Aurora at Home Panorama with Milky Way (May 29, 2020)

A 300° panorama of the sky on the night of May 29/30, 2020 with a modest aurora display underway across the north at centre. To the south at right is the summer Milky Way with bright Jupiter rising east of the Milky Way and Antares and Scorpius to the west of the Milky Way. To the west at left over my house is the waxing quarter Moon setting. Cassiopeia and Perseus are at centre. This is a panorama of 11 segments, each 20 seconds at f/2.8 and ISO 800 with the Sigma 24mm Art lens and Nikon D750. Stitched with PTGui.

Along the Terminator of an 8-Day Moon

A panorama along the terminator of an 8-day-old gibbous Moon. Mare Imbrium at top is well-illuminated with the crater Plato at top and Copernicus at centre, and the lunar Appenines and Alps mountain ranges along the east shore of Imbrium. To the bottom are the rugged Southern Highlands with craters Clavius and Tycho well lit. I shot this with the Celestron C9.25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, 2X Barlow, and Canon 60Da cropped-frame camera. Shot May 1, 2020. This is a stitch of 3 segments (top, centre and bottom), each 1/20 sec exposure at ISO 200 and at an effective f/20. Stitched with Adobe Camera Raw. Topaz Sharpen AI (using Stabilize option) and DeNoise AI applied.

6.5-Day Moon with Lunar X and V (60Da Vertical)

The 6.5-day-old Moon (approximately) with the Lunar X (below centre) and V (above centre) formations well lit on the terminator. This phase has an incredible amount of detail and variety of features visible along the terminator. I shot this with the Astro-Physics 130mm refractor, 2X Barlow, and Canon 60Da cropped-frame camera. Shot April 29, 2020. Thin cloud added some sky glow. Topaz Sharpen AI and DeNoise AI applied to sharpen fine detail and smooth noise in the sky. This is a single 1/30 sec exposure at ISO 100 and at f/12. There is a matching version in landscape format with the Moon just squeezing into the frame.

14-Day-Old Moon with South Polar Region Close-up

The 13.7-day-old Moon (a day before Full) with the south polar region tipped toward us in a favourable libration for viewing the southern regions and features. This was April 6, 2020. The large crater, Bailly, is on the southern limb, better seen here than at most similar phases, due to the favourable southern libration. This is a single image with the Canon EOS Ra through the Celestron C9.25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with a 2X Barlow for a focal length of 5,600mm. Exposure was 1/100-second at ISO 400. The seeing was poor this night. The image is processed for higher contrast and saturation to bring out the tonal differences in the maria and the rays from craters such as Tycho at right of centre.

14-Day-Old Moon with South Polar Region in View

The 13.7-day-old Moon (a day before Full) with the south polar region tipped toward us in a favourable libration for viewing the southern regions and features. This was April 6, 2020. The large crater, Bailly, is on the southern limb, better seen here than at most similar phases, due to the favourable southern libration. This is a panorama of 2 segments, each with the Canon EOS Ra through the Celestron C9.25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with a 1.4x Extender for a focal length of 3,300mm. Exposures were 1/100-second at ISO 400. Merged in Camera Raw. The seeing was poor this night. The image is processed for higher contrast and saturation to bring out the tonal differences in the maria and the rays from craters such as Tycho at bottom.

Moon, Venus and Orion over the Old Shed

The evening scene on March 26, 2020 of the setting waxing crescent Moon below Venus which is below the Pleiades star cluster. At top centre is the Hyades star cluster and Aldebaran in Taurus. At left is Orion sinking into the twilight of a spring evening. The setting is the old farmstead near home. This is a stack of 7 exposures for the ground to smooth noise, and one for the sky, all 10 seconds at f/2.8 with the 24mm Sigma lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 400.

