Category: Moon

Gung hay fat choy!

Posted in Astro Imaging, Astrophotograhpy, Chinese New Year, Conjunctions, Mars, Moon, New Moon, VenusTagged , , , , , , , , , 10 Comments

Copyright © 2015 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

It’s Chinese New Year today and a new Conjunction! The New Moon, Mars, and Venus shine in the Western Sky tonight.  If not for my friend Andy I probably wouldn’t have remembered this! Check him out here.  Thank you Andy!!!

I wasn’t able to venture further than my front yard to photograph it so, here you have it.  Mars is the teenie tiny red dot between the Moon and Venus.

Gung hay fat choy!
For those interested… The Year of the Sheep:
Chinese: 羊 yáng
Sheep (goat, or ram) is among the animals that people like most. It is gentle and calm. Since ancient times, people have learned to use its fleece to make writing brushes and skin to keep warm. The white cute creature often reminds people of beautiful things.

Earthly Branch of Birth Year: wei
Wu Xing (The Five Elements): tu (earth)
Yin Yang: yin

Lucky Signs for Sheep:
Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 9
Lucky Colors: green, red, purple
Lucky Flowers: carnation, primrose, Alice flower
Lucky Directions: east, southeast, south
~http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/sheep.htm

Years of the Sheep
  • 02/01/1919-02/19/1920
  • 02/17/1931-02/05/1932
  • 02/05/1943-01/24/1944
  • 01/24/1955-02/11/1956
  • 02/09/1967-01/29/1968
  • 01/28/1979-02/15/1980
  • 02/15/1991-02/03/1992
  • 02/01/2003-01/21/2004
  • 02/19/2015-02/07/2016
  • 02/06/2027-01/25/2028

Nikon Df| AF-D Nikkor 80-200mm| Tripod| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| Northern Hemisphere, USA

More to come…

Waning Crescent Moon and Saturn over Vasona Lake

Posted in Astro Conjunctions, Astro Imaging, Astrophotograhpy, Los Gatos CA, Moon, Northern California, Planets, Reflections, Vasona LakeTagged , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Copyright © 2015 Deborah M. Zajac ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I usually check out the sky first thing when I wake up so, this morning when I raised my blinds and saw the Moon with Saturn shining in the cloudy sky I realized they would be lining up high over the lake, and footbridge.
So, I got dressed, grabbed a quick cup of tea, and slice of toast and headed to the lake.

It was still dark when I arrived. The Geese weren’t even up yet! I kept my eye on the sky and clouds. It didn’t look too good when I got down to the lake. The Moon was completely blocked by the clouds, but I hoped for pockets, and breaks and just after dawn the clouds cleared enough.

Waning Crescent Moon with Saturn over Vason Lake Los Gatos CA

I used a wide angle lens to be able to capture this whole scene so the Moon, Saturn that little white dot to the right of the Moon, and the fainter Antares below the Moon to the right are really teenie.

I was thrilled there was color this morning too.

This is a single frame processed in Photoshop CS6.

Nikon Df| AF-D Nikkor 24mm f/2.8@ f16| 15seconds| ISO 500| Manual Priority| Tripod|
Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film

More to come…

Totality-Lunar Eclipse October 8, 2014

Posted in Astro Imaging, Blood Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Moon, Total Lunar EclipseTagged , , , , 10 Comments

Copyright © 2014 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Totality Lunar Eclipse October 8, 2014

Plus two stars!  Slightly cropped in.

Nikon D700| AF-S Nikkor 300mm f4 + 14eII= 420mm| Lexar Professional Digital film

I’m off to look for Fall Color in the Eastern Sierras so, it will be quiet here for several days. Be well, and safe everyone!

More to come…