Wow, this threads too empty

[Cazzie]

I took this four weeks ago when the sky was crystal clear and cool.

Jupiter, about a month away from opposition. Io and Europa moons in the upper left, Callisto in the lower right.

Camera: Nikon D550 with 1.25-in adapter and 2X Barlow lens

Telescope: Celestron C-8 Schmidt-Cassegrain

ISO: 400

Manual exposure at f/13 (C-8's set focal stop), 1/60-second exposure on drive mount.

84024

[arfyhun]

Well I like the picture so can I vote 'yes' for more if you are willing to post them. Thank you.

Graham.

[wombat666]

Great shot Caz.
Impossible to get out and about in Oz now, we're well into our COVID Delta wave and in my State entering the third month of lockdown.
Spring is not far off and I will be seriously pissed if I can't get out to the wetlands .................................................. ...................................:encouragement:

[wombat666]

So I decided that some creative thinking was in order and figured that a 5K radius from 'home' could be interpreted as 10K point to point.............that's my argument and I'm sticking too it!
Perfect (but chilly) Winter's day so I took myself off to Cairns Bay around sunset, only 9K from our front door as well.
Worth the hike.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2430x1614q90/r/923/CSwz79.jpg

:encouragement:

[Cazzie]

Loving that shot wombat. Normally I don't shoot in Summer here, too muggy and air quality is terrible, objects bob about in the scope under magnification and real good resolution is bonkers. But we had three days in late July that were unreal good for Summer, humidity levels below 40% at night (unheard of), clear undisturbed air. I got a good shot of the moon during those three nights also. Unfortunately it was not in a full stage, but perhaps one of the best shots of the moons as far as resolution goes I have done. I have been into astronomy since I was a wee lad growing up in a very dark rural county in North Carolina. There was no such thing as street lights and light pollution in those days.

Cazzie, who really does love the night more than the day.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=84119&d=1630059287&thumb=1&stc=1

[wombat666]

Thanks Caz: it's not me at my best but it was great to sneak out and get a few shots and a decent hike in.
Look at the right of the frame about 25% in and you can see a faint view of our property, nestled in a shallow saddle in the treeline.
Living where we do the light pollution is almost zero, humidity is very low (it is the Southern Ocean on our doorstep) and not much in the way of atmospheric interference.
I had given astronomical photography some thought but my partner might do me serious harm if I treat myself to the required kit!
Very impressed by your shots, especially Saturn, while the Moon is very sharp and detailed.
If we ever get out of the current COVID lockdown we hope to get away on a small cruise all the way up the West Coast, very little civilisation and amazing ancient scenery almost all the way up.

A few assorted images so the Photography section won't look so 'empty'.

Sofie decided to get rid of a few sandwich crusts and the Gulls came from both ends of the bay for lunch......or it felt like they did.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2615x1614q90/r/922/Xxw5yf.jpg


My attempts at catching birds in flight need improving, these little boogers (Black Capped Plovers) fly fast and low.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2436x1614q90/r/924/Gu8IH6.jpg

Winter afternoon with very calm waters: I really like catching 'reflections'.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2844x1224q90/r/924/mM1Rb1.jpg

[wombat666]

A couple of shots taken at Bridgewater Bay in Winter, appropriate as today is September 1, the first day of Spring.
One of my happy places as it is a little difficult to find unless hiking is one's thing.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2296x964q90/923/cLGCYI.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2296x1113q90/924/49Pn75.jpg

[wombat666]

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2844x1188q90/r/922/5bbRlZ.jpg

Crazy birds these Corellas, especially when these red berries appear (and no, I have no idea of the name of the plant!).
This shot is a small section of the fence along our back garden, Corellas are a native species that are all over the Peninsula and are pretty much our 'Cockie Clowns'.
We get hundreds of them at a time and they usually provide a laugh, I've seen them attempting to 'land' on our Eureka flag when the wind blows it straight out, the only success has been one that ended up attached to the bottom edge upside down.
Sofie used part of this shot for Christmas correspondence, she decided red, white and green was the right colour combination.

[wombat666]

Gunamatta Surf Beach looking toward Cape Shank through a haze of Sea Mist.
All in pastel colour shades.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2436x1614q90/r/923/16sGn0.jpg

[wombat666]

A sunny day made for a run around the back roads and time out to take a few Ocean View shots.
Of course the tide was on the turn and I was well outside my restricted zone but sometimes one needs the therapy.
This is 'Mushroom Reef' with the tide about 50% of the way in, not a great shot but I like it.
:biggrin-new:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2844x1368q90/r/924/k8QssV.jpg

[wombat666]

Surf's up at Gunamatta which is why there are no 'Tradies' available on the Peninsula after 3:PM if you need one!!!!!

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2844x1496q90/r/923/SrUCAn.jpg

[wombat666]

Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron on Port Phillip.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/2844x1049q90/r/922/v7JZRv.jpg

[huub vink]

Although I have a nice Nikon, I now normally take my pictures with my phone. I have it always with me and it makes reasonable pictures. I walk and cycle a lot and there is always a reason to take a picture.

