Astrophotograhpy – Page 7 – Circadianreflections Blog

Giving it the Ole College Try

Giving it the Ole College Try, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

I wrote the date down for June’s full moon and it’s position to set over the San Francisco skyline back in Feb. I had hoped I would be able to photograph it, but you know what they say about, “The best laid plans…”
I had work scheduled early this particular week on the days of the full moon setting, so couldn’t make it up to the city. The first free morning I had to try it was Friday. The moon was 98% full, and a lot higher than I had wanted it to be, but I wanted to try it anyway. Practice! Had I waited for the Moon to be lower where I really wanted it, it would have been daylight and too bright. By 5:30a.m. it was too light. So light that the lights on the bridge went off then!
The belt of Venus is lovely isn’t it. The skyline was diffused by a light fog hanging over the city.
I love it when even the failures are fun, and the view is pretty, and friend Downhill Dali who is so NOT a morning person got up, met me, and went up to the city with me to shoot. Thanks Dali!

Full Moon Over James Lick Observatory

August 26, 2010August 26, 2010Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, hikes, Landscapes, NikonTagged California, Diablo Range, Full Moon. James Lick Observatory, Mt Hamilton, Santa Clara County14 Comments

Full Moon Over James Lick Observatory, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

This shoot was fun. We hiked out through some thick brush, and not much of a trail to get to this location.
Using TPE we got the angle and with a bit more math and thought we got the time right too.
I need to remember to buy bug spray and wipes they were eating me alive! We’re having a hot spell so the evening was gorgeous and warm. I didn’t need my wool sweater or jacket until the sun dropped.
I didn’t realize the little dome was open last night at all. It wasn’t until I uploaded my photos that I saw it open. It was only open for two frames then closed again.

Walking out of the location and back to our cars we were stopped by a Ranger who had been looking for us. Evidently we were parked in area that was closed after sunset. He told us he’d been looking for us for 45 minutes and he given all 3 cars citations despite our day passes and camping permit. He didn’t see our camping permit. We didn’t put it in the right spot. We left it on the dash of one car and it should have been dropped in a box at the entrance. We had been told we needed to buy a campsite, and a day pass per car two days prior to our going to shoot this by a Ranger.
Once we explained what the Ranger told us to do to be legal he said he’d remove the citations. What a relief that was!
I’m glad the group leader for this event called ahead to speak to a Ranger and made sure we would be legally in the park after sunset.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 70-300mmVR

After Hours Photo-Walk

August 23, 2010August 23, 2010Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Flowers, hikes, Landscapes, NikonTagged Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont CA, Moon Rising, SunsetLeave a comment

A friend and I went to Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, CA for an after hours photo walk with a Ranger.

There were quite a few other photographers there. We were a 5 car caravan in all with Ranger Bev, Alex, and myself in the lead car.

We drove out to a creek to catch the last of the Golden Hour. Here we saw white pelicans sleeping on a pond, the moon rising, and the most beautiful golden amber color on the sun dried fennel, thistle, and grass.

For this shot I used my Singh Ray LB ColorCombo/Warming Polarizer which really helped to make those golds pop.

I also thought to take my telephoto on my D90 just to be ready for any wildlife or birds. It proved to be a wise choice.

While shooting the creek several White Pelicans flew by me. I managed to get this one as it passed me. It’s lost its whiteness in

this evenings amber glow.

and a couple more,

While regrouping and getting all 5 cars ready to roll to the next stop I caught this shot with the Fennel in silhouette through the window

of the van.

After this we drove around the mountain to the mud flats where we parked then some of us climbed up a trail on foot about 1000 ft with at least a 20% grade- NO KIDDING! I’m going to look up the name of this hill, er Mountain!

The view was stunning. Here I got a great view of the lights just coming on in Eastern Fremont including the Moon on the rise.

I turned around and got a nice view of the mud flats and sunset. As the evening wore on the colors in the sky got deeper and deeper.

I used my Graduated Neutral Density filters and polarizer, to cut the heat of the sky, and then found bracketing with 2 stops down really brought out those reds, and oranges.

Here is my last shot of the night. Bands of blue, red, orange, and yellow, and a bit of reflection in the damp mud flats. I used the middle bracketed shot EV 00. I ran it through ACR’s basic sliders, added a bit of sharpening, and resized it.

It was a lovely Sunday evening spent with good people, a good friend, and beautiful views.

Nikon D300s

Nikon D90

Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8AF-D

Nikkor 17-35mm 2.8AF-S

4,840 seconds

August 17, 2010August 17, 2010Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Landscapes, NikonLeave a comment

Star trails from Aug. 14/15, 2010 at Henry Coe State Park, California.

121 Frames @ 17mm, f/5.6, 40 seconds, ISO 400

Nikon D300s and Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S

Stacked in CS5 and ran it through my standard ACR sliders, then tweaked then foreground a bit to bring it out more. Polaris the North Star is dead center.

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