Trixology

Weather => General Weather Discussion => Topic started by: elagache on September 25, 2019, 10:57:06 PM

Title: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: elagache on September 25, 2019, 10:57:06 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

We are officially in astronomical Autumn, so the time has come to turn the page and start a new thread for photos of the changing weather behind our weather instruments. This morning we had some clouds from a weak disturbance create this display:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Zb5Kv5m/0/b7afdd65/XL/Thin%20clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20at%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Zb5Kv5m/A)

As always, this thread is for everyone on the WeatherCat forum, so don't hesitate to keep an eye on your weather instruments and keep your camera handy! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/camera_small.gif)

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: bcurry on September 28, 2019, 11:21:13 AM: Red Sky in morning - the sky behind my anemometer...

(http://www.billcurry.ca/weather/anemometer.jpg)
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on September 28, 2019, 04:05:54 PM: Gorgeous photo, Bill.Thanks for sharing.
Title: Thanks for sharing! (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on September 28, 2019, 10:09:56 PM: Dear Bill, Blick, and WeatherCat shutterbugs, . . . .

Quote from: bcurry on September 28, 2019, 11:21:13 AM
Red Sky in morning - the sky behind my anemometer...

Great shot Bill!! [tup] Thanks for sharing!

The seasons are definitely changing and I'm sure you are starting to see the first signs of winter storms. I hope you and your station are ready for it!

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: A bit more color before dawn. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on October 07, 2019, 11:03:12 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

The sun is now rising about 1/2 a hour after I get up. It is just the start of the season for colorful cloud effects behind my anemometer. This morning was just a teaser:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3GDCLQJ/0/7be75c74/XL/Fiery%20dawn%20cloud%20behind%20anemometer-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3GDCLQJ/A)

Definitely not as pretty as Bill's photo, but Bill has the advantage of a higher latitude. Photos I won't be able to take for a month are ready "knocking" on Bill's door.

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: 1-1/2 days without electricity. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on October 29, 2019, 09:19:22 PM: Dear WeatherCat faithful,

We had a "historic" off-shore wind event starting Saturday night. It even set a new wind gust record at Canebas weather station:

(http://www.canebas.org/misc/Capto_images/Highest%20recoreed%20wind%20gust%20at%20Canebas%202019-10=29.png)

As threatened, PG&E cut off our electricity late in the evening of Saturday the 26th. We were without electricity all day Sunday and most of the day on Monday. Fortunately, the new generator shouldered the task of powering the refrigerator, upright freezer, and a few other small things during the daytime. Alas, that didn't resolve the issue of cooking since we have an all-electric kitchen. So I cooked outside on the propane camp stove I bought 20 years ago. It was quite chilly in the late evenings and early mornings!

I did try to capture some photos of the occasion. Here is an "old school" attempt to capture the wind as the blurring of the branches and the anemometer:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-rkV4Lg6/0/dd6aae6a/XL/Branches%20swaying%20in%20strong%20winds%20behind%20anemometer-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-rkV4Lg6/A)

For all the hardship, we still ended up with some fires. The Kincade Fire continues to burn in the North Bay. On Sunday there was a fire in the adjacent town of Lafayette that forced some evacuations and damaged some structures. As a result, this morning we had a smoky sunrise:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-qC9tDTV/0/eb495458/XL/Sun%20through%20smoke%20behind%20anemometer-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-qC9tDTV/A)

We are expecting another off-shore wind event tonight into tomorrow. However, it isn't expected to be as severe and PG&E has decided to leave our electricity on. Unfortunately what we desperately need is some rain to dampen the critically dry vegetation. So far still no rain as far as the forecasters dare conjecture.

Such are da' conditions that prevail in California, . . . . .

Oh well, . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on October 30, 2019, 02:32:49 PM: Thanks for letting us know how you are weathering the fires and electric mains issues. Stay safe.
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on October 30, 2019, 02:56:24 PM: We set a new all-time low temperature record for the month of October for 2 consecutive nights: -8?F (-22?C) the night before and -11?F (-24?C) last night. The old monthly record was 10?F (-12?C) so the current arctic weather has not previously been experienced here in October. We've received 19 inches (48 cm) of snow this month. This is good start to our water year, but it's obviously way too early to know how that is going to turn out. Still way too dry in the western United States.

You can see the sun shining on my ISS in the lower left corner as I hang out a window to capture this winter wonderland shot for my fellow WeatherCatters.
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on October 30, 2019, 03:49:01 PM: Do you have a B & B license?! What are your rates? ;D I guess if I have to ask, I can't afford them? [rolleyes2] [blush]
Title: Thanks for sharing a bit of winter (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on October 30, 2019, 10:26:41 PM: Dear Blick, X-Air and WeatherCat faithful,

Quote from: Blicj11 on October 30, 2019, 02:32:49 PM
Thanks for letting us know how you are weathering the fires and electric mains issues. Stay safe.

