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Posy and Pixie

Combine one of the last flowers of the season with a fairy gnome, add a little imagination, and magic can be found on the lanai on a quiet and lovely autumn afternoon. #gnome #hibiscus #lanai #autumn

For the third time since I became a member of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observservers (ALPO), I have a photo on the cover of their publication, The Strolling Astronomer. Mine is the lower, purple, calcium-K light image showing a sunspot so large that it was visible through a solar filter without a telescope.Continue reading “Covered”

To Air Is Human

After working out yesterday morning we decided to air out the house since the outside air was cool, lovely, and low in humidity. Great! We started opening doors and windows, but then stopped. Instead of the fresh, crisp air, the odor of burning garbage wafted through the portals. AAUUUGH! We quickly closed up the house,Continue reading “To Air Is Human”

Fall for Fun

It’s that time of year again, days are shorter than nights, temperatures and leaves are dropping, and soon little goblins and witches will be looking for candy. Can hardly wait! #autumn #halloween

Charmed

I seldom have such fare for breakfast, but it was left over from my granddaughter’s visit last week. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out; they were a way to connect in a small way to someone we don’t get to see nearly often enough. Her visit reminded us once again of the veryContinue reading “Charmed”

Of Bears, Beasts, and Gazelles

During a recent, autumn morning walk, the Big Dipper asterism of the constellation Ursa Major (the big bear) appeared to be standing on its tail. I used the cell phone camera to get this image and then later added the lines between the stars to show the constellation. Two arrows point to pair of starsContinue reading “Of Bears, Beasts, and Gazelles”

Acorn in the Morning Light

While photographing the Sun yesterday morning, I happened to glance downward at the cement pad I was working from. This acorn with its crisp shadow caught my eye, and I just had to pause a moment to photograph it. Though small, it left a big impression. #acorn #shadow #sunlight

Passing Shadow

Yesterday the Moon passed in front of the Sun to produce this partial eclipse which I viewed using the Sunspotter telescope shown at the top. Some western states saw an annular eclipse where the Moon passed through the center of the solar disk to produce a “ring of fire” completely around the Moon shadow. SinceContinue reading “Passing Shadow”

Dolphin Watchin’

A large group of bottlenose dolphins riled the waters by Anna Maria Island while they were either feeding or “courting” during our boat tour yesterday. Either way, we were having nearly as much fun as they were. Well, maybe. #dolphins #annamariaisland #intracoastalwaterway

Unlevel Sea

Combine high tide with southwesterly winds gusting to 30 mph pushing gulf waters through Longboat Pass, and the local, low-lying barrier islands occasionally end up temporarily below the level of the sea. The ocean never remains at “sea level” for long as it ebbs and flows and is shoved about by currents, tides, and wind.Continue reading “Unlevel Sea”