000 and shooting at F/5. My target with the 500 was a 3-frame mosaic of the dark cloud commonly called the Pipe Nebula. From a wide-field image, it looks like a smoking pipe with curling smoke rising to form the <a href="https://theketelsens.blogspot.com/2013/08/pipe-or-horsie.html">"Prancing Horse"</a>. Shown at left is the mosaic with about 2 hours of exposures with the 3 frames, flat fields and darks subtracted with Sequator and mosaic assembled in Photoshop.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMRLtAJmzbz4XODl10FL8-UQ4eNul5tztiwVXeBY-zB7SlvTgF6AaJy8QakbKIgoKDA94LcdXvEP1dwlaJLHalUZQGLBV_qSRB11Wi1zIdajdjPl6B_0qiLEEjKQhSyyorGY7yUSsZXc/s1600/190604Lagoon_Triffid_500F5_5X90s_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMRLtAJmzbz4XODl10FL8-UQ4eNul5tztiwVXeBY-zB7SlvTgF6AaJy8QakbKIgoKDA94LcdXvEP1dwlaJLHalUZQGLBV_qSRB11Wi1zIdajdjPl6B_0qiLEEjKQhSyyorGY7yUSsZXc/s320/190604Lagoon_Triffid_500F5_5X90s_sm.jpg" width="270" /></a>
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Similarly, with the night winding down on a "school night", I pointed it to a popular field of Messier 8 and 20, the Lagoon and Triffid Nebula (bottom to top). Only 7 minutes of exposure, it is a nice field to shoot quickly before closing down for the night. Susan was impressed with the sky, and I found a new tracking mount easier to set up than the AP1200 that can handle the 500mm lens! So a useful night. Well, any night under clear, dark skies is worthwhile unless <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy%27s_law">Mr. Murphy</a> makes an appearance!Deanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15919196990921140049noreply@blogger.com1