The big house in Elswout. It was build for the last of the Borski family in his line, who died before the house was finished (early 19th century). As he didn't have a wife or children, nobody has ever lived in this house. It's currently housing exclusive offices. The beautiful park around it, is public area.
https://i.imgur.com/wuhhsJz.jpg

The lighthouse from my village and the statue of Janus. The rain shower came before I was home again.
https://i.imgur.com/8zBYNTX.jpg

The North Sea, with a single seagull
https://i.imgur.com/NoTqsjG.jpg

The North Sea again. The white foam is cause by dead algea (Phaeocystis globosa). Its a natural thing which happens every spring.
https://i.imgur.com/kiCnwRv.jpg

Cheers,
Huub

[wombat666]

I like the North Sea with the 'Phaeocystis globosa' Huub, we get something that looks similar but we knew as 'Sea Soap Suds' as kids. :biggrin-new:
Always good to see other peoples images,
And what is Janus doing in a Dutch sea side town? IIRC 'Janus' was the Roman god of war, or was he interchangeable with 'Mars?'

[huub vink]

I like the North Sea with the 'Phaeocystis globosa' Huub, we get something that looks similar but we knew as 'Sea Sop Suds' as kids. :biggrin-new:
Always good to see other peoples images,
And what is Janus doing in a Dutch sea side town? IIRC 'Janus' was the Roman god of war, or was he interchangeable with 'Mars?'

The statue from Janus is actually a fountain. Janus is the god of begin and end and has two faces. One looking to the past and the other to the future. This statue has faces on both sides as well.One side the face represents the sun and the other side represents the moon. The month January is named after this god. The origin of this God is most likely linked to the solstice.

Mars was the Roman god of war and Ares was the Greek god of war. As Janus was both linked to past and future, people prayed for him when the people wanted to thank for the good things they received or for his protection in the future, like with marriage and birth.

I took the picture below to do something artistic things with it, to have something nice and recognisable for the hall (its the sun side). But as often my wife didn't like it :biggrin-new:

Cheers,
Huub

https://i.imgur.com/GWIkeig.jpg

[wombat666]

Spring and our resident Crimson Rosellas are hogging the free food supply.
And we're out of the Lockdown!

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1200x1300q90/r/923/R48g3s.jpg
Mature female.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1200x1300q90/r/924/QeStW6.jpg
Juvenile.

[Greenhouse357]

Nice shots Wombser and beautiful birds!

[Cazzie]

Loving the photos mates. This is one I took of an Indigo Bunting at the feeding post. I took this with my iPhone 12. Pretty good cameras on these devices.

85178

[wombat666]

Beautiful bird Caz and a pretty decent shot from a phone camera!
I have an i13 but I doubt I'll be using the camera function.
Then again, never say never.
:encouragement:

[huub vink]

Beautiful pictures from beautiful birds. The Eurasian Jay is about as colourful you can see them here.

As Cazzie said, the cameras on mobile phone are getting pretty good. In my work I take hundreds of pictures. In the past I had small handy cameras like a Panasonic Lumix, I think these are completely replaced by the cameras in cell phones. As I'm normally "on call" I always have my cell phone with me.

Although the camera in my cell phone is always ready to use, but I agree with Wombat, it certainly has its limitations. However when I want to make pictures with my Nikon, I have to take the camera with me and in practice this means I have a backpack filled with camera, lenses, flasher and filters with me. So I only use my Nikon when I have actually planned to take pictures.

Pictures like those by Wombat of the Crimson Rosellas, can hardly be taken with a cell phone, as it will always try to make an overall sharp image (which surprised me with Cazzie's picture) While with a telephoto lens it is much easier to "highlight" the subject and "blur" the background. Zooming-in with cell phone is just enlarging the pixels in most cases anyhow.

Cheers,
Huub

[huub vink]

Sunrise at work

https://i.imgur.com/o8ZlmGA.jpg

A misty evening

https://i.imgur.com/lr6TkdW.jpg

Cheers,
Huub

[Ferry_vO]

Though I usually bring my DSLR with me on a day out, I do like this shot take with the wide angle lens on my Huawei phone:

https://i.imgur.com/kZfqGMr.jpg

[wombat666]

We do get nice days in Autumn, provided the current low pressure system dumping on NSW and Qld. stays away.
Another 'I don't do sunsets' images.
I do like daylight saving time!
BTW a really nice shot Ferry and you've given me a new idea.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1384x1038q90/r/924/xtOXEY.jpg

[Ferry_vO]

A few snaps from our holiday in the north of the Netherlands in June:

https://i.ibb.co/711cKgp/2U8A2501.jpg (https://ibb.co/z44cZ82)

https://i.ibb.co/2y4wpJx/2U8A2527.jpg (https://ibb.co/zrv1tdp)

https://i.ibb.co/Y3CXFYp/2U8A2558.jpg (https://ibb.co/s2fCdky)

https://i.ibb.co/yVLM3Zn/2U8A2582.jpg (https://ibb.co/QXsq5TF)