Friday, October 26, 2007
October Big Moon
Pentax K100D 200mm. Composite of two images, one exposed for the buildings, the second for the Moon.
Moon imaged later same evening with Vivitar compact digital through Meade ETX90-EC telescope - through cirrus haze. A bit of contrast enhancement however brings it up nicely.
How imagining through the scope is done.
The near point of the Moon's orbit to Earth advances about 40 days per year so the next Big Moon season will be in mid December next year.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
September: Mercury and Spica Align
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Total Lunar Eclipse - 28 August 2007
By 21:15 CST the Moon is minutes away from total phase. .
Just entering toality. The red colour is the light from a ring of sunsets around the circumference of the Earth falling on the face of the Moon
The totally eclipsed Moon bears ove the residential area at Henley Beach
Tatally eclipsed Moon over the Henley Pub
The end of the partial phase 21:52 CST
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Aphrodite - Evening Star
This sequence shows the appearance of Venus on July 10, 20 and August 6. As it moves between the Earth and Sun waning to a slender crescent increasing size as it gets nearer. On the evening of the last frame I could just make out the crescent in 10x50 binoculars. (Click on image to enlarge). ETX90-EC & Vivitar compact digital.
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Later in the Evening, at low elevation just above the horizon before setting, the light of Venus is spread out into a rainbow of rippling colours. Its light is dispersed by thicker layers of our atmosphere that acts rather like a turbulent prism. Maximum digital zoom. ETX90-EC & Vivitar compact digital.
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Birth of Venus (Aphrodite) is depicted here emerging from the ocean "foam" in this 1879 rendition by William Bougereau (click to enlarge).
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The changing phases of Venus are due to its perspective as seen from Earth as it orbits the Sun. It completes a cycle of phases in about 584 days (19 months). Venus reaches inferior conjunction on August 18 (closest to Earth) when it crosses to the morning sky and the sequence of phases will reverse. On rare occasions Venus will pass in front of the Sun as a Venus transit. http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mlewicki/venustranasit04.html
At superior conjunction it is on the far side of the Sun, appearing very much smaller with the full disk illuminated.
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This is my setup. The Vivitar 3930 camera mounted on a bracket to the Meade ETX90-EC telescope (9cm/3.5"). Planetary photography like you see here is made easier with digital cameras and electronics. You just keep adjusting the exposure settings until you get good shots. The telescope has remote control to reduce shaking from handling and the camera has delay exposure to allow vibrations to subside before exposure. This kind of planetary photography with a small telescope and compact camera would have been almost impossible with film and manual telescope controls.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
July Planets
Capture this scene over the Gulf waters. From top, Venus, Saturn, Regulus and Moon.
Bit later in the evening the 3-day Moon (ie 3 days after new) shows earthshine illuminating the dark side. See? Pink Floyd said so...there really is no dark side to the Moon ;) [Pentax K100D 200m] cropped and enlarged
Moon setting. The Moon reddens and distorts as its light passes through thickening layers of our atmosphere.
At the last frame only the "dark side" remains before finally disappearing. [Pentax K100D 200mm]
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
June Planetary Grouping: Venus, Moon and Saturn
Outlying Venus with Moon and Saturn Together. Pentax K100D, 75mm, 2 sec exp. 19/6/2007 Adelaide SA
Closeup of Moon and Saturn framed by foregound tree hangings. Pentax K100D, 200mm, 0.5 sec exp. 19/6/2007 Adelaide SA
You can see earthshine illuminating the dark side of the Moon in both images.
Note these are south hemisphere views so you northern denizens will see this nearly inverted.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Jupiter Rises with Scorpius
Monday, March 12, 2007
Comet McNaught
Comet McNaught imaged from Henley Beach South Australia. Olympus OM1 film ISO400 20sec 22-1-2007
Full McNaught gallery here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/martin.lewicki/McNaught
My other recent photography:
http://picasaweb.google.com/martin.lewicki