Thanks for the positive wishes. Definitely trying times here in California.

Quote from: Blicj11 on October 30, 2019, 02:56:24 PM
. . . . .
This is good start to our water year, but it's obviously way too early to know how that is going to turn out. Still way too dry in the western United States.

You can see the sun shining on my ISS in the lower left corner as I hang out a window to capture this winter wonderland shot for my fellow WeatherCatters.

Glad to hear that your seeing some precipitation and thanks for the pretty photo! [cheer] I definitely wish things were looking more like that here in California!

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on November 01, 2019, 09:19:30 PM: Had our first frost last night (29.7?F at 7:28 am). Almost exactly the "average" date. Got up to get an extra blanket about 5 am. [freeze] Got almost another 3 hours of comfy, warm sleep! ThU32:-)
Title: Waxing to the Beaver full Moon. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on November 08, 2019, 11:51:13 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

Yesterday, we had a fortuitous combination of haze at dusk and the waxing Moon to make this photo possible:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-wSvSxV2/0/867cfd4b/XL/Moon%20and%20clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20at%20dusk-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-wSvSxV2/A)

When the Moon becomes full, it will be called the Beaver full Moon (https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/full-moon-names.html).

Enjoy!

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: A rare warning . . . . (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on December 06, 2019, 10:42:21 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

As this thread demonstrates, not much cloud activity to photograph behind my anemometer lately. This morning was more appealing:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-cCPmv9G/0/3db46bf1/XL/Reddish%20cloud%20band%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-cCPmv9G/A)

We are expecting a significant rain storm for the weekend. Alas, it may be the last for a while. Not much hope in the way of rain for next week and this should be the peek of our rainy season.

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard

P.S. Since I'm not having a whole lot of luck, by all means everyone else feel free to contribute!
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on December 06, 2019, 10:45:59 PM: I heard just this week there was a "huge" storm in the Pacific that would be causing lots of rain in CA (and landslides, of course). Looks like this is moving north faster than east... [banghead]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on December 06, 2019, 11:47:26 PM: So Cal got some nice rain recently; let's hope yo can get some up your way.
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: bcurry on December 11, 2019, 10:37:47 PM: 3 inches (7.5 cm) of fluffy snow and a nice sunset behind my old weather station...

(https://scontent.fyaw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/78599508_2678477168875859_5818215058555011072_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ohc=kzviT3AJZsIAQmxksEvggXN80uahcr5RFHZcxhRQj1VZmOJoKmJ4nrLyQ&_nc_ht=scontent.fyaw1-1.fna&oh=81ed5be2c478e1b39abba22deab6349b&oe=5E817744)
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on December 11, 2019, 11:15:26 PM: I like the fluffy "stuff" above the horizon! [cheer] You can keep the "stuff" on the ground! [freeze]

Our area just hired a new weatherman who claims to have a powerful radar. He says it can actually melt snow while it is falling! After all radar is just a giant microwave, why not use its heating process for the 'greater good'?! ThU5:-)
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on December 12, 2019, 08:25:35 PM: Beautiful capture, Bill. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Beautiful photo Bill! (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on December 12, 2019, 11:55:31 PM: Dear Bill, X-Air, Blick, and WeatherCat admirers of photographic art,

Thanks Bill for sharing that beautiful photo! ThU32:-)

Quote from: xairbusdriver on December 11, 2019, 11:15:26 PM
Our area just hired a new weatherman who claims to have a powerful radar. He says it can actually melt snow while it is falling! After all radar is just a giant microwave, why not use its heating process for the 'greater good'?! ThU5:-)

I dunno' . . . . . In our parts of the country there are people terrorized by the radio frequency radiation coming off of the high voltage power lines and cell phone towers. I suspect that trying to microwave the snow would run into some unexpected resistance. Organized of course by those cell phone toting geniuses who are apparently not even remotely concerned about the radiation being generated by that very device next to their ear! . . . [rolleyes2]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Melancholy solstice (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on December 21, 2019, 12:12:59 AM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

The 2019 Winter Solstice occurs on Sunday December 22nd at 4:19 am UTC. Here is a listing of when it will be happening for towns nearby you:

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20191222T0419&msg=December%20Solstice%202019 (https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20191222T0419&msg=December%20Solstice%202019)

This morning presented me with this ominous sky shortly before sunrise:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3pRqgkK/0/f124ba6d/XL/Cloud%20bands%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3pRqgkK/A)

I find myself drawn to such scenes as they surely would have been experienced by ancient peoples performing their rituals at the start of winter. In the cold of early morning, I feel a connection with those people, certainly cold, suffering from any number of ailments, and wondering if they would survive this coming winter. They certainly had strong motivations to seek whatever spiritual intercession they were hoping for.

