Interesting Photography Results

The first snow of 2021! What it means for astronomy.

I just started doing some research on astronomy and snow. The First article I found was Winter Stargazing Tips from NASA.

If you are new to astronomy you may not know what the term seeing means. Take a look at this article A guide to seeing and Atmospheric transparency.

20210119 Learning Astrophotography

2021Astrophotography

Learning astrophotography

I suppose it is true practice makes perfect. This is the 6 day old moon. Waxing Crescent meaning it is approaching first quarter.

Moon 6d Waxing Crescent ISO 800 Celestron 8 HD Prime Focus F2000 mm 1/100s

Afocal image. Using an eyepiece thru a telescope.

This was taken using an eyepiece and a camera to get up close images.

Sunrise Sunset why is that important in astronomy or amateur radio

Amateur Radio, Astronomy, Time

Sunset, Rockingham, NC 20150905 4:33 PM

Why is sunrise or sunset times important in amateur radio or astronomy? I hope to develop this concept.

Sunrise and sunset is an important topic. Even in the Bible. According to the Blue Letter Bible sunrise is mentioned 13 times. Sunset is mentioned 11 times.

A friend gave me a weather station for Christmas. and we were discussing some of the features and he mentioned that he had 17 minutes more observing time then I do. He is a professional astronomer. I got to thinking how could that be? He lives in Arlington, VA and I live in Wendell, NC. Arlington is about 250 miles north of me. So checking my internet go to source Time and Date They bill themselves as the worlds top ranking website for time and time zones. I use to use a taxpayer funded service the Naval Oceanography Portal to get all my almanac data but according to their website they started a modernization in October 2019 and they have not completed this service.

September 22, 2019 ISO 320 4.15mm, f/2.2 1/15s

In astronomy some objects we wish to see are not visible at certain times during the time period of sunrise or sunset. That leads me to another aspect of the solar system activity. Civil Twilight, Nautical Twilight, Astronomical Twilight.

As you develop your astronomical skills certain things are visible at a certain number before sunrise or are visible after sunset. This is why you should always be mindful of the time of sunrise or sunset if you are looking to see a star or a planet.

In amateur radio sunrise or sunset is also important to note. The term Gray Line comes to importance. The best explanation I found is this article Working the Gray Line.

When you are up early in the evening or early in the morning (or middle of the night) beware of your safety. My friend that I mentioned earlier slipped on his dock before sunrise when he was going to take a sunrise picture and fell on his back. He was sore but no broken bones. While I was working for the Census Bureau last year one of their safety tips was to have three contact points as you are walking where possible. My friend did not get the picture.

20210117 The 5 Day old moon Waxing Crescent

2021Astrophotography, Moon

If you ever wonder how to learn the difference between waxing and wanning I think of it as Waxing the moon is getting bigger, wanning the moon is getting smaller. This morning I was out with the camera learning how to use the camera in the dark. I think I figured it out to turn off the auto stabilizer and the autofocus. Tonight I was able to use the camera right away more or less but I decided to use an older Cannon Zoom lens a friend sold me for a real good deal. The lens is a Cannon Zoom Lens FD 75-200mm. I purchased an adapter for my Cannon t5i camera. So in this case the automatic functions wouldn’t have worked anyway.

Moon 5 Day Old Waxing Crescent. ISO 200 1/30s

I am still struggling with my focusing but I did forget to wear my glasses tonight. I am working on it.
Moon 5 day old crescent almost gone

Moon 5 day old crescent gone

Later that night the waxing crescent moon as it is setting in the sky. If you can zoom in on it you can see earth shine. I thought it showed the earthshine very nicely. Earthshine is the Earth’s reflected glow on the moon. See this article as an explanation.

Waxing crescent moon showing Earthshine

20210117 Learning Astrophotography

2021Astrophotography

Vega 25 light years from earth. ISO 200 38 mm 0 ev f/5 30.8 s.

If I was to write a book maybe I would name it something like How to persevere thru your struggles.
This morning I wanted to take advantage of the clear sky and continue learning astrophotography. I can take pictures in the day time but when I am in the dark something makes the camera not want to shoot. I am also reading the book Astrophotography is Easy. This is the book that said to keep your glasses on while you take the picture. I hadn’t been doing that because I was afraid I would lose my glasses in the grass. I think I see the difference already in my images. I checked the controls inside the house and made sure the autofocus was on MF and the stabilizer was off. I have a Cannon t5i. I am also using a PRO TW-283 remote shutter control. During my struggles earlier this morning (and earlier times) I would hit the shutter button and nothing would happen. When I took it inside it worked fine. After I turned selected the manual focus and turned off the stabilizer the camera was behaving even in the dark.

ISO 6400 48mm 0 ev f/5.6 14.8s

Focus focus focus. A friend teased me for the longest time about the most important thing in photography was focus. How do you focus in the dark? In my driveway I found I had a street light and a neighbors house I could focus on.

ISO 1600 18mm 0 ev f/3.5 0.5s

ISO 200 55mm 0 ev f/5.6 15.6s Looking Southwest. Vega bright star.

Tonight I will attempt astrophotography of the wanning crescent moon.

