tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30439192393361833012024-03-13T13:55:46.633-07:00Mostly Nerd (but not always)Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-18488534822977469942023-09-19T17:16:00.004-07:002023-12-02T03:55:42.194-08:00ALL ABOUT STEVE 9/19/2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvWOvXWFR73pYs3bgrDeTyiwtJ8_sTWTqpM076_9aGouKWc78G4OWTeAyba5HThzZOyuKw5uqRYqQTE7KDqMv1z7mXtGfB_zijATr3tuLlO-KfsQRz_eWBkwRUlGk9m6ri7zLGJ7QHHw8lZHLlS1kGG4o4WkSMGqjV94J-Q0mk33qpEIT7kzrCfLikvU/s2241/IMG_8999.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2241" data-original-width="1554" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvWOvXWFR73pYs3bgrDeTyiwtJ8_sTWTqpM076_9aGouKWc78G4OWTeAyba5HThzZOyuKw5uqRYqQTE7KDqMv1z7mXtGfB_zijATr3tuLlO-KfsQRz_eWBkwRUlGk9m6ri7zLGJ7QHHw8lZHLlS1kGG4o4WkSMGqjV94J-Q0mk33qpEIT7kzrCfLikvU/w445-h640/IMG_8999.jpeg" width="445" /></a></div><br /> Just after 9:30 last night, as I was settling in to watch Monday Night Football, I decided to check <a href="http://spaceweather.com" target="_blank">spaceweather.com</a> to see if the predicted aurora had developed. Indeed it had. Although the website was listing a Kp value of 4.66, the Auroral Oval Diagram displayed in the left-hand column showed yellow and red in addition to the normal green indicating stronger activity was at hand. <p></p><p> I took the camera rig out on the deck and fired a few shots capturing the elusive lights but they faded within minutes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1oZ1B3dw7ZDTFgFEt0SF7zB1v192-wWQhYuxIVkT4EU_Djp3k9vNo-y3qRVqzBzKn8-HW8oue9N9GCtjNFgKPghT7iDZ8-2lGv0QUs-rIt6DDONRi898InOTqqw13fo7SSPfeYB88axmMme0lqFryy_G9-5u-A0R1217rdyV448ZtFtYPmBTLuGFtF0/s2088/IMG_8993.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2088" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1oZ1B3dw7ZDTFgFEt0SF7zB1v192-wWQhYuxIVkT4EU_Djp3k9vNo-y3qRVqzBzKn8-HW8oue9N9GCtjNFgKPghT7iDZ8-2lGv0QUs-rIt6DDONRi898InOTqqw13fo7SSPfeYB88axmMme0lqFryy_G9-5u-A0R1217rdyV448ZtFtYPmBTLuGFtF0/w640-h426/IMG_8993.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> After waiting in vain a few minutes for a rebound in intensity, I went inside to download and process the images. By the time I finished editing the photos the lights once again returned. I'm obligated by contract to get the classic shot of the lights reflected off of Lake Michigan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy0VyVFJyb4xDWzJwTGME9O8yPG-B8cN8-2qex_EdS8TnUIelWsbQ9DZl3SlAJICFNiIZ1OzumeY9e6oe59u7zexHQ4qTAtCG2nOHRk3P6owRe46vTaxheTkQcOGiURETqk44ucMuaL_SV0By3kI2TShkwlvGxxXhHbHCbVUk9iBhXPf5kI-iXjb7Ya8/s1880/IMG_8996.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="1880" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy0VyVFJyb4xDWzJwTGME9O8yPG-B8cN8-2qex_EdS8TnUIelWsbQ9DZl3SlAJICFNiIZ1OzumeY9e6oe59u7zexHQ4qTAtCG2nOHRk3P6owRe46vTaxheTkQcOGiURETqk44ucMuaL_SV0By3kI2TShkwlvGxxXhHbHCbVUk9iBhXPf5kI-iXjb7Ya8/w640-h414/IMG_8996.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> But as midnight approached a wispy cloud-like structure developed at the western horizon and eventually spanned nearly 180 degrees to the eastern horizon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14ma2wp2nv6p6w1w_zRqLDHnUPohGRboub_HpjihwCa4nPL0ljXzcRg1hQH3e7n45A1-EHu3F2r78U62PseaZ2WDgiAffc13qMyqMQmrre1tBIjulsgTDpbzcCy78AHH1w6E-GwQcZJvfexff_UCrk19xw3e4IopK0AEbbp0cg04lG0xgolfZVc_p2dA/s2298/IMG_9002.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="2298" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14ma2wp2nv6p6w1w_zRqLDHnUPohGRboub_HpjihwCa4nPL0ljXzcRg1hQH3e7n45A1-EHu3F2r78U62PseaZ2WDgiAffc13qMyqMQmrre1tBIjulsgTDpbzcCy78AHH1w6E-GwQcZJvfexff_UCrk19xw3e4IopK0AEbbp0cg04lG0xgolfZVc_p2dA/w640-h410/IMG_9002.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Thirty second exposure with the camera revealed the cloud's colors of red, pink and purple. It looked similar to auroral pillars but they usually stand vertical in the north. Instead this was a Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement or STEVE. The STEVE phenomenon has just been identified and studied in the past decade. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The Northern Lights are the result of molecules in the upper atmosphere that pick up energy from charged solar particles, putting them in an energized unstable state. Analogous to fluorescent lighting they give off light to return to the stable neutral state. STEVE's light is analogous to incandescent lights, as it is caused by the heating of upper atmosphere molecules by speeding solar particles. The heat of these molecules can reach an astounding 5000F. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7DQAjpeVYJ_KMje2MSR77VtqBoBEU1c7kg4pCL8xFS0dj28j0e2m0SWx5NPJX5SU9Jxj4gJ-89C6JZOcItaWMIHsVndx9GZFSERhitHW1FFqiUdxv5KiJLQGps882NJJjC83MwpTCKq6TqxDqFieGFdE79P69JabJjYMPX5vheHscwPEjBQ9QNdCcsM/s1976/IMG_8998.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="1976" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7DQAjpeVYJ_KMje2MSR77VtqBoBEU1c7kg4pCL8xFS0dj28j0e2m0SWx5NPJX5SU9Jxj4gJ-89C6JZOcItaWMIHsVndx9GZFSERhitHW1FFqiUdxv5KiJLQGps882NJJjC83MwpTCKq6TqxDqFieGFdE79P69JabJjYMPX5vheHscwPEjBQ9QNdCcsM/w640-h424/IMG_8998.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lPh6bK5O5SaonHIVXHE4MoTWeDS_486Ts3MUDmL8NbEi_A6MmeEh3EEBkxXn1cUYQW0hYAARR8oezJCs1BrEHVU6YUagnmEgoGYzedvVVT6SPyj88H_LiePFmDZd7yTx0KIyFM3AEAmog6EhjLhTcW6uOgIOKw3zzPe63YEe9LIl8Zkaqt0_rq8EuGw/s2112/IMG_9001.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="2112" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lPh6bK5O5SaonHIVXHE4MoTWeDS_486Ts3MUDmL8NbEi_A6MmeEh3EEBkxXn1cUYQW0hYAARR8oezJCs1BrEHVU6YUagnmEgoGYzedvVVT6SPyj88H_LiePFmDZd7yTx0KIyFM3AEAmog6EhjLhTcW6uOgIOKw3zzPe63YEe9LIl8Zkaqt0_rq8EuGw/w640-h446/IMG_9001.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My house at the intersection of STEVE and the Milky Way</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-73826381078430689592022-12-09T10:35:00.000-08:002022-12-09T10:35:31.617-08:00Occultation of Mars. 12/7/2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi3ugub0H6i-EkpfeyoVjKySW584q2qNqi3Ry_NSk7xQZLD5hDZRuXxzvHcavRlGa_VF0-f1SeIako3ScM0Jy20oD2NRyJkjYrPPPqC4tJ5khxpJ_aXsL1r1DFRLLZOg_iME9yuNMxVrOQSFIu4Z4MH78nYdYospSGMyaPLFnzRbnVGpDh_z7LvMS/s1067/03DF6BE2-00F4-4451-8D37-7834B580BCAC_1_201_a.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi3ugub0H6i-EkpfeyoVjKySW584q2qNqi3Ry_NSk7xQZLD5hDZRuXxzvHcavRlGa_VF0-f1SeIako3ScM0Jy20oD2NRyJkjYrPPPqC4tJ5khxpJ_aXsL1r1DFRLLZOg_iME9yuNMxVrOQSFIu4Z4MH78nYdYospSGMyaPLFnzRbnVGpDh_z7LvMS/s400/03DF6BE2-00F4-4451-8D37-7834B580BCAC_1_201_a.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
</div> A rare alignment of the Moon and Mars took place on Wednesday evening.
