Even though Autumn has officially begun, temperatures have been unseasonably mild. Some of us that live here like to take advantage of it by savoring the final remnants of Summer.
A bon fire on the beach is one way to enjoy this special time, and they almost always happen spontaneously.
This past October 5th was no exception and it was enhanced by a rising Harvest Moon.
With 2 tropical systems topping off our summer season, it’s been a relief to see the past several weeks of unusually warm, dry weather. I’ve always loved a nice Indian Summer. For those that live here, it means more time outdoors doing what we enjoy.
Right before the cold seasonal weather set in, I made my way out to the beach to take in the end of another beautiful day.
Driving out over Ramp 23 near Salvo, I was struck at the scene before me, and I had to take a picture. The beach was nearly empty, except for a couple with a camper out fishing. I’m sure for them, life was good.
Once the sun had completely set, I broke out my camera with a 30 mm lens on a tripod. I stopped down to f/22 and made some bracketed time exposures. This shot had the shutter open for 3 seconds.
Happy Thanksgiving, wish you were here.
A few weeks ago, I started hearing a lot about a comet. It was first seen by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy last August. Officially called C/2014 Q2, the comet appears a dim, hazy ball to the naked eye. It’s not too difficult to find it with a decent pair of binoculars. There are some good sky charts online to help locate Comet Lovejoy.
Orion makes a good reference point. For me the comet was high in the sky during clear, dark conditions. Over a period of time, it’s movement is evident in it’s changing position in relationship to the stars.
I spotted it one cold night from my yard, and the next evening attempted some photographs. It was hard to line up at first, but I finally got it focused in my viewfinder for some time exposures.
My first shot was taken with a 200mm telephoto and didn’t show a tail.
A week later, when I went to a 500mm lens and increased the exposure, the tail became apparent.
There’s still a week or so to see this spectacle. After that, Lovejoy’s next pass isn’t for another 8,000 years.