You may see my earlier attempts on my astronomy page.

The Elusive Triple Conjuction

2021 Astronomy Events, Astronomy, Astrophotography

2021 Tripple Conjunction

Attempt to capture Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. ISO 400 18 mm 0 ev f 3.5 1/30s

This is my attempt on January 13, 2021 to capture the triple conjunction of Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. I was not successful but I think I did get the focusing better after I put my glasses on. I am reading the book Astrophotography is Easy. In this book the author points out how putting your glasses on when taking your pictures you get better results. I had been taking off my glasses so I wouldn’t loose them in the field. He address this issue too. Put a chain around your glasses so if they fall off you will not loose them in the ground.

N4MQU Experimenting different settings ISO 400 18 mm 0 ev f/22 1/4s on tripod

The great Jupiter Saturn Conjunction

Astronomy, Jupiter Saturn Conjunction, Outreach

December 2020

The first night I saw Saturn thru my eyepiece in my Celestron 8 Edge HD, It was great. But to see the glow of Jupiter made me realize what was coming soon. The next night I saw Jupiter and Saturn in the same eyepiece without using peripheral vision. The next time I saw Jupiter and Saturn I realized I was seeing 7 moons from three different planets. One thing I do enjoy is sharing my hobbies with others.

2020-12-18 I invited my friends from Wendell over and introduced them to Jupiter and Saturn.

2020-12-19 The next night I promised my wife I would set up in our driveway. It worked out real well with a clear view of the southwest horizon. It was partly cloud all day but seem to clear at first and we got a nice few of Jupiter and Saturn and she got to see it in the same field of view. I decided to invite my neighbors Martha and Dan over to see the spectacular event. They accepted my offer and got too see the event too. Unfortunately it clouded up shortly shortly after they witnessed the event but I think they enjoyed it. Astronomy is one hobby that takes perseverance and persistence. Thanks for reading.

Neighbors Martha and Dan

December 20, 2020 – Oops cloudy but that’s ok. Forecast is clear for tomorrow night. A professional astronomer currently out of the field friend called me for my input on where the planets were. He called me after 7 so I had to tell him they had already set.

December 21, 2020 – Great Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction. Cloudy during the morning but it finally cleared out for the event. I had invited a few friends and some new friends. Everything went very smoothly. We had 5 telescopes. We had three amateur radio operators at the event. I was super excited to show all the visitors the the great Jupiter and Saturn conjunction

The Great Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction

The Great Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction Hugh with his telescope and camera

Two of the three hams at the event. Here is Ted and Hugh.

Dobsonian 8 during twilight before the Jupiter Saturn Conjunction

Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction Dobsonian 8″

Witnesses to the Great Jupiter and Saturn Event

Witness waiting to look thru telescope at conjunction.

Witness after looking at Jupiter Saturn Conjunction

Witness of the Jupiter Saturn conjunction with moon over head.

December 22, 2020 We went out again to view the conjunction. I think it was just about the same view as the night of the closest approach.

December 23, 2020

December 24, 2020

December 25, 2020 – Christmas Day Another Clear night did enjoy viewing the conjunction again but it was bitterly cold. I was able to set up in my driveway.

December 26, 2020 – Another clear night. Looked at the Jupiter and Saturn with my eyes without optical aid and they are definitely separating.

I enjoy my astronomy hobby and hope to see you at an astronomy event soon.

Be sure to read my blog about why this conjunction is not the Christmas Star.

Why the Star in Mathew is not Jupiter and Saturn

My Testimony, Prayer

John 3:16

I am not a Bible scholar. I am a follower of Jesus and am an amateur astronomer.

Matthew 2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

This scripture plainly shows “his star”. This is clearly not a conjunction of two planets moving to the east. His star rose. Jupiter and Saturn are not rising they are already up. They are moving to the southwest. The press refers to the conjunction of the planets as the ‘Christmas Star’. They think they are cute by putting “ ‘ ‘ “ in it but they are just misleading the public.

Please follow the following websites for accurate reporting of this conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

Mark Gibson bio

I have been an amateur astronomer since I was 13 years old. My neighbor built homemade telescopes and invited the neighborhood kids over to look thru the telescope. I accepted Jesus as my savior in 1978.

My aunt Earline Waddell encouraged us kids to read the Christmas story every Christmas. I was bullied in my high school years and had a very low self image. In my adult years I learned Jesus loved me just the way I was and was put on this earth for a purpose. I invite you to John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

I just found out my younger cousin just passed away of a massive heart attack. I had lost another cousin many years ago due to breast cancer. We do not know when we are going to be called. If I can be of any help to you in following Jesus Please ask

Continue reading →

Scouting out new observing location

Astronomy

What do you do when you want to practice your astronomy hobby and your own yard is full of trees. You seek out another observing location. After finding a possible site and getting permission from the owner to use it I waited for the next clear night to try it out. I will be looking forward to trying this site out in the future. Being only 8 miles from the house this may be a very favorable location.

Equipment carried for typical astronomy observing

Cygnus, Lyra, and part of Vulpecula From the new observing site

Saturn is on the left and Jupiter is the brighter star on the right.