Moon and Venus over Icy Pond

The waxing crescent Moon with Earthshine and (above) Venus shine in the evening twilight sky over an icy pond near home, on March 26, 2020. Venus was just past greatest elongation from the Sun, and being spring with the high angle of the ecliptic, Venus was as high as it can get this year in an evening apparition. The Pleiades is at very top. This is a stack of 7 exposures for the ground to smooth noise and one for the sky, all 2.5 seconds at f.4 with the Sigma 24mm lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 200.

The Full Moonrise of March

The rising of the Full Moon on March 9, 2020, (sometimes known as the Worm Moon) with a deer in the foreground, and in a composite of images of the Moon taken 3 minutes apart. The sky and foreground come from the first image with the Moon on the horizon. The Moon was into cloud for the last exposure. I shot this with the Canon 6D MkII at ISO 100 and through the SharpStar 76mm f/5.5 apo refractor.

Lunar X and Lunar V on the 6-Day Moon

The fleeting formations of light and shadow called the Lunar X (below centre on the terminator) and the Lunar V (above centre) on the 6-day-old Moon, on March 1, 2020. Can you see them? For a few hours during the 6-day-old waxing Moon the sunlight illuminates the rims of particular raters to give the impression of an X and a V on the boundary between light and dark—the terminator—where the Sun is rising. The X is formed by the confluence of the rims of craters Blanchinus, La Caille, and Purbach, while the Lunar V is formed by morning light illuminating the rim of Ukert crater. This is a single exposure with the Canon 6D MII at ISO 100 on the SharpStar 140PH triplet apo refractor with a 2X Barlow for f/12. Topaz Sharpen AI applied. Taken through light haze moving in.

Earthshine on the Waxing Moon with Stars

Earthshine lights the “dark side of the Moon” on the waxing crescent Moon of February 27, 2020. Stars surround the Moon in the deep twilight sky. The brightest star is 4.4-magnitude Nu Piscium. This is a blend of five exposures from short to long to preserve detail in the bright sunlit crescent while bringing out the faint blue Earthshine from light reflected off the Earth and lighting the nightside of the Moon. Exposures blended with luminosity masks. HDR and Mean Stacking routines produced edge artifacts, a very noisy sky, and no control over the mask edges and softness to better blend the exposures. All taken with the Canon 6D MkII at ISO 100 through the Astro-Physics 130mm apo refractor at f/6.

Full Moonrise of February with Deer

The rising Full Moon of February 8, 2020, over the Alberta prairie with deer wandering across the field in the distance. This night the Moon rose about 7 hours before the moment of actual Full Moon so it was rising well before sunset, with the Sun still well up the southwest but amid some cloud so it was not directly lighting the landscape. The brighter sky meant that a single exposure could capture the sky without overexposing the lunar disk. This is a panorama of 5 images with the 200mm lens and 1.4x teleconvertor on the Canon 6D MkII camera. Stitched with Adobe Camera Raw,

Full Moonrise of February

The rising Full Moon of February 8, 2020, over the Alberta prairie. This night the Moon rose about 7 hours before the moment of actual Full Moon so it was rising well before sunset, with the Sun still well up the southwest but amid some cloud so it was not directly lighting the landscape. The brighter sky meant that a single exposure could capture the sky without overexposing the lunar disk. This is a single image with the 200mm lens and 1.4x teleconvertor on the Canon 6D MkII camera.

Mercury, Venus and the Waxing Quarter Moon (with Labels)

Here is the line of Mercury, Venus and the waxing quarter Moon across the evening sky on February 2, 2020. This illustrated version shows how the quarter Moon forms a 90° right angle with the Sun (here just below the horizon), which is why it is a quarter Moon phase. When the Moon is 90° from the Sun (either waxing or waning) we see half of its face illuminated by the Sun. When it is 180° away from the Sun we see 100% of its face illuminated in a Full Moon. Mercury and Venus always appear much closer to the Sun, with Mercury never more than about 18° from the Sun. Mercury was at its greatest elongation of 18° on Feb. 10 this year, just over a week after this image was taken. On this evening it was about 15° from the Sun. Venus never gets more than about 47° from the Sun, and its greatest elongation date this year in 2020 was March 24. On this date, Feb 2, it was 41° from the Sun. I’ve indicated those angles, though the actual measured angles on the image are less than those figures, as they should be measured from the camera not from a point in front of the camera as I’ve shown. This is just for illustration purposes! Put your protractors away! This is a single image with the 14mm Sigma lens and Nikon D750. Taken from home in Alberta from a latitude of 51° N.

