setting behind Porcupine Rim earlier this morning. This moon is also known as the Full Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before the Yule. Regardless, it’s cold out there!
(Click on image to enlarge.)
Moonrise reprise...
this evening, about an hour later and a little further northward in its position compared to last night. Full moon occurs tomorrow night, and I’m in a howling mood.
December's nearly full Moon...
rising behind Castleton Tower, aka Castle Rock, early this evening. Just five more days until the winter solstice.
Takeoff into the wind...
from a furtive perch in the four-wing saltbush.
Mature White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys).
Here’s a brave juvenile on the ground. Beware of the hawk!
Upper Castle Valley panorama...
shot this afternoon, showing fresh snow in the La Sals after the last storm three days prior.
Left to right: Adobe Mesa, Round Mountain, the high La Sal Mountains, and Porcupine Rim. (Click on image to embiggen.)
Caught on the trail cam...
Back side of a mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
A badge of nerdiness...
arrived in the mail, a holiday card from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory featuring simple abstract depictions of Mars, the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. Cool.
Get up-to-date regarding the on-going 2020 Mars Perseverance Rover mission.
Here’s an excellent article discussing the watery and sedimentary history of Jezero Crater.
Waxing gibbous Moon...
captured early this evening, 69% full, annotated with the general location of the Apollo landing sites on the illuminated portion.
Apollo 11 — Mare Tranquillitatis — July 20, 1969
Apollo 15 — Hadley/Apennines — July 30, 1971
Apollo 16 — Descartes — April 20, 1972
Apollo 17 — Taurus-Littrow — December 11, 1972
The International Dark Sky Association...
recognizes places that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances in order to protect dark skies, and the Town of Castle Valley is preparing an application to be designated an International Dark Sky Community. I’ve been asked to contribute some astroimages to support the application and I’m more than happy to help.
Star trails above the historic Pace homestead in Castle Valley, Utah (shot June, 2020).
Here’s more about International Dark Sky Places.
The first winter storm...
dropped more than 20 inches of snow in the high country, and 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) of rain in my gauge in Castle Valley. More, please.
Round Mountain (foreground) and the La Sal Mountains lit by alpenglow. (Click image to embiggen.)
Mesas in the mist...
this morning, following a rainy night that deposited fresh snow in the high country.
Click on image to enlarge.
Castleton Tower.
A new lens for astrophotography...
has been added to the quiver, the tack-sharp Rokinon 135 mm manual prime focus f/2.0. I’m eager to shoot the Orion nebula on a cold, clear night. Stay tuned.
Long shadows in the mid-day...
signal the approaching winter solstice in the northern hemisphere.
View towards the northwest from near Castleton, Utah. Yep, another stunning day in Castle Valley.
A trail cam has been deployed...
in a local canyon on a well-worn game trail with frequent deer traffic. We’ll see what comes along.
Trail on the left and the camera on the right.
The mooching rodent...
has returned to the feeding station, vacuuming up bird seed in its cheek pouch on a daily basis.
Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus).
Voracious goldfinches...
working the seed heads in the rabbitbrush.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis).
Same old, same old...
Parriott Mesa on another lousy autumn day in Utah. The winter solstice is still three weeks away.
Three thousand miles...
on the radical RadRover 5 ebike! Still loads of fun.
Depths of the Earth...
by W.R. Halliday is the book that changed my life in junior high school, stimulating me to pursue a life of adventure, exploration and geology.
A regular breakfast visitor...
at the bird feeding stations that’s increasingly habituated to my presence, hence I’m able to get some nice close up images. Cool.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).