Observation of the event was threatened by 99.99999% cloud cover. I took my
Celestron C-8 out on the driveway about 20 minutes before the Moon was to cover
the Red Planet, even though a glow in the clouds was the only indication that
the Moon was above the horizon. Eventually a thin patch in the overcast reached
the Moon's position and allowed me to quickly align the telescope and finder
scope. At this point I attached my camera to the scope and waited for a clear
spot to pass over the two targets. At 10:10, two minutes before the beginning of
the occultation my patience and preparation was rewarded with a two second
window of clarity. I held the shutter release down and fired off 30 photos until
the clouds once again obscured my view. I never did get a visual sighting of
Mars but it did show up in the photos.<div><br /></div><div> Photos were not perfect but I was happy
with the results considering I didn't even have time to fine tune the focus.
Instead I relied on the setting that I had on Sunday when I did a practice
session. Below is a photo from Sunday
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVcHjeSpW4XJgMJpFuACaz8GGI3M5RLhMI5cx5CHS0ySK-iIjky-rwCjZW5w_FZH3G41kagrdKI44kKAGENtaoFx9sQSXShPrAeQzRpQC6GfJdE6cztikmQqYsUrzeMjQdGKfAiYRoE5bfThcGxD-YTF5BXirYrLIy1QPJqvTbrZSv8tB3FuNxXE6/s1029/CE1809E6-1B9E-479C-8490-A8C49C830274_1_105_c.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1029" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVcHjeSpW4XJgMJpFuACaz8GGI3M5RLhMI5cx5CHS0ySK-iIjky-rwCjZW5w_FZH3G41kagrdKI44kKAGENtaoFx9sQSXShPrAeQzRpQC6GfJdE6cztikmQqYsUrzeMjQdGKfAiYRoE5bfThcGxD-YTF5BXirYrLIy1QPJqvTbrZSv8tB3FuNxXE6/s400/CE1809E6-1B9E-479C-8490-A8C49C830274_1_105_c.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
</div>
</div>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-53442890867188682902022-05-16T03:43:00.006-07:002022-05-16T03:53:20.642-07:00Lunar Eclipse 5/15-16/2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_TC0Dh8eM9CNzHrgP4xKaXzOjwlM0F8l8XJte2Hap6ZctDmsD4UgS2p9TqI1Z0hJxcFEj9AB9KjfsLq1krtGQ9dZYBo5dlAP3lI-HyU3RJmorxRmuIzmU-R_PAOzIRy5w_TbMX8nJhSHV46q2q_XMeX3NOEEi8cyYdmBDCj57meLhn3fOKzH4vpe/s1344/b220515eclipse%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1344" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_TC0Dh8eM9CNzHrgP4xKaXzOjwlM0F8l8XJte2Hap6ZctDmsD4UgS2p9TqI1Z0hJxcFEj9AB9KjfsLq1krtGQ9dZYBo5dlAP3lI-HyU3RJmorxRmuIzmU-R_PAOzIRy5w_TbMX8nJhSHV46q2q_XMeX3NOEEi8cyYdmBDCj57meLhn3fOKzH4vpe/s320/b220515eclipse%20(7).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There is a school of thought when it comes to eclipses that 'it's solar or nothing', but a lunar eclipse has many advantages. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0s31JFAweeo" width="320" youtube-src-id="0s31JFAweeo"></iframe></div><p> Most importantly, a lunar eclipse is visible everywhere that is the moon is above the horizon, as opposed to a solar eclipse's path of totality that typically has a width of around 100 miles or less. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5V7JGNw8LvCwraL76nkDmzHTaI9we5DdzakaJ0zU_9wAv_Nt8kcJkxLcpoRAkb2Oyc-QEg9Y3vuVaHgY6wTUfneWjUpN2X5CfCS6qNmtNAe6Ip06Z9lkvQJEtaP3M8OWU36o5rXKC5FLdetG3trX80vCKLyGnn9sGSqJGndJoiuS3i652-Cia6hr/s1210/b220515eclipse%20(18).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1210" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5V7JGNw8LvCwraL76nkDmzHTaI9we5DdzakaJ0zU_9wAv_Nt8kcJkxLcpoRAkb2Oyc-QEg9Y3vuVaHgY6wTUfneWjUpN2X5CfCS6qNmtNAe6Ip06Z9lkvQJEtaP3M8OWU36o5rXKC5FLdetG3trX80vCKLyGnn9sGSqJGndJoiuS3i652-Cia6hr/s320/b220515eclipse%20(18).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Secondly the totality of a solar eclipse can last only 7.5 minutes for a particular location while a lunar eclipse can be up to 1 hour and 45 minutes in duration. <p></p><p> Last night's lunar eclipse lasted nearly an hour and a half which was fortunate for me since clouds blocked the whole moon for the first half hour of totality. But patience paid off as the clouds parted somewhat and the rest of the show could be leisurely viewed through varying degrees of wispy clouds.<br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcuuS45GBXw0_lKYDFohBaRe0esnnbOX6KvR2e_fD-dlUaEpmi-oRXJM8b6LxDlGfOHQmlV5YRS3_d-A8E_3wUdvewop3VnJKEToj_Ib7_L5bRTCAxVNw96Avjg3wilo2R0_U8yhmRXdFm4285Y8_6VbvIit5Cj9rgpQHkpwHNYf-_P-2tBuCNpss/s1070/b220515eclipse%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="1070" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcuuS45GBXw0_lKYDFohBaRe0esnnbOX6KvR2e_fD-dlUaEpmi-oRXJM8b6LxDlGfOHQmlV5YRS3_d-A8E_3wUdvewop3VnJKEToj_Ib7_L5bRTCAxVNw96Avjg3wilo2R0_U8yhmRXdFm4285Y8_6VbvIit5Cj9rgpQHkpwHNYf-_P-2tBuCNpss/s320/b220515eclipse%20(4).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-5763947523311219832022-05-01T04:08:00.001-07:002022-05-01T04:08:55.770-07:00Morning Planets 4/25 and 4/28/2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3FqcVbwBs2CPihMTqv7Iaeoaf8UhRC79zjymfi543UJIgl2Sr_dr2ekiwkOMKR8mo2tg3fU37ht0TMeTRUXqECbIlyS8nNiS8KVtt__wc1q9i2j8HPKYPgFdK32fHVxRL7-wa6Cz6VYqtkorcg9tmvgP_z0z2882qye-1Ujpo_2AgbBKEgbDFkXo/s1551/b220425planets%20(8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1551" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3FqcVbwBs2CPihMTqv7Iaeoaf8UhRC79zjymfi543UJIgl2Sr_dr2ekiwkOMKR8mo2tg3fU37ht0TMeTRUXqECbIlyS8nNiS8KVtt__wc1q9i2j8HPKYPgFdK32fHVxRL7-wa6Cz6VYqtkorcg9tmvgP_z0z2882qye-1Ujpo_2AgbBKEgbDFkXo/s320/b220425planets%20(8).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> A couple of weeks ago I received a cryptic text from my friend Kevin Welsh, that read<p></p><p>"Lots going on in the sky". Not sure what he was referring to, I sent him a photo of the Sun that I had taken that day with the caption "Lots going on on the Sun today"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nxq2a8zoWk8m8mgMjg-9keqwm8tuEL7FWbSU2Mmup_LTzQ9ZjmperIVPKgA2Rtwmjd2liSY4xEs3CN7RSJzo0kokR-1hSoflsxbwRzQ-5xDJMC04g8j8BaryzWrGdAXd-n5s1wKAS92wTK29e-6PQRRnmz8ArtBGkUvEFbpVrxquFU29vxbd168C/s1248/b220421sunset%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="1248" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nxq2a8zoWk8m8mgMjg-9keqwm8tuEL7FWbSU2Mmup_LTzQ9ZjmperIVPKgA2Rtwmjd2liSY4xEs3CN7RSJzo0kokR-1hSoflsxbwRzQ-5xDJMC04g8j8BaryzWrGdAXd-n5s1wKAS92wTK29e-6PQRRnmz8ArtBGkUvEFbpVrxquFU29vxbd168C/s320/b220421sunset%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> He responded by clarifying that he was referring to the morning planets lined up in the eastern predawn sky. The next clear morning on Monday the 25th. I hopped in the car and drove down the road to get a view of the eastern horizon.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypcLbUTLi5jpKp5UZ8lhowRRooOOZinHDQDyvWiDGbxFI-kU2408sEK1dJjA1iws6GmQudzNU_kBPK_CIlkhEen_4UHryVourtI2m3tFdQ1PXBQWCjasVmQm8sPrco1AYMqta7ns__6ZOTqC-_vGGqFR4tbn7O6hLv0pqJpsnOcErLm5QeKUXPsGL/s1551/b220425planets%20(8a).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1551" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypcLbUTLi5jpKp5UZ8lhowRRooOOZinHDQDyvWiDGbxFI-kU2408sEK1dJjA1iws6GmQudzNU_kBPK_CIlkhEen_4UHryVourtI2m3tFdQ1PXBQWCjasVmQm8sPrco1AYMqta7ns__6ZOTqC-_vGGqFR4tbn7O6hLv0pqJpsnOcErLm5QeKUXPsGL/s320/b220425planets%20(8a).jpg" width="320" /></a></div> After receiving constructive criticism from my friend, Tim Bresnahan about the glow of the chemical plant in the foreground, I went out on Thursday the 28th to try again.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6roV8DA9ASftHquEQGp-BFf9iSiGqAzBHt93JPj2AeS9AcVlX7QuoBd19a4SGhKw2G0Qx9Ek2PsHaH0Lck1w_PkRaOwV03pD1Uyon_0ZfIuK4j-rydEQIBt40tVqpR1OriMW5_4282E4trsRCXxM4voBFHes841EdhU5CYDDIFwGip3_DJ0jJO_5b/s5730/b220428planets%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3886" data-original-width="5730" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6roV8DA9ASftHquEQGp-BFf9iSiGqAzBHt93JPj2AeS9AcVlX7QuoBd19a4SGhKw2G0Qx9Ek2PsHaH0Lck1w_PkRaOwV03pD1Uyon_0ZfIuK4j-rydEQIBt40tVqpR1OriMW5_4282E4trsRCXxM4voBFHes841EdhU5CYDDIFwGip3_DJ0jJO_5b/s320/b220428planets%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EfKL2xu1gtl45ZRR25bl50M0eIgslHCg-jHSJzYUIP26bybnBGsTBkec5uQBks3w8zcRpvXEJSx9usq9oRE7BaXfy4PzYuDRaCU0bxt03ePIAbcOpXX2vuY_-kH5r3I7OVZfeBP2QF_eR5_AiKTwGHFKXP0aehIDhcmjRDxbahqctzQ0zWo5THXG/s1146/b220428planets%20(2a).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1146" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EfKL2xu1gtl45ZRR25bl50M0eIgslHCg-jHSJzYUIP26bybnBGsTBkec5uQBks3w8zcRpvXEJSx9usq9oRE7BaXfy4PzYuDRaCU0bxt03ePIAbcOpXX2vuY_-kH5r3I7OVZfeBP2QF_eR5_AiKTwGHFKXP0aehIDhcmjRDxbahqctzQ0zWo5THXG/s320/b220428planets%20(2a).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....and the answer is.