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Posts Made By: Fred Lusk

April 24, 2012 04:44 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

A couple from this weekend - CVA at Fresno State

Posted By Fred Lusk
Every year, the Central Valley Astronomers hosts public solar observing at California State University, Fresno, as part of the university's annual Vintage Days (combination multi-day party and crafts fair). First, here was our "campsite" near the Downing Planetarium on Saturday.

July 14, 2012 05:55 PM Forum: My Favorite WIMP.COM or YOUTUBE.COM

Jetman at the Grand Canyon

Posted By Fred Lusk
http://www.youtube.com/v/WgdIE2t8QkM?

October 29, 2012 06:37 AM Forum: Sports

Whirled Series

Posted By Fred Lusk
As a Giants fan who was able to attend Game 2 of the 2010 World Series, I have to say I can't be more proud of my team.

And, though I really hate to say it, World Series is NOT what Tiggers do best. smile

November 17, 2012 05:45 AM Forum: LUNATICS

The Moon in 2012... hour by hour

Posted By Fred Lusk
This is a pretty cool video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woTCsNNfYEE

February 22, 2013 06:06 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

A Few From The Zoo - Part 1

Posted By Fred Lusk
My wife and I spent a few hours on President's Day at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Here are a few of the inmates. Olympus E-5 + 50-200 f/2.8-3.5 w/ & w/0 1.4x teleconverter.

Rhea -- But not the 2nd largest moon of Saturn.

February 22, 2013 06:31 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

A few from the Zoo - Part 2 (Macaws)

Posted By Fred Lusk
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has two macaws in its Tropical Rainforest enclosure: a Blue-and-Yellow Macaw and a Military Macaw. Macaws are a type of true parrot and are my absolute favorite animals at the zoo. They are easy to photograph because their normal perch is only about 12 feet from the walking path and about 8 feet above. I used fill flash for these photos, partly to bring out the colors in their feathers and partly to get a faster shutter speed which had the effect of darkening the background.

Blue-and Yellow Macaw -- "Nudge, nudge, wink, wink."

March 13, 2013 02:57 AM Forum: Comets

Panstarrs, Comet

Posted By Fred Lusk
I just saw Comet Pannstars in 10x50 binos from 36°50'N. I had to walk a 1/4 mile east to get a better angle with our neighborhood trees, but I found it.

The comet is at the same altitude as the very thin crescent Moon and about 5 to 8 (IIRC) Moon diameters to the south. It is not as bright as Jupiter but it's at least as bright as most of the stars currently visible. I also saw a short tail, maybe on half of a Moon diameter.

April 6, 2013 05:42 PM Forum: N.A.S.A.

NASA's planned asteroid rodeo

Posted By Fred Lusk
"NASA is planning for a robotic spaceship to lasso a small asteroid and park it near the moon for astronauts to explore, a top senator said Friday." http://www.usnews.com/science/news/articles/2013/04/05/senator-nasa-to-lasso-asteroid-bring-it-closer

I don't know about y'all, but this sounds ubercool.

April 26, 2013 09:10 PM Forum: Landscape Photography

Yosemite Reflections and Moonbow

Posted By Fred Lusk
Yesterday I went to Yosemite to do some light hiking in the Valley and shoot moonbows at night. I'll cover moonbows in the next post.

This photo is a reflection of Half Dome in Mirror Lake. Our snow pack this year was only about 50%, so the waterfalls and rivers will peak early this year--probably in early May instead of early to mid June like normal. This means that Mirror Lake won't be a lake in a few months, just a wide spot in Tenaya Creek. It will eventually become Mirror Meadow.

August 17, 2013 06:36 AM Forum: Landscape Photography

Yosemite Miscellenia

Posted By Fred Lusk
I was in Yosemite Aug 2-4 for our club's weekend at the Glacier Point Star Party and last weekend to help Tenaya Lodge (south of the park) with their annual Perseid program. I am going back up tomorrow evening to do some illuminated landscape star trails with Half Dome as the focal point.

I took a few photographs the last two weekends, but far less than usual. Due to last winter's puny 50% snow pack, the waterfalls are not running strongly if at all. In addition, a large fire north of Huntington Lake put a lot of smoke into the air. Fortunately for observing, the smoke was only really noticeable up to about 10° above the horizon.

We will start with Vernal Fall (lower) and Nevada Fall (upper), which are the strongest of the Yosemite Valley waterfall due to their river (the Merced) having a huge watershed that includes sufficient areas with soil to continue feeding the river from soil void moisture. During normal years, this is about what they look like in October.

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