Any grade school kid knows the sky moves. The moon moves . The stars move. What you see at 10 won't look the same at 4. And, yeah, I know that, too. Guess I forgot on January 18th.
Comet Lovejoy, astronomically speaking, is kind of a big deal. It was discovered last August, or thereabouts, and won't be back for another 5,000 years. I may not be around for its return. So, for the last few weeks I've been planning on a Mission Lovejoy: placing camera firmly in hand and recording this unexpected green visitor. Rain, clouds, cold and other earthly things have prevented an outing until finally, with Lovejoy racing away from us every day I decided Sunday morning January 18th was the day.
I needed to get out of the city lights so I planned on an outing to Parrish Florida, or the general vicinity. On the 17th at 10 I went outside and with my iPhone sky app found the star cluster Pleides and calculated the area Lovejoy would be. The plan was to arise at 3:30, check for cloudcover, walk the dog, get my equipment in the car, drive 50 minutes to a secluded spot and to take a picture of Comet Lovejoy.
Before retiring on the 17th I went out and checked the skies. Bright stars and not a cloud in sight. I set my alarm for 3:50 but my internal clock woke me up at 3:30. Got the dog for a walk and looked up - no clouds.
Equipment packed, bodyguard awakened, off to find I-275 South, over the Skyway Bridge, and to little Parrish, Florida which is a small and hopefully dark little place away from city lights. On the approach to Parrish A small road is spied and this looks to be the spot to achieve our mission. Stepping out of the car, however, I noticed that somewhere between Bedlam and this brush of pucker, the night skies had become overcast. Not real heavy, as I could see a star here and there, but enough to make it difficult to achieve any picture taking.
For the heck of it I got my iPhone Sky app and attempted to locate Pleides. Oh, shucks. It was below the horizon, and then it dawned on me, that I had miscalculated just exactly "where" my Lovejoy would be at 5:15 in the morning.
Feeling defeated and embarrassed, I grabbed my equipment, my bodyguard and my hurt feelings and sped off toward home. But I knew I had to do something to make the trip somewhat worthwhile. So I stopped at the rest stop at the base of the Skyway and took a few pictures and then I stopped again at one of my old favorite places from my Shawshank days, the Gulfport pier.
Here are the results of my failed Comet Lovejoy picture taking adventure.
The first couple of pictures were taken at the rest stop on the East side of the Skyway Bridge. The views looking toward the bridge.
The second one shows the welcome building with the sliver of a new moon rising.
The other pictures are from the Gulfport pier as the sun is rising.
More pics later.
Comet Lovejoy, astronomically speaking, is kind of a big deal. It was discovered last August, or thereabouts, and won't be back for another 5,000 years. I may not be around for its return. So, for the last few weeks I've been planning on a Mission Lovejoy: placing camera firmly in hand and recording this unexpected green visitor. Rain, clouds, cold and other earthly things have prevented an outing until finally, with Lovejoy racing away from us every day I decided Sunday morning January 18th was the day.
I needed to get out of the city lights so I planned on an outing to Parrish Florida, or the general vicinity. On the 17th at 10 I went outside and with my iPhone sky app found the star cluster Pleides and calculated the area Lovejoy would be. The plan was to arise at 3:30, check for cloudcover, walk the dog, get my equipment in the car, drive 50 minutes to a secluded spot and to take a picture of Comet Lovejoy.
Before retiring on the 17th I went out and checked the skies. Bright stars and not a cloud in sight. I set my alarm for 3:50 but my internal clock woke me up at 3:30. Got the dog for a walk and looked up - no clouds.
Equipment packed, bodyguard awakened, off to find I-275 South, over the Skyway Bridge, and to little Parrish, Florida which is a small and hopefully dark little place away from city lights. On the approach to Parrish A small road is spied and this looks to be the spot to achieve our mission. Stepping out of the car, however, I noticed that somewhere between Bedlam and this brush of pucker, the night skies had become overcast. Not real heavy, as I could see a star here and there, but enough to make it difficult to achieve any picture taking.
For the heck of it I got my iPhone Sky app and attempted to locate Pleides. Oh, shucks. It was below the horizon, and then it dawned on me, that I had miscalculated just exactly "where" my Lovejoy would be at 5:15 in the morning.
Feeling defeated and embarrassed, I grabbed my equipment, my bodyguard and my hurt feelings and sped off toward home. But I knew I had to do something to make the trip somewhat worthwhile. So I stopped at the rest stop at the base of the Skyway and took a few pictures and then I stopped again at one of my old favorite places from my Shawshank days, the Gulfport pier.
Here are the results of my failed Comet Lovejoy picture taking adventure.
The first couple of pictures were taken at the rest stop on the East side of the Skyway Bridge. The views looking toward the bridge.
The second one shows the welcome building with the sliver of a new moon rising.
The other pictures are from the Gulfport pier as the sun is rising.
More pics later.
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