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-34554170591691786122022-01-11T04:45:00.002-08:002022-01-11T05:43:22.454-08:00January Waterspout(s?) 1/10/2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ly5pO7f_xzA/Yd14Pdj7IDI/AAAAAAAAKlc/Pq5IcmP_HdUaRy4xIKac-fqWEcekJWy_wCNcBGAsYHQ/76362F2E-8B60-4835-9FAD-1B2EAC2FB7E6_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1120" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ly5pO7f_xzA/Yd14Pdj7IDI/AAAAAAAAKlc/Pq5IcmP_HdUaRy4xIKac-fqWEcekJWy_wCNcBGAsYHQ/76362F2E-8B60-4835-9FAD-1B2EAC2FB7E6_1_105_c.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Yesterday morning with the temperature of Lake Michigan in the low 40's and the air temperature steady at 9 F the steam rising off of the water created both clouds and at least one waterspout. In the videos below some of the clouds appear to have some rotation.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCIUVoE4Jyk" width="320" youtube-src-id="dCIUVoE4Jyk"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Az5LxdFMmwY" width="320" youtube-src-id="Az5LxdFMmwY"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-44559010091580454512021-12-14T11:26:00.001-08:002021-12-14T11:29:47.216-08:00Geminid Meteor Shower Dec 13-14 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJEI5rLTmTrEuTsfA9axUsYvThdmo8gku9NVUgICI2_PKkoO2sF9UM9PhM5cLjfjWoQ3BxwVH_MxrZSgKY-EKXfdXIFQDcutcjtf2Bv3_4c2gzGZOU3wT6UOxS_Q1t_tHXRAJCDtNN2eMZpvEMGtrp1v5kLVkEc19ZQFTSiwchvEZHGq0VdPW2x7Cm=s1344" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1344" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJEI5rLTmTrEuTsfA9axUsYvThdmo8gku9NVUgICI2_PKkoO2sF9UM9PhM5cLjfjWoQ3BxwVH_MxrZSgKY-EKXfdXIFQDcutcjtf2Bv3_4c2gzGZOU3wT6UOxS_Q1t_tHXRAJCDtNN2eMZpvEMGtrp1v5kLVkEc19ZQFTSiwchvEZHGq0VdPW2x7Cm=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Conditions were not optimal for the annual Geminid Meteor Shower but light winds and temperatures in the mid 30's were nothing to complain about. The biggest hindrance to ideal conditions was the waxing gibbous moon that washed out the dark background sky most of the night and made the dimmer meteors difficult to impossible to see. Making the best of the situation I let the abundant moonlight illuminate the foreground as I locked the cable release on the camera hoping that some of the 6 second exposures would catch a few of the brighter meteors. The evening session lasted from 7:45-9:15 pm and I counted 12 meteors.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEottH4Pn4H3K5i2BxhszvFHIVu5GsK52xHM9MiuezviMbdY8yTE2XZaRWd4NCpz1qB1x6fXeLaJ64glDKff_IYbuq6OWbgzMUHU43YGUx-ssqTcm7kZvvj8gJm1VI4SWIwL3U2ReQP_LXmppHe1wQJ--vLocLRMmoHmTAZmPf0j9Vl4wqrp2lcdHk=s1109" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1109" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEottH4Pn4H3K5i2BxhszvFHIVu5GsK52xHM9MiuezviMbdY8yTE2XZaRWd4NCpz1qB1x6fXeLaJ64glDKff_IYbuq6OWbgzMUHU43YGUx-ssqTcm7kZvvj8gJm1VI4SWIwL3U2ReQP_LXmppHe1wQJ--vLocLRMmoHmTAZmPf0j9Vl4wqrp2lcdHk=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lake freighter Joseph L Block on the horizon.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p> Moonset occurred at 3:45am and it made a big difference as I was able to see 81 meteors from 3:15 to 5:15 am.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJd-rT_M7rKjNw4_DIA4XmTG1ed4QsfSWRZaVbfmAx3SogAKSv2D1mUCQeSOjs6r93EK0NoVSoczZMgV1chu_DcljEEWJ0wbvO3ihqgc4OAIqlsmKtb8SojgiZBConTSZIOypOSzxujwSndoY3l6QCJecjUni-4ZzIATNJa6GoDHvyvQAhFrRxWj8p=s1025" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1025" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJd-rT_M7rKjNw4_DIA4XmTG1ed4QsfSWRZaVbfmAx3SogAKSv2D1mUCQeSOjs6r93EK0NoVSoczZMgV1chu_DcljEEWJ0wbvO3ihqgc4OAIqlsmKtb8SojgiZBConTSZIOypOSzxujwSndoY3l6QCJecjUni-4ZzIATNJa6GoDHvyvQAhFrRxWj8p=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Moonset</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2wmm3quyN-Ov6xgHZL0Zj43qQxDSzwOre3TfKF39xcXg-JCVtQMUsG6h3Ma9zs4UcYolQLwIud5nGOhYrsVg817J_Z9YisalPtVH7fU_3VSdPZmNEd8YRaSrhzYe-Aj2Nry7Jzkv211Hwn6jM_nLd4hbRgVqf1QP873xWGok2ey6VDMFjIVUHT1gu=s1035" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1035" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2wmm3quyN-Ov6xgHZL0Zj43qQxDSzwOre3TfKF39xcXg-JCVtQMUsG6h3Ma9zs4UcYolQLwIud5nGOhYrsVg817J_Z9YisalPtVH7fU_3VSdPZmNEd8YRaSrhzYe-Aj2Nry7Jzkv211Hwn6jM_nLd4hbRgVqf1QP873xWGok2ey6VDMFjIVUHT1gu=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Geminid at the border of Orion and Taurus</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFqBWmwTjVEKqm7JCkRTiD7l8jOvZsZ-CwE0H7CDzi3PCaycFA7_ToLlW6MR0hBTxYGCXiXj7i6PUPGrxe4Ds1Z-mhJI5awviqBu5uSZI4Cq5szX4CqZD33C9BNkElMtSs9RPFBoHC5e2VscdAfKCeWtcU7LrILf6T0qHGQ6m07_kNTZz1x0exMpY7=s999" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="999" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFqBWmwTjVEKqm7JCkRTiD7l8jOvZsZ-CwE0H7CDzi3PCaycFA7_ToLlW6MR0hBTxYGCXiXj7i6PUPGrxe4Ds1Z-mhJI5awviqBu5uSZI4Cq5szX4CqZD33C9BNkElMtSs9RPFBoHC5e2VscdAfKCeWtcU7LrILf6T0qHGQ6m07_kNTZz1x0exMpY7=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Geminid between Canis Major and Orion</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHLFGz_T2CT4RqPg3Nz5YEQsGws6YrDHnPTfIB_2RsvV96L29dpcoSyDyG0ElJNG_GQ8XcDaTANZaJ3kZBrifX6RCNMfAnq7-j9xtrnzQj3Cwcii2on2qi6xFSwhnh_fAGEromypLhkn2IahHlKyIM1_f7hEceiAdwFlJM5Toj07ytWWILbZvbg2L9=s999" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="999" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHLFGz_T2CT4RqPg3Nz5YEQsGws6YrDHnPTfIB_2RsvV96L29dpcoSyDyG0ElJNG_GQ8XcDaTANZaJ3kZBrifX6RCNMfAnq7-j9xtrnzQj3Cwcii2on2qi6xFSwhnh_fAGEromypLhkn2IahHlKyIM1_f7hEceiAdwFlJM5Toj07ytWWILbZvbg2L9=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-11445957548370799512021-12-02T16:27:00.001-08:002021-12-02T16:30:44.888-08:00December Waterspout. 12/2/2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7w_rSSJ0IVQ/YalgXy8GPqI/AAAAAAAAKgY/qHPw_IVYYxoqcnu5JRkKKDmTpxGU7ZeNACNcBGAsYHQ/s1120/b211202sunset%2B%252820%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1120" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7w_rSSJ0IVQ/YalgXy8GPqI/AAAAAAAAKgY/qHPw_IVYYxoqcnu5JRkKKDmTpxGU7ZeNACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211202sunset%2B%252820%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p> I noticed a colorful sky developing just before sunset so I grabbed the camera and went outside to get some photos. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKh3Cey9Tvk/YalhtvO-J_I/AAAAAAAAKgs/cgwCUZiLRCQRI3ht2aWWZHFnDqW759GyQCNcBGAsYHQ/s983/b211202sunset%2B%25285%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKh3Cey9Tvk/YalhtvO-J_I/AAAAAAAAKgs/cgwCUZiLRCQRI3ht2aWWZHFnDqW759GyQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211202sunset%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="214" /></a></div> Sure the sunset was picturesque but 10 minutes later after I was back in the house I looked out and noticed a funnel dropping down from the clouds. It was the first waterspout of the year for me. So I ran out on my deck in my socks to try to capture the rare event. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7mgAVPoNCUE/YalhsLvNE3I/AAAAAAAAKgk/7uiRCsvoLDs8nE9V8kQieYNdicbVty2QwCNcBGAsYHQ/s874/b211202sunset%2B%252810%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="660" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7mgAVPoNCUE/YalhsLvNE3I/AAAAAAAAKgk/7uiRCsvoLDs8nE9V8kQieYNdicbVty2QwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211202sunset%2B%252810%2529.jpg" width="242" /></a></div> Waterspouts form when cool air passes over much warmer water. With Lake Michigan at record high temperatures for December waterspout season has lingered past its normal November 30th end. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KO5W3TNx_s/Yalhr1DWxPI/AAAAAAAAKgg/xOwCrI708i01vFwGMzROydo8Lhy1kaJ0ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1222/b211202sunset%2B%252813%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1222" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KO5W3TNx_s/Yalhr1DWxPI/AAAAAAAAKgg/xOwCrI708i01vFwGMzROydo8Lhy1kaJ0ACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211202sunset%2B%252813%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> As the funnel drifted south it lined up with the path that setting sun had taken, adding a dramatic color element to the photos.