We live in times where spirituality and religion are derided and devalued. Under such conditions it is easy to dismiss ancient religions as silly superstitions and myths. Yet are we demonstrating our own wisdom in doing so? After all, undeniably those ancients are our ancestors. If their religious practice was a vain folly - how did humankind survive to bring about our modern world?

I therefore am forced to a somewhat radical position. If human spirituality has ever been of value, it must have somehow always been of value. In so far as it was sincere, a human attempt to connect with forces beyond our control to influence our future must somehow not be in vain. Moreover, the religious traditions of today cannot be seen making ancient faith as vain and empty. Instead somehow the spirituality of today represents the answer to the spiritual longings of ancient times.

In our modern world, there is a curious confidence that reason alone is sufficient to not only assure survival but steer us to happiness. It on that confidence that many dismiss religion has irrational and ultimately more destructive than constructive. Yet, upon what is that confidence founded? Modern science is at best only about 500 years old. The secularization of society is really no more than about a century old. The oldest religious site thus far discovered is G?bekli Tepe (https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6bekli_Tepe) and is at least 12,000 years old. For all of its detractors, religious practice has guided human activities and aspirations for a period at least 100 times longer than our supposedly rational secularized world. It doesn't take much time glancing over the news headlines before doubts set in about exactly how rationally our modern world is managed.

It is said: "there are not atheists in the foxhole." We are facing extremely difficult circumstances: locally, nationally, and globally. Yet, the folly of the secularization of Christmas continues unabated no matter what the somber realities we face. The question should be asked: who's practices are ultimately more in vain: the struggling practitioner of faith?, or the "painted clown" spreading a vacuous insistence of merriment whatever the circumstances? Perhaps we all need to spend a little time in the cold before dawn during this season of great change.

Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on December 21, 2019, 03:09:16 AM: Our modern "wisdom"? Where was that in the launch just a day ago by Boeing that failed to reach the correct orbit because it had an inaccurate clock? It wasn't even a "new" rocket! It was an "old" Atlas 5, been around for over a decade, I think. Of course, "clocks" have been around even before the "space age". But for all the checks, tests and human "wisdom" somehow the clock was incorrectly set!

What are you thankful for this Season? Who do you have faith in?

Don't try to rationalize with
an irrational person...
Title: Soulful existentialism . . . . (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on December 21, 2019, 10:52:00 PM: Dear X-Air and WeatherCat soul searchers, . . . . .

Quote from: xairbusdriver on December 21, 2019, 03:09:16 AM
Our modern "wisdom"? . . . . . .

Before you grumble about bad engineering, consider quandary we find in the foundations of logic. All of human reasoning is formulated on what can be formalized as classical logic. It is the basis of all mathematics and therefore the symbolic language of disciplines like Physics. But wait, classical logic is wrong.

From the uncertainty principle, it can be shown that classical logic makes an assumption not supported by quantum mechanics. As a result there has arisen an alternative logic: Quantum Logic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_logic). Unfortunately, you cannot underpin our modern mathematical machinery on this weaker set of logical postulates. It was true when I was an undergraduate at U.C. Berkeley and I just checked, the inconsistency remains. Point blank, what we propose to understand through logical and mathematics is founded on an internal inconsistency. From a logical point of view, we really cannot validate anything we believe through the machinery of mathematics.

Quote from: xairbusdriver on December 21, 2019, 03:09:16 AM
What are you thankful for this Season? Who do you have faith in?

I would hope that any honest person, no matter how devote in their faith, must accept that human spirituality is also internally inconsistent - and that's absolutely a bad thing. Much suffering has been caused by these conflicts and sadly, more often than not, wisdom does not prevail when it comes to coping with these conflicts.

I have my reasons for believing what I do, but in order to bring coherence to my thinking, I have been forced to basically pull away the threads that band together various belief systems and then attempted to reassemble human spirituality as a sort of continuous narrative going from very ancient belief systems to our present day.

I think we all need to be thoughtful about what we believe in and accept, not only that others think differently from us, but that Descartes' deceiving demon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_doubt#The_Evil_Demon) is present everywhere warping our beliefs. The task before us must be undertaken first and foremost with much humility. Sadly, humility, like true faith, is in desperately short supply these days.

Edouard
Title: Last of the old, first of the new! (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on January 03, 2020, 12:04:20 AM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

I'll never know what will greet my eye each morning. On the 31st of December, this predawn sky was behind my anemometer:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-dn45HCD/0/60a36d6d/XL/Thin%20clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-dn45HCD/A)

While not too threatening, it did have a bit of an ominous feel to it. Perhaps an appropriate end to what was a particularly rough year here in Northern California.

