Chasing the Moon

Last nights photography was rather frustrating. Primarily due to my poor planning. I wanted to photograph the moon just as it crested the ridge line to the east of us. Great idea don't you think? The idea simple in form was hard to execute. Mainly because about twenty minutes before it was supposed to rise I thought it would be a good idea to look it up on TPE (The Photographer's Ephemeris) so I could use my compass to line up the shot of where the moon was going to rise. This is where my biggest obstacle arose. My main computer that died recently is the one that has TPE on it. Our home computer doesn't have it. My attempts at a quick download of the program failed because our computer also doesn't have Adobe Air which it also needed. So much for that idea. I went out into the backyard and waited for the appointed time for it to rise. That much I did know from checking the moonrise and set times in the local weather report. When it rose it was a bright, bright orange behind a tall row of redwood trees blocking my view! I ran quickly to the car and searched for a better view point. Coming down off of the ridge I found a decent spot and I hurriedly created a few images. Below is the best one. This month's moon is called the "Strawberry Moon". It was named by the Algonquin tribes of Northeastern North America. In Europe it was called the "Rose Moon". After photographing the moon I went home and I made sure to install Adobe air and TPE on the family computer. I'll be ready next time! Blessings to all, chris Camera Equipment Used- Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens, Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod with a Bogen 3055 Ballhead. Camera Settings- Manual mode, ISO 400,F 5.6, shutter speed Squirrel 1/250th of a sec.

Hunters Moon Tonight

This evening Lenore and I popped out to watch the Hunter's Moon rise over the Mendocino Mountain Range to the east of where we live. It is called the Hunter's Moon in a variety of hunting cultures. Fall has arrived and the leaves are falling from trees, many animals like deer and bears are fattened up for the winter ahead. It's a perfect time to hunt by the light of the moon storing up meat for the long winter ahead. God's light and love to all, chris Canon 50D,Canon 100-400IS

Waiting for the Moon

Last night there was a "Blue Moon". Normally the definition of a Blue Moon is that there are two full moons in a single month. There is an older definition which is that the full moon is called a Blue Moon if there are more than three full moons in a season. In this case there are four full moons this summer. So tonight's full moon is also a Blue Moon. Now back to the photography. First thing I checked out was whether I would be able to see it rise from my house using a program called "The Photographer's Ephemeris"or TPE. According to TPE it would rise at 7:37p.m. at 99.8 degrees. The program even showed the direct line of sight from my location to the horizon on a Google Earth Map .After picking up a few local landmarks on the map I was able to see exactly where the moon would rise. Then it was a matter setting up my camera and waiting. Things don't always go according to plan. While I was waiting I created some images of the layers of the Mendocino Mountain Range. Then I waited and waited. There was some pretty heavy cloud cover on the horizon so it took the moon almost twenty minutes to rise above it. When it rose it was much higher than I expected above the horizon and it was pretty dim from the cloud cover.Then it brightened as it got higher in the sky. Sometimes you just have to work with what you are given. Enjoy the moon and God bless, chris

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Last night the moon rose large and full. I took a few images of the moon rising above Mount San Hedrin to the east of us in the Mendocino Range. About four a.m. I myself arose and created a long eight minute exposure of the Little Lake Valley below us. The valley was illuminated by the light of the moon. In the full moon image you can see the silhouette of a building on top of the mountain. I have been told that it is the fire lookout. In the moon lit landscape there is the light from a ranch house on the left just at the fog line. God's love and blessings, chris

Still Stuck on the Moon

After jury duty yesterday I spent most of today on domestic chores around the house just to catch up. I did spend a short amount of time creating a new bird set up beside my photography blind. Checking on it through out the day I could see the birds and squirrels using it.

Tonights moonrise was a beautiful sight. It was a Waning Gibbous Moon. Roughly 96 percent illunminated by the sun. It had a strong yellow cast to it as the sunlight that was illuminating it was passing through the earths atmospere as it's not too far past sunset. A great way to start the evening watching the moon slowly rise into the night sky over the Mendocino Range.

God's love and blessings to all,

chris

Moonrise Over Mendocino

Today I had jury duty so I didn't do any photography until this evenings moonrise over the Mendocino Range.

God's light and love to all,

chris

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

The moon was 99% full last night. It was a Waxing Gibbous Moon. The moon is considered to be waxing if it is growing or heading towards being a full moon. A waning moon is one that is one that is becoming less full after it has passed the full moon phase.

Look up at the moon with your arms outstretched in front of you. Use your whole left hand to make the letter "C" out in front of you. Do the same with your right hand and make a backwards or reversed letter "C" and hold both hands up to the moon. If the lighted side of the moon can be cupped in your right hand it is a waxing moon. If the lighted side can be cupped in your left hand it is a waning moon. A pretty easy way to tell if it is waxing or waning.

The phases of the moon are as follows.

New Moon - The Moon is not visible as it isn't lit up by direct sunlight.

Waxing Crescent - The Moon is less than one-half lit up by the sun. The fraction of the Moon lit up by the sun is increasing towards a full moon.


First Quarter - One-half of the Moon appears to be lit up by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is lit up by the sun is growing towards a full moon.


Waxing Gibbous - A Gibbous moon is the name give to the moon when it is between half full and full. Growing towards being a full moon.

Full Moon The Moon is completely illuminated by direct sunlight.


Waning Gibbous - The Moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully lit up by sunlight by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is lit up is getting smaller.


Last Quarter - One-half of the Moon appears to be lit up by the sun sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is getting smaller.

Waning Crescent - The Moon appears to be less than one-half lit up by sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is lit up is getting smaller.

Well there you haveit. Go outside tonight and take a look at the moon.

God's love to all,

chris