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43LTOdPwNtY/YalhshthDbI/AAAAAAAAKgo/e_xKvxE3vbcMTdEMmYduHeHNHwEyAn8xQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1245/b211202sunset%2B%252819%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1245" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43LTOdPwNtY/YalhshthDbI/AAAAAAAAKgo/e_xKvxE3vbcMTdEMmYduHeHNHwEyAn8xQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211202sunset%2B%252819%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-60408841258282194632021-11-19T03:13:00.000-08:002021-11-19T03:13:11.504-08:00Partial Lunar Eclipse 11/19/2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3O_SjLwornQ/YZeAk7MFsII/AAAAAAAAKfQ/yi5irl4A9fko9xr9P5ZplIdE8zksu10rACLcBGAsYHQ/s1149/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252827%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1149" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3O_SjLwornQ/YZeAk7MFsII/AAAAAAAAKfQ/yi5irl4A9fko9xr9P5ZplIdE8zksu10rACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252827%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> The longest partial lunar eclipse in over 600 years took place early on this cloudy windy morning.<p></p><p> I woke up around 3 AM and could see that there might be some breaks in the heavy overcast. The photo below taken when I stepped out on my deck almost an hour before the peak of the eclipse, shows the moon more than halfway covered by the Earth's shadow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkL34GrBSBY/YZeAyGlMjXI/AAAAAAAAKfc/eciM1Bs5UrMJouCxwCup5gTFkFzvbTEJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s989/b211119lunareclipse%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="989" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkL34GrBSBY/YZeAyGlMjXI/AAAAAAAAKfc/eciM1Bs5UrMJouCxwCup5gTFkFzvbTEJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> There was a brisk wind gusting up to 30 mph on the deck side of the house so I grabbed a tripod and went around to the front of the house to get some shelter from the breezes.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CiXeKYBUJZE/YZeAxobBRoI/AAAAAAAAKfU/rGe6V-I9Kds1HEOQuPBV6aOb-ci6coJ9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1143/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1143" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CiXeKYBUJZE/YZeAxobBRoI/AAAAAAAAKfU/rGe6V-I9Kds1HEOQuPBV6aOb-ci6coJ9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252813%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mklPUTMv29c/YZeAx_2AfRI/AAAAAAAAKfY/Sv6UwC7VEhY9y7SuDcSmHCU2HeLyJCCYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1032/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252854%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1032" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mklPUTMv29c/YZeAx_2AfRI/AAAAAAAAKfY/Sv6UwC7VEhY9y7SuDcSmHCU2HeLyJCCYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252854%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The wide-angle shots below show the near-totally eclipsed moon among the star field in the constellation Taurus. I was hoping some of the red in the moon would show up in the photos but the color got washed out because of the long-exposure needed for the stars to appear. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddk1Sj74FAY/YZeAygcPC6I/AAAAAAAAKfg/bcNTpwBVSZUTa2tLNC475G67JlSUUY8IwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252872%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1024" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddk1Sj74FAY/YZeAygcPC6I/AAAAAAAAKfg/bcNTpwBVSZUTa2tLNC475G67JlSUUY8IwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252872%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIy9OB4NaWs/YZeAzBNIdfI/AAAAAAAAKfk/QjRJ-YjslkYlSfDJnmSoy67XkSq6XKQFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252872%2529note.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1024" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIy9OB4NaWs/YZeAzBNIdfI/AAAAAAAAKfk/QjRJ-YjslkYlSfDJnmSoy67XkSq6XKQFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b211119lunareclipse%2B%252872%2529note.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Of course I can't step out of my house alone at 3:30 in the morning, as my dog Nico followed me out. I gained an appreciation of her night vision when she dropped a tennis ball at my feet. An impromptu game of fetch commenced, illuminated only by the cloud-reflected lights from the power plant over a mile away. The low lighting didn't prevent her from short-hopping grounders on the driveway. </div>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-69843477714352546362021-08-14T15:59:00.004-07:002021-08-14T15:59:35.738-07:002021 Perseid Meteor Shower 8/14/2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKO1T87V8ow/YRhHNI8phmI/AAAAAAAAKWE/1BVtIEe2_go9THs3L3d1Ak1fhFQZkhVQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s708/b210813meteor%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="547" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKO1T87V8ow/YRhHNI8phmI/AAAAAAAAKWE/1BVtIEe2_go9THs3L3d1Ak1fhFQZkhVQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210813meteor%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><p></p> This year's Perseid Meteor Shower was met with periods of perfectly clear skies and a new enough moon so that it was out of the picture by midnight. The first photo is from Thursday night when the peak of the shower was predicted. The rest are from Friday night which was slightly past peak but still provided a respectable showing.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGA4x7WkiJ4/YRhHa0BUcgI/AAAAAAAAKWI/I43xtj9o2o83VelLaJ-h_7FpeYYz0vkeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1133/b210814meteor%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="1133" height="197" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGA4x7WkiJ4/YRhHa0BUcgI/AAAAAAAAKWI/I43xtj9o2o83VelLaJ-h_7FpeYYz0vkeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210814meteor%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The next two photos were taken consecutively with camera's cable release locked, and they appear to show the same meteor, unless a fragment broke off of the main piece of space dirt. Never photographed that before.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQ-syzio5-s/YRhHudID78I/AAAAAAAAKWc/JDFm_A4qtzgq3kYF786ul_zyLc3-tHCHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1378/b210814meteor%2B%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1378" height="194" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQ-syzio5-s/YRhHudID78I/AAAAAAAAKWc/JDFm_A4qtzgq3kYF786ul_zyLc3-tHCHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210814meteor%2B%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fmbqh6vsaB4/YRhH3sAW7YI/AAAAAAAAKWo/hVQCwO9IDcknxcxqwZDkU13aGElb-jz8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1386/b210814meteor%2B%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1386" height="193" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fmbqh6vsaB4/YRhH3sAW7YI/AAAAAAAAKWo/hVQCwO9IDcknxcxqwZDkU13aGElb-jz8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210814meteor%2B%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The last photo shows a jet and 6 satellites which superficially could be mistaken for meteors.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMlSSP2EaOg/YRhIEX6zc7I/AAAAAAAAKWw/LcPOEfP634gFBtQqXV3a3FDLOi_5golWACLcBGAsYHQ/s1294/b210814meteor%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1294" height="202" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMlSSP2EaOg/YRhIEX6zc7I/AAAAAAAAKWw/LcPOEfP634gFBtQqXV3a3FDLOi_5golWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210814meteor%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-37381800623017889192021-08-13T18:11:00.004-07:002021-08-14T04:55:06.973-07:00Triple Digit Weather...The Hard Way 8/10/2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTtBAL6Cpro/YRcUHJXfDEI/AAAAAAAAKVk/nZ1orLsB4nIPnWOYYsFj3yIsZDgtK7DGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1262/210810windrecords.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="1262" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTtBAL6Cpro/YRcUHJXfDEI/AAAAAAAAKVk/nZ1orLsB4nIPnWOYYsFj3yIsZDgtK7DGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/210810windrecords.