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bobharmony wrote: ↑Mon Mar 15, 2021 2:59 am
Last year it was well into Summer before the local hawks came around to have their photos snapped while soaring. I'm hoping they won't be as shy this year as I was able to catch this one on Thursday afternoon. Lots of lazy circles overhead and several passes.
Bob
Had a hawk swoop through the back yard low yesterday as I was out there. He curved up and landed in a tree not 30 yards from me. Did not have my phone nor camera ready. Went to get the camera and when I came back out he flew off.
Still a cool sight!
Tom
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Dante's View overlooking Death Valley.
If you've ever visited Death Valley and skipped out on Dante's View, you are missing out. Many people visit Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental United States at -281' (-85.6m) below sea level. But most people are unaware of this overlook that towers above, Dante's View. It's about 1hr drive from Badwater Basin. It's very impressive, looking down on Death valley from 5,475' (1669m). The family members that were visiting and had never been to Death Valley said this was the highlight of the visit.
Just left of center on the mountain range in the background you can see Telescope Peak. I'm not sure where it got the name from as there are no telescopes up there. Maybe it's because from that peak you are able to see two major landmarks, Badwater basin, the lowest point in the CONUS and to the west, Mount Whitney, the highest point in the CONUS at 14,505' (4421m).
"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
17 years and the cicadas, Hemiptera Auchenorrhyn, came out of the ground today.
Click on image for higher resolution.
I just read about that 17 year cycle a couple of months back. It's fascinating. So the second image, with the wrinkled wings, is that just because the wings have not been fully pumped out yet or do some have these "vestigial wings" I know some other winged insects sometimes produce that.
Ugly blighters though! Thanks for sharing.
David
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
17 years and the cicadas, Hemiptera Auchenorrhyn, came out of the ground today.
Click on image for higher resolution.
I just read about that 17 year cycle a couple of months back. It's fascinating. So the second image, with the wrinkled wings, is that just because the wings have not been fully pumped out yet or do some have these "vestigial wings" I know some other winged insects sometimes produce that.
Ugly blighters though! Thanks for sharing.
David
This one has not completed the metamorphosis. A few hours later the wings were fully formed. There are hundreds and hundreds of small finger size holes in the ground where these cicade have been born into the upper world.
No matter what we may think...there is order in the universe.
17 years they have resided under ground. They arise, mate and in a few days their work is finished and they die.
"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
How is the noise level? We were holidaying in the Grampians in Victoria (Oz) a few years back during a cicada eruption. There were several species competing for champion noise maker: and it was like an explosion in your head every time you went outside: way too loud to be able talk with each other... Fortunately it is quite high pitched, so if you closed doors and windows the noise abated.
Now when my tinnitus gets bad I have something to compare it with: Cicadas = tinnitus x100!
- Dean
(PS: Gotta love those evil red eyes!)
Telescopes: 12" f5 dob, Celestron CPC800, 150mmf5 Celestron achro, Tak TSA102, TV76, ETX125...
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
DeanD wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 12:58 am
How is the noise level? We were holidaying in the Grampians in Victoria (Oz) a few years back during a cicada eruption. There were several species competing for champion noise maker: and it was like an explosion in your head every time you went outside: way too loud to be able talk with each other... Fortunately it is quite high pitched, so if you closed doors and windows the noise abated.
Now when my tinnitus gets bad I have something to compare it with: Cicadas = tinnitus x100!
- Dean
(PS: Gotta love those evil red eyes!)
We live in the deep of an Oak Forest.
The Cicade are only a part of this natural orchestra.
And yes...my tinnitus is readily ignored in the midst of the cicade.
A friend visiting from Dallas Texas woke in a cranky mood. "How can you sleep with all that noise?"
I told him I didn't notice anything unusual.
"I am more than a sum of molecules.
I am more than a sum of memories or events.
I do not one day suddenly cease to be.
I am, before memory.
I am, before event.
I am"
Lunar Eclipse tonight: I got a (literally!) 5 second window through the clouds:
Fujinon XT-1 at prime focus on TSA-102. ISO 6400 3.1 second exposure
Telescopes: 12" f5 dob, Celestron CPC800, 150mmf5 Celestron achro, Tak TSA102, TV76, ETX125...
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
DeanD wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 12:07 pm
Lunar Eclipse tonight: I got a (literally!) 5 second window through the clouds:
Hello Dean,
we call it luck.
Thank you very much for the picture of this, for me unvisible eclipse,
JG
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
Pretty windy where I was. All these pics just come straight out of my Sony HSX400V Camera.
With my ZWO 120 on my scope I cant get the whole moon in my pic.... Phill
Attachments
Phill. Dreaming of Clear Skys ....
SCOPE : Skywatcher 120X600 ST Achromatic Refractor.
EP's : 25mm & 10mm Plossl , Celestron 8/24mm Zoom EP,
Filters : Solar filter, Badder Fringe Killer & Moon/Skyglow.
MOUNT : Skywatcher Star Discovery goto Mount.
CAMERAS : ZWO 120 asi MC. / Sony HX400V 50X Zoom.
Binoculars : Saxon 10x50
6" F/5 Sky-Watcher achro, 2" BBHS Star Diagonal, 2" zenith prism, 1.25" Takahashi prism Leica 82mm APO Televid Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)