Mercury, Venus and the Waxing Quarter Moon

Here is the line of Mercury, Venus and the waxing quarter Moon across the evening sky on February 2, 2020. This version shows how the quarter Moon forms a 90° right angle with the Sun (here just below the horizon), which is why it is a quarter Moon phase. When the Moon is 90° from the Sun (either waxing or waning) we see half of its face illuminated by the Sun. When it is 180° away from the Sun we see 100% of its face illuminated in a Full Moon. Mercury and Venus always appear much closer to the Sun, with Mercury never more than about 18° from the Sun. Mercury was at its greatest elongation of 18° on Feb. 10 this year, just over a week after this image was taken. On this evening it was about 15° from the Sun. Venus never gets more than about 47° from the Sun, and its greatest elongation date this year in 2020 was March 24. On this date, Feb 2, it was 41° from the Sun. This is a single image with the 14mm Sigma lens and Nikon D750. Taken from home in Alberta from a latitude of 51° N.

Observing the Moon with Binoculars (Dec 8, 2019)

A selfie of me observing the waxing gibbous Moon in the evening twilight on Dec 8, 2019, using binoculars. I shot this for a book illustration. This is a blend of a long exposure for the sky and foreground and a short exposure for the Moon to retain detail in its disk. With the Canon EOS Ra and 15-35mm RF lens at 35mm.

Waxing Moon and Venus in Twilight (Oct. 29, 2019)

The nearly 2-day-old and very thin waxing Moon in the evening twilight, above Venus which is just above the tree tops at right, about to set. Venus is just beginning a superb appearance as an evening “star” in late 2019 and early 2020. This is a single exposure with the 135mm lens and Canon EOS R camera. No gradient filters were applied here — the sky was very clear with a womderful natural gradient in colours along the horizon.

Aurora Panorama from ms Trollfjord

A 180° panorama from the deck of the Hurtigruten ship the ms Trollfjord, looking northward toward the Northern Lights, as friends Dave and Christine at right gaze at the aurora. This was October 19, 2019, southbound from the coast of Norway north of Tromsø and south of Skjervøy. The Kp Index was 1 to 2 this night. The waning gibbous Moon is low in the southeast at right, lighting the seascape. The Big Dipper and due north is at centre. West is to the left; east to the right. This is a 9-segment panorama with the 15mm lens at f/2 and Sony a7III at ISO 6400 for 0.6 second each and stitched with Adobe Camera Raw.

Exiting Trollfjord by Moonlight and Searchlight

Exiting the narrow Trollfjord by searchlight and under moonlight, on the northbound voyage of the Hurtigruten ferry ship the ms Trollfjord, on October 15, 2019. Capella is at top; Betelgeuse and Orion are rising at centre at the mouth of the fjord; Aldebaran is partly in cloud left of the Moon. This is a luminosity mask blend of two exposures, a 1/4-second shot for the main scene and a short 1/160 sec shot for the bright waning Moon. Both at ISO 3200 and f/2.