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Usually when the number 100 enters the conversation in a discussion of August weather, it is in terms of heat index or the actual stifling air temperature. But on Tuesday evening when a line of thunderstorms crossing Lake Michigan reached the eastern shore it kicked up a 90.6 mph sustained (2 minute average) and a gust of 105.1 mph. My 3-digit gust even got a mention on the online news site <a href="https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/08/egg-sized-hail-105mph-winds-buckets-of-rain-crazy-highlights-from-michigans-storms.html">MLive</a><p></p><p> My house survived unscathed but the winds took down a couple of my dead trees and up 5" diameter limbs off of some of the live ones. It also mangled the middle section of the pole that supported my Purple Martin house and tossed the bird house and top 6-foot section of pole a little over 90 feet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R2EzOAJuJDo/YRcWVRmsXRI/AAAAAAAAKVs/M22OSqQdi_84I2oUdZGjMA7fm0JXN24rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s807/210810pole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R2EzOAJuJDo/YRcWVRmsXRI/AAAAAAAAKVs/M22OSqQdi_84I2oUdZGjMA7fm0JXN24rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/210810pole.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMUMJw6xyic/YRcWWKCOzTI/AAAAAAAAKVw/Ddbxkk1XW5ob2NhFTwgdWBS5T9KLcDWkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s807/210810yard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMUMJw6xyic/YRcWWKCOzTI/AAAAAAAAKVw/Ddbxkk1XW5ob2NhFTwgdWBS5T9KLcDWkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/210810yard.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p> The next morning I took the photo below, when I had to go to Ludington for a dentist appointment.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4lnqvnl0to/YRcXJwszc9I/AAAAAAAAKV8/OjnxnG5Y8wM2gZoLnT_S-YYjfamY6TxsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1008/210810storm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4lnqvnl0to/YRcXJwszc9I/AAAAAAAAKV8/OjnxnG5Y8wM2gZoLnT_S-YYjfamY6TxsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/210810storm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p> The storm took out power to over half the customers of the company that supplies our electricity. My power was out for 49 hours, but the standby generator was up to the task.</p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-44238574716042446262021-06-12T16:06:00.004-07:002021-06-12T16:06:55.961-07:00Sunrise Solar Eclipse 6/10/2021<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuxFpYMvwi0/YMU7m2mQUFI/AAAAAAAAKMY/N0Ch2KcUOJs4u-dU185bRUEaLA9EYOt-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s716/b210610eclipse%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuxFpYMvwi0/YMU7m2mQUFI/AAAAAAAAKMY/N0Ch2KcUOJs4u-dU185bRUEaLA9EYOt-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210610eclipse%2B%25285%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Partial Solar Eclipse with Old Presque Isle Lighthouse</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Though the actual sunrise was obscured by a narrow thick band of clouds, I was able to get some photos of the crescent sun as it rose a little higher. <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXCiRaYRUUw/YMU7udg1NrI/AAAAAAAAKMc/6i4YsWjjA10N8TCqaVdylKOO3skpH6uRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s951/b210610eclipse%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="951" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXCiRaYRUUw/YMU7udg1NrI/AAAAAAAAKMc/6i4YsWjjA10N8TCqaVdylKOO3skpH6uRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210610eclipse%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Frustrating band of clouds</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0hw1Vw7JjY/YMU747wgaMI/AAAAAAAAKMo/4ONJt3HeSpY9g4vY8rn4yidf4AOcrU03gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1045/b210610eclipse%2B%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="1045" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0hw1Vw7JjY/YMU747wgaMI/AAAAAAAAKMo/4ONJt3HeSpY9g4vY8rn4yidf4AOcrU03gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210610eclipse%2B%252811%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Clouds thinned to the point that they enhanced the color</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WsJ7gQ_wt3o/YMU74eKJ-PI/AAAAAAAAKMk/ciIBUe1ZXecDkK04X7WSM5PpOCQFI0VYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1095/b210610eclipse%2B%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1095" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WsJ7gQ_wt3o/YMU74eKJ-PI/AAAAAAAAKMk/ciIBUe1ZXecDkK04X7WSM5PpOCQFI0VYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b210610eclipse%2B%252814%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Solar filter required for the clear patch of sky</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-51043478903070149322021-04-05T05:36:00.001-07:002021-04-09T12:39:35.235-07:00Lightning over Lake Michigan 4/5/2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgq92ds4SW0/YGsAVbVkpTI/AAAAAAAAJ6c/HMvxk9lU5AIVfQj2tY-KHfil1JMeYCvqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1076/blog210405lightning%2B%25287%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1076" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgq92ds4SW0/YGsAVbVkpTI/AAAAAAAAJ6c/HMvxk9lU5AIVfQj2tY-KHfil1JMeYCvqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog210405lightning%2B%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> An unexpected thunderstorm woke me up around 5 am today as it rolled in off of Lake Michigan. The cloud-obscured flashes were nearly continuous before the storm crossed the shoreline. As the storm got closer the frequency of the lightning diminished but the bolts themselves became visible.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Maf_wWjzp6E/YGsArbn7LBI/AAAAAAAAJ6k/CcAL4SsS8tADJPpilVwDQzXAD4gVzTzIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1089/blog210405lightning%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="846" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Maf_wWjzp6E/YGsArbn7LBI/AAAAAAAAJ6k/CcAL4SsS8tADJPpilVwDQzXAD4gVzTzIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog210405lightning%2B%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9XTp_kEMDY/YGsAr_bNipI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/P6o_sZVvBcsJokEDEl8nT21OKGEKzRJWACLcBGAsYHQ/s1168/blog210405lightning%2B%25284%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9XTp_kEMDY/YGsAr_bNipI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/P6o_sZVvBcsJokEDEl8nT21OKGEKzRJWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog210405lightning%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p> Below the map from Lightningmaps.org shows the strikes in my area during the storm.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twxhfIvICOU/YGsA2WLnC4I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/8PckjJB7ZE8zGcUEZtRenxEB1FGLKNQnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1282/bloglightningmaps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1282" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twxhfIvICOU/YGsA2WLnC4I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/8PckjJB7ZE8zGcUEZtRenxEB1FGLKNQnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bloglightningmaps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-19801932684671254322020-12-20T16:51:00.008-08:002020-12-20T16:54:30.400-08:00Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction T minus One Day 12/20/2020<p> Tomorrow, Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in our solar system will reach a geometric configuration that will make them appear nearly aligned as seen from Earth. The spectacular sight will have the two planets only 6 minutes of arc from each other. That is a distance of roughly 1/5 of the Moons apparent diameter. Both today and tomorrow were forecast to be 100% overcast. But after a text from my friend Tim Bresnahan concerning the celestial event, I noticed a break in the clouds which had the possibility revealing the two gas giants. It took me about 5 minutes to gather and set up camera, lens, lens plate and tripod. The strip of clear sky exposed the planets for a total of 3 minutes during which I snapped off 34 photos at various exposures. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYyEadk-_3Q/X9_vrJnmBbI/AAAAAAAAJz0/p-siKXCUfy4bPltEfRBeHAVDGJ9M31OkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s863/blog20201220JupSat%2B%252826%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="863" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYyEadk-_3Q/X9_vrJnmBbI/AAAAAAAAJz0/p-siKXCUfy4bPltEfRBeHAVDGJ9M31OkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20201220JupSat%2B%252826%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> In the photo Jupiter being larger and closer appears brighter, while dimmer Saturn's rings give it an elongated shape. Today the planets were seperated by 8 minutes of arc.</p><p><br /></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-44664212350975269632020-11-02T14:54:00.001-08:002020-11-02T14:54:36.094-08:00The Gales of November Come Early 11/2/2020<p> <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW6OqJ3F4wM/X6CIMsGSW5I/AAAAAAAAJtQ/gdyPc-yz3UgIQj3M6wOYFuofLt6pGn9AwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_3868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW6OqJ3F4wM/X6CIMsGSW5I/AAAAAAAAJtQ/gdyPc-yz3UgIQj3M6wOYFuofLt6pGn9AwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Gales weren't exactly predicted, as the forecast was for winds of <i>only</i> 25-35 mph with occasional gusts over 40. Gales are technically winds in the 39-46 mph range. What I've found out since moving to the lakefront, is that I can usually get winds about 25 mph higher than what is predicted. Yesterday even exceeded that, when I had a sustained wind of 68.7 mph and a gust of 82.5 mph. </div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xGa3RgLUivk/X6CItw10vpI/AAAAAAAAJto/mz0DBoZj-Io52VXoPq_JnpL6iU9VhJ4jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_3867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xGa3RgLUivk/X6CItw10vpI/AAAAAAAAJto/mz0DBoZj-Io52VXoPq_JnpL6iU9VhJ4jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3867.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> I went through the data on my weather station monitor and found between 3 AM and 8 PM, the wind reached 59.9 mph or higher 121 times. Eight of those times were between 70 and 77 mph and occurred between 7:19 AM and 1:45 PM. But even those were topped by the category-1 hurricane force gust of 82.5 mph that happened at 11:09 AM. <div><br /><div> I was a couple of hundred miles from home all day but monitored the conditions by computer and an app on my phone. It would have been stressful to be here to hear the screaming wind as the roof shingles held on for dear life. I did lose a little patch of shingles but I didn't lose a single tree or even a large limb.<br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-63549600158285985292020-10-04T18:34:00.005-07:002020-10-04T18:34:54.157-07:00Lake Michigan Waterspout 9/28/2020<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vi_O9GpwIwA/X3p28XGdFRI/AAAAAAAAJog/7GOwtW6Ti28XGty0ExPICO_6k2Rhbq_EwCLcBGAsYHQ/s706/blog20200928waterspout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vi_O9GpwIwA/X3p28XGdFRI/AAAAAAAAJog/7GOwtW6Ti28XGty0ExPICO_6k2Rhbq_EwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200928waterspout.jpg" /></a></div> Last Monday I spotted my first Lake Michigan waterspout. I was kind of surprised to see the spout because they usually form when cool air passes over relatively warm water. There was only a couple of degrees difference between the 63 F water and the 60 F air. <p></p><p> Later in the week waterspouts were forecasted to be likely on Lake Michigan but all I saw was an early morning rainbow on Friday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPgFNMFg4UI/X3p4HvzBXMI/AAAAAAAAJos/INd4C6pIjUwiyE98oq_m9_8HXMScU0i2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1008/blog20201002yard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPgFNMFg4UI/X3p4HvzBXMI/AAAAAAAAJos/INd4C6pIjUwiyE98oq_m9_8HXMScU0i2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20201002yard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-12328481727637458142020-07-24T12:09:00.001-07:002020-07-24T12:09:34.010-07:00NEOWISE Closest Approach 7/23/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-769LtBdu-6I/XxsuZN_CxbI/AAAAAAAAJdo/aVLMiLCHnOYyBRVBQDqZOiMPVyiydurfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200722comet%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="878" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-769LtBdu-6I/XxsuZN_CxbI/AAAAAAAAJdo/aVLMiLCHnOYyBRVBQDqZOiMPVyiydurfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200722comet%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Comet NEOWISE had its closest approach to the Sun back on July 3. Since then it has been heading back to the outer solar system but not before making a pass by Earth. On Thursday it reached it closest distance to Earth and I happened to have clear skies.<br />
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Below is the center of the Milky Way Galaxy with the planet Jupiter just above the trees.<br />
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The sunsets on Lake Michigan often end with a green flash caused by the atmosphere's layers acting like a prism to make the Sun's image slightly split into the separate spectral colors. This effect causes blue and green, which have the shortest visible wavelengths, to be the last to disappear over the horizon.<br />
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-3055322580241513142020-07-17T05:35:00.000-07:002020-07-17T05:35:02.645-07:00NEOWISE in the Evening Sky 7/16/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Comet NEOWISE has swung around to the evening sky and seems to be holding its brightness as it heads away from the Sun. Last night I was able to get some photos from the yard.<br />
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As I was taking the above shot from my deck I noticed that the ISS was heading toward the general direction that my camera was pointed. I tilted the camera to vertical and let the satellite photobomb the comet. <br />
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-58919859676947241622020-07-14T18:03:00.012-07:002020-07-15T04:31:00.318-07:00Comet NEOWISE C/2020F3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SACGfjs4yOM/Xw5QwCYXtoI/AAAAAAAAJcc/0bzHFwUIaY4qTJm2lzAkay5ABrwoYC8cQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200711comet%2B%252818%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1306" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SACGfjs4yOM/Xw5QwCYXtoI/AAAAAAAAJcc/0bzHFwUIaY4qTJm2lzAkay5ABrwoYC8cQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200711comet%2B%252818%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Behold Comet NEOWISE. Not since 1997 when the great Comet Hale-Bopp appeared have I been able observe a comet without optical aid. That 23 year gap exceeds the typical 10 year gap between great comets. NEOWISE probably doesn't qualify as great but it does break the drought of prominent naked-eye comets which the northern hemisphere has been mired in.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNfooZHeRF4/Xw5QvgnWvHI/AAAAAAAAJcU/5Cd0PV8eSMMUmkGfCBEUiHZlnhvWVqzVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200711comet%2B%252828%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="514" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNfooZHeRF4/Xw5QvgnWvHI/AAAAAAAAJcU/5Cd0PV8eSMMUmkGfCBEUiHZlnhvWVqzVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200711comet%2B%252828%2529.JPG" width="208" /></a></div>
Saturday morning I was able to drive up to a location 370' above Lake Michigan to observe and photograph this stunning outer solar system interloper.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GWTwkRjpW8/Xw5Qv_0M2SI/AAAAAAAAJcY/YHh1igfekzIy0PzrMLnxV4sFU59JVwGnACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200711comet%2B%252823%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1084" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GWTwkRjpW8/Xw5Qv_0M2SI/AAAAAAAAJcY/YHh1igfekzIy0PzrMLnxV4sFU59JVwGnACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200711comet%2B%252823%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Although this apparition of the comet thus far has favored the early morning hours, it is moving north and west and as of today it is best viewed in the northwest after sunset. Due to gravitational perturbations from the major planets, this visit to the inner solar system will increase the comet's period from 4500 years to 6800 years. You can check it out now or wait until the year 8820. <br />
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-34041205578701771582020-05-04T04:41:00.002-07:002020-05-21T18:26:37.766-07:00Distortion Ship 5/3/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DMkntkcX6Ck/Xq_6mGs1yUI/AAAAAAAAJKw/QOFS2IHfFVAgKsA8sm2diLJC3Onye3D-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200503yard%2B%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="972" height="169" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DMkntkcX6Ck/Xq_6mGs1yUI/AAAAAAAAJKw/QOFS2IHfFVAgKsA8sm2diLJC3Onye3D-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200503yard%2B%252813%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The big lake was creating surreal optical effects with the atmosphere again yesterday morning.<br />