Path of the Autumn Waxing Moon

A composite image depicting the path and position of the low waxing crescent Moon of autumn across the southwest evening sky over five nights, Sept 30 to Oct 4, 2019. The ecliptic — the blue line — is always low in the sky at this time of year, placing the Moon and planets low as well in the evening twilight. This was shot from my home in southern Alberta at latitude 50° N. Earthshine is just visible on the dark side of the Moon in the later images. The base panorama image of the sky and landscape is from Oct 1, which also provides the Moon image second from the right. The Sept 30 (farthest to the right), plus Oct 2, Oct 3 and Oct 4 moons (to the left, from R to L) are added in with separate exposures taken from exactly the same spot and with the same camera and lens on the other nights, with those images layered and masked into the Oct 1 sky. The Moon positions are close to the actual positions relative to the horizon and to Jupiter, bright at left. The ecliptic line looks straight but is actually a shallow curving arc. The ecliptic line is correctly placed below the Moon, as the Moon’s path does not coincide with the ecliptic but is tilted 5° to the ecliptic and it was above the ecliptic on most of these nights, but approached and crossed the ecliptic on Oct. 4. Jupiter, however, is on the ecliptic. Antares and the stars of Scorpius are also visible in the deep twilight. The base image is cropped from a panorama of 5 images stitched with Adobe Camera Raw. All with the Canon EOS R and 35mm Canon L lens. While this was taken in early October the field has snow from an unseasonably early snowfall and winter storm which didn’t clear until Sept 30, preventing me from getting the Sept 29 Moon very close to the Sun.

Aurora Panorama from Rotary Park, Yellowknife

A 240° panorama of the Northern Lights from the Boardwalk in the urban Rotary Park in Yellowknife, NWT, on Sept 10, 2019. A waxing gibbous Moon is bright to the south and lights the sky and landscape. Despite the moonlight and city lights the aurora still shines brightly though this was not a brilliant display this night. Kp Index was only 1 or 2. The aurora sweeps across the sky from east to west here, passing high across the south and framing the Moon. The Big Dipper is at far right; the Pleiades are rising at far left. Andromeda is at top left. This is a 7-segment panorama, each segment 8 seconds at f/2 with the Venus Optics 15mm lens and Sony a7III at ISO 1600, Stitched with Adobe Camera Raw.

Orion in Dawn Twilight Panorama

Orion and the winter stars, at right, rising into the dawn sky on an August morning at Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, August 26, 2019. The waning crescent Moon is bright in the clouds at centre. The Big Dipper is at far left. Procyon is in the twilight. Gemini is to the left of the Moon. 70 Mile Butte is in silhouette on the horizon at centre. Taken from the Two Trees Road. This is a 5-segment panorama with the 24mm Sigma Art lens and Nikon D750. Stitched with ACR.

Orion in the Dawn at Two Trees, Grasslands National Park

Orion and the winter stars, at right, rising into the dawn sky on an August morning at Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, August 26, 2019. The waning crescent Moon is bright in the clouds right of centre. The Big Dipper is at far left. Procyon is low in the twilight. Gemini is to the left of the Moon. 70 Mile Butte is in silhouette on the horizon at centre. Taken from the Two Trees Road. The lights of Val Marie are at left. This is a 5-segment panorama with the 24mm Sigma Art lens and Nikon D750. Stitched with ACR.

Orion Rising at Dawn

Orion at right, rising into the dawn sky on an August morning at Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, August 26, 2019. The waning crescent Moon is bright in the clouds at left. Castor and Pollux in Gemini are at left of the tree,; Procyon is rising to the right of the tree. Taken from the Two Trees Road — this is one of the trees! This is a stack of 5 exposures for the ground to smooth noise, and one exposure for the sky. All with the Nikon D750 and Sigma 24mm lens for 15 seconds at f/2.5 and ISO 1600.

Full Moonrise on Apollo 11 Launch Anniversary Night

The rising of the almost exactly Full Moon on July 16, 2019, the 50th Anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11. The scene is looking over a green field of wheat for a minimalist landscape. A few hours before this moonrise, the Moon was partially eclipsed as seen over Europe, Africa and Asia, just about everywhere but here in North America. This is a single exposure with the Sony a7III through the A&M 80mm apo refractor at f/6 (for 480mm focal length), taken after I shot a 6-minute 4K video of the moonrise from horizon to this point. This is shot from the gravel pit hill south of home.