Lake freighter the Kaye Barker was several mile off shore when I noticed that it looked like it was transporting a small lighthouse on its front end. A few minutes later the lighthouse feature was gone as was the smoke stack toward the back of the ship.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKb18BpXOrs/Xq_6mCmGmpI/AAAAAAAAJK4/giEy_IoOnBI66_swSHhgEgHyf50IckdvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200503yard%2B%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="886" height="183" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKb18BpXOrs/Xq_6mCmGmpI/AAAAAAAAJK4/giEy_IoOnBI66_swSHhgEgHyf50IckdvACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200503yard%2B%252814%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Below is a photo that shows a truer shape of the Kaye Barker.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9Qu9LjB60o/XscqFyHZxrI/AAAAAAAAJVw/pkSZxlrRYEU3Y_SvU9WVUcExw44vpCCkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200521yard%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1600" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9Qu9LjB60o/XscqFyHZxrI/AAAAAAAAJVw/pkSZxlrRYEU3Y_SvU9WVUcExw44vpCCkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200521yard%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-57028928839195998592020-04-27T07:54:00.000-07:002020-05-04T04:47:27.200-07:00Moon, Venus and the Lights Across the Lake 4/26/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e48Lh8ToHnM/Xqbr2AHYFPI/AAAAAAAAJHc/5Ps0dni-otcoKs4-X7sfBxCrvYOlOvVTACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1016" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e48Lh8ToHnM/Xqbr2AHYFPI/AAAAAAAAJHc/5Ps0dni-otcoKs4-X7sfBxCrvYOlOvVTACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In yesterday's post I mentioned that the atmospheric conditions that make the city lights from Sheboygan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin visible from the east shore of Lake Michigan occur a couple of times per year. That was based on the number of times that I happen to view them while I drove to work over the past few years. But now that I live on the lake shore and have a relatively dark sky, it seems that the phenomena occurs much more frequently as I saw it two nights in a row.<br />
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As we saw yesterday, the shape-shifting of the sun as it set made it apparent that some atmospheric shenanigans were at hand. The two lingering bright stripes in the photo below were as bright as the sun had been as it was setting, but this photo was taken 3 minutes after the sun went down.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOlicAk5I04/Xqbr1fJh79I/AAAAAAAAJHU/tWeoXXOknlcrFNy35auNXny5UrCNefVKQCEwYBhgL/s1600/20200426sunset%2B%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1600" height="189" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOlicAk5I04/Xqbr1fJh79I/AAAAAAAAJHU/tWeoXXOknlcrFNy35auNXny5UrCNefVKQCEwYBhgL/s320/20200426sunset%2B%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The lead group of 40 Starlink launch 7 satellites made a dimmer passage at a lower elevation than they did on Friday. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXU-5bp7T-0/Xqbr2mIxJEI/AAAAAAAAJHo/l1d5fAL_nsI8pcgNmkEqiwQ5A1x1u9eGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1210" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXU-5bp7T-0/Xqbr2mIxJEI/AAAAAAAAJHo/l1d5fAL_nsI8pcgNmkEqiwQ5A1x1u9eGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starlink Satellites</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0OqSfv4HGI/Xqbr1BTivOI/AAAAAAAAJHQ/ZyvtmzV1be0-51JesWmQhRC9Adlne2H-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="1151" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0OqSfv4HGI/Xqbr1BTivOI/AAAAAAAAJHQ/ZyvtmzV1be0-51JesWmQhRC9Adlne2H-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%252810%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orion to the left, Taurus to the right, flanking the Moon and Venus</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkZs4nigKnU/Xqbr1-PHZDI/AAAAAAAAJHY/dS7LZV_jD-Muab5ze2hHYq0AGC4BB0jqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="954" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkZs4nigKnU/Xqbr1-PHZDI/AAAAAAAAJHY/dS7LZV_jD-Muab5ze2hHYq0AGC4BB0jqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%252817%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orion and the Moon</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haNzRUNmggo/Xqbr2fEEW1I/AAAAAAAAJHg/wfrMvw3Afo0W2jPEo0qhF0zug0imsf2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="852" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haNzRUNmggo/Xqbr2fEEW1I/AAAAAAAAJHg/wfrMvw3Afo0W2jPEo0qhF0zug0imsf2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%252822%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The head of Taurus the Bull represented by the 'V', and the Pleiades</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMO5bO8QLM0/Xqbr2c15KSI/AAAAAAAAJHk/cJ1kzdCTnFIVTCvtmNjsl8pPoX833xjVACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200426stars%2B%252836%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="852" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMO5bO8QLM0/Xqbr2c15KSI/AAAAAAAAJHk/cJ1kzdCTnFIVTCvtmNjsl8pPoX833xjVACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200426stars%2B%252836%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moon and Venus just before they set.</td></tr>
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-52760333359486866622020-04-26T03:14:00.002-07:002020-04-26T03:58:24.276-07:00Lights of Wisconsin, As Seen From Michigan 4/25/2020<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2KSvM_bLNCk/XqVVV9kMpXI/AAAAAAAAJGY/mRzAzOZ572wfm4W4RT7zJ-BcJf4LYikgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200425wisclights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="913" height="210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2KSvM_bLNCk/XqVVV9kMpXI/AAAAAAAAJGY/mRzAzOZ572wfm4W4RT7zJ-BcJf4LYikgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200425wisclights.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheyboygan is lovely this time of year</td></tr>
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A few times per year from the shores of Lake Michigan atmospheric conditions refract light in such a way as to make the city lights in Wisconsin visible from the Michigan side, 60+ miles away.<br />
The photo below is toward Manitowoc and they could be radio towers.....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BWu5UZcprs/XqVVVxN0_LI/AAAAAAAAJGQ/n4b_BEFSvnAC2BIFoHe0hGNLZTsKwrZrACEwYBhgL/s1600/20200425wisclights2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="908" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BWu5UZcprs/XqVVVxN0_LI/AAAAAAAAJGQ/n4b_BEFSvnAC2BIFoHe0hGNLZTsKwrZrACEwYBhgL/s320/20200425wisclights2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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.....or they could be the taillights of a bunch of cars crashed into a bunch of houses<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPu1bdCZ2gk/XqVZP8cAy2I/AAAAAAAAJG8/nk2A_darW0Uzexy1cMdeo-KbJg9ixWLvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Manitowoc%252Bcar%252Bin%252Bhouse%252B01082019%252B-%252BManitowoc%252BPolice%252BDept%252Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="690" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPu1bdCZ2gk/XqVZP8cAy2I/AAAAAAAAJG8/nk2A_darW0Uzexy1cMdeo-KbJg9ixWLvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Manitowoc%252Bcar%252Bin%252Bhouse%252B01082019%252B-%252BManitowoc%252BPolice%252BDept%252Bphoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I googled Manitowoc at night and this image resulted</td></tr>
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Should have known some atmospheric funny business was in store when the setting sun couldn't decide if it wanted to set or rise.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H4Kt4LACXDw/XqVVViKBQtI/AAAAAAAAJGU/VMwZyxDRxyck0lneZK8fS_aBZ4_6P9CBwCEwYBhgL/s1600/20200425sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1062" height="174" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H4Kt4LACXDw/XqVVViKBQtI/AAAAAAAAJGU/VMwZyxDRxyck0lneZK8fS_aBZ4_6P9CBwCEwYBhgL/s320/20200425sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had taken video of the sunset but when I went to rename all the files in the folder, poof...they all disappeared. Checked all the folders on the computer but couldn’t find them. Then I searched the recycle bin but they weren’t there either. So the remaining photos come from the previous night when similar atmospheric conditions occurred but lack of transparency prevented the city lights from being seen. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2S6lJCnH3M/XqVWAxTiH4I/AAAAAAAAJGo/sfuQ23tIjIcqQdPbWWLLcs6EpvQ2HnDpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200424misc%2B%252817%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2S6lJCnH3M/XqVWAxTiH4I/AAAAAAAAJGo/sfuQ23tIjIcqQdPbWWLLcs6EpvQ2HnDpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200424misc%2B%252817%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rEcYy-KFNE/XqVWAs4oAmI/AAAAAAAAJGk/pIUEWjIDLMQQPCD55ptcke-oigQemENcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200424misc%2B%252818%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rEcYy-KFNE/XqVWAs4oAmI/AAAAAAAAJGk/pIUEWjIDLMQQPCD55ptcke-oigQemENcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200424misc%2B%252818%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEDdlowYtgY/XqVWA0EvntI/AAAAAAAAJGs/uCuEmxZaj-8Vx6UT01sZLvi0u-ezDAgNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200424misc%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEDdlowYtgY/XqVWA0EvntI/AAAAAAAAJGs/uCuEmxZaj-8Vx6UT01sZLvi0u-ezDAgNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200424misc%2B%252825%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-40226468768754521402020-04-25T04:20:00.001-07:002020-04-25T06:26:50.727-07:00Starlink Light Train 4/24/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Since the middle of last year, Elon Musk's company SpaceX has been launching satellites in groups of 60 with the intention of creating a system which will bring high-speed internet to any location on Earth. With the satellites all being launched together, they initially form a tight grouping that slowly separates over time as they reach their operational orbits.</div>
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In the first few days the cluster forms what has been referred to as a 'Light Train' as they cross the sky together in a line. On Wednesday the 7th launch took place and last night they passed over my region.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSTaDRT2NK8/XqQUAFMIRbI/AAAAAAAAJFg/ai42fFU7rG862FT-eID0dC6s2EDJOr0fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog20200424starlink%252831%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1008" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSTaDRT2NK8/XqQUAFMIRbI/AAAAAAAAJFg/ai42fFU7rG862FT-eID0dC6s2EDJOr0fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/blog20200424starlink%252831%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Starlinks rising from the west.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaining elevation above the northern horizon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading east.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disappearing into Earth's shadow.</td></tr>
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Three minutes later the next 20 appeared in the west. These were dimmer because they were further along in their journey to their higher final operational positions.<br />
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As neat as it was to see the light train, astronomers have serious concerns about how this will effect research and astrophotography when the entire system has been deployed. Those of you doing the math at home realize that 7 launches of 60 satellites equals 420. The project calls for 12,000 satellites needed for complete coverage and so far the satellites have been brighter than initially predicted. After the first launch a black coating was tested to reduce reflectivity and the result was negligible. Remember the Moon is the color of asphalt and it casts a shadow at night.Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-9235303955339717622020-04-07T03:18:00.000-07:002020-04-07T03:38:23.356-07:00Freighter Floating on Air? 4/6/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Early yesterday morning the lake freighter Roger Blough appeared to be floating above Lake Michigan as it passed by yard. I don't think it was a Fata Morgana, an optical illusion that usually results in a severely distorted image because it is an inverted image of an inverted image. I think my photo just depicts the ship surrounded in a haze that makes the water the same color of the background sky.<br />
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Another nerdy thing seen from the yard the other day was the International Space Station having a favorable pass over west Michigan last Friday. I was able to get a few photos with my 500mm lens plus a 1.4x teleconverter.<br />
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<br />Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-51390726627591871492020-03-22T17:41:00.000-07:002020-03-22T17:41:16.831-07:00Venus and the Stars of Winter 3/1/2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night after a windy and overcast winter I took advantage of first clear moonless night of spring to get some parting shots of the winter stars as they sink lower in the west each evening. In the photo above Sirius the Dog Star, is the bright one on the left, the constellation Orion is toward the middle to the upper left of the peak of my house and the orangish star to the upper right of the peak is Aldebaran the eye of Taurus the Bull. In a couple of weeks they will be lost in evening twilight not to been seen in a dark sky again until August or September when they'll rise before the morning dawn.<br />
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You may have noticed the jet sneaking into the frame as a streak of light emerging from behind the house peak. Jets weren't the only things interfering with my astrophotography attempts. The photo below shows another jet and two satellites.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jet on left, stable satellite in the middle and a tumbling satellite on the right</td></tr>
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The changing brightness from not visible to bright as Venus is indication the satellite that left the dashed line is tumbling out of control with a period of about 5 seconds. </div>
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In the photo above, the light paths were cropped (and in the case of the tumbler, rotated for composition purposes) to show the differences in the light trails they leave.</div>
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Venus was bright enough to cast a shadow and did a admirable job lighting up the lake during the 30 second photo below.</div>
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Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043919239336183301.post-91776606771883033692019-09-01T05:04:00.005-07:002019-09-01T05:04:53.075-07:00Aurora 9/1/2019 <br />
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Predictions of auroral activity had been all over the local news since mid-week. Friends and relatives had been asking me if I had heard of the pending Northern Lights display. My reply dampened their expectations since the Kp index was only forecast to hit 5 or 6. Besides that the timing of peak activity was supposed to occur when our local area was under cloudy skies. <br />
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Anyway I woke at 4:30 this morning and looked out to see that the sky had cleared. So I checked my favorite website <a href="http://spaceweather.com/">http://spaceweather.com/</a> to see what the geomagnetic conditions were. They indicated a level of Kp 5 which doesn't make for a visually detectable display from my location but my camera can sometimes catch it anyway. So I packed the camera and the dog and headed toward the state park.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly green on the horizon at level Kp 5</td></tr>
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The strength of the northern lights can vary quickly and they did. Fortunately intensity to probably Kp 6 and the display became barely visible to my eye but easily within the range of my camera.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exposure - 30 seconds at f/3.5 and ISO 8000</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telephone pole and sand silo cropped out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milky Way over Lake Michigan</td></tr>
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Mark Wlochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269572195716909641noreply@blogger.com0