24 hours later this is what greeted me:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3HVNCjL/0/4f5d1721/XL/Luminous%20fog%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-3HVNCjL/A)

Hopeful or not? Unless there is an astrologer in the audience who specializes in foretelling the future from the sunrise, I suspect we all will have to find out what is in store for 2020 "da' ol' fashioned way" . . . by actually living it out! [biggrin]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Sunrise for unsettled weather. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on January 12, 2020, 11:25:44 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

We are headed for a more "unsettled" weather pattern this week. This morning I was greeted by this scene of illuminated clouds:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Fpp2Ft8/0/7d2131f9/XL/Red-Orange%20clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Fpp2Ft8/A)

I thought it was a particularly pretty collection of colors that was worth sharing.

Enjoy!

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Clouds before a placid week. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on January 27, 2020, 10:38:15 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

This morning I was greeted by a placid scene before sunrise:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-DsxLkc4/0/3ee46ed1/XL/Cloud%20bands%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-DsxLkc4/A)

It is expected to be a quiet and surprisingly springlike this week, so I suppose it is an appropriate sunrise "forecast."

Enjoy!

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Snow Moon 2020 (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on February 08, 2020, 09:31:10 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the season's turning,

Tonight is the so called "Snow" full Moon - the first of the new decade. Yesterday I captured the Moon next to my anemometer:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-NRBjr22/0/0ed7e256/XL/Snow%20Moon%20and%20anemometer%202020-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-NRBjr22/A)

Definitely no risk of snow around here, but alas, things remain distressingly dry.

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard
Title: A turbulent sky for turbulent times. . . (Re: Moods of the sky . . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on March 17, 2020, 09:51:57 PM: Dear WeatherCat faithful in these uncertain times,

Yesterday afternoon, we received a notice from our local county health department that we were required to shelter in house until sometime in April. Later that afternoon, I captured this photo of the clouds behind our anemometer:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-fcVcqG8/0/56255803/XL/Clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20sunset-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-fcVcqG8/A)

It definitely captured the uncertain times we find ourselves in. It is certainly a good time to ponder the role of these curious creations called human beings and exactly how did we get ourselves into this predicament. Are we as smart as we portray ourselves? or are we continuing a dance with spiritual forces as old as humans themselves if not time itself?

Thoughtfully, . . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on March 17, 2020, 10:18:49 PM: Edouard, I think this TED Talk (https://www.ted.com/talks/jim_hudspeth_the_beautiful_mysterious_science_of_how_you_hear?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button__2020-03-13) has some details that apply to both your questions. First, it shows the ingenuity, skills and capabilities of the human mind. But I think it indicates that we are so inadequate when it comes to designing what we call life. The more we discover about life, the more amazing it seems, at least to me. Our interests in "weather" shows how little control we have over the "variables" involved in even that part of what we call "nature". Personally, I have more faith in the Creator of this universe than on man's ability to ever understand much more than a small part of it.
Title: Spring Equinox. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on March 19, 2020, 08:47:36 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

I knew the equinox was early this year, but it was even earlier than I thought. It is just a few hours away here in California. Here are all the local times so you'll know when most likely you missed it:

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20200320T0349&msg=March%20Equinox%202020 (https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20200320T0349&msg=March%20Equinox%202020)

This morning I took this picture shortly after sunrise:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-mtf2TPn/0/4f5acfc3/XL/Clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20after%20sunrise-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-mtf2TPn/A)

Between the drought in the west and worldwide corona virus pandemic, definitely turbulent and uncertain times no matter how to slice it, . . . . . .

Oh well, . . . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on March 19, 2020, 09:03:02 PM: Quote
turbulent and uncertain times
Unless you are young and on "Spring Break". [rolleyes2] [banghead] Was I that self-centered at that age?! :o
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: bcurry on March 29, 2020, 11:36:54 AM: Hi all,
I'm cheating with this, but thoughts folks could use the uplift!
No weather instrument in the photo, but this is our view over the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic Ocean.
Have a great day!

"The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out"
The Moon and Venus over the Bay of Fundy, Port Maitland, NS last night
© Bill Curry Photography 2020

(https://www.billcurry.ca/MoonVenus2.jpg)
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on March 29, 2020, 02:31:45 PM: Thanks SOO much! Beautiful!!
Title: Thanks for sharing! (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on March 29, 2020, 10:24:17 PM: Dear Bill, X-Air and WeatherCat faithful,

Quote from: bcurry on March 29, 2020, 11:36:54 AM
I'm cheating with this, but thoughts folks could use the uplift!
. . . .

You are so right! Thanks so much for sharing. Definitely a beautiful shot! ThU32:-)

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on March 31, 2020, 09:39:15 PM: Another winner, Bill!
Title: Sun beating me out of bed! (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on April 06, 2020, 11:28:48 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

It is now a few weeks beyond the Spring Equinox and the sun now rises much further to the North and of course earlier as well. This morning I caught this image:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Ln5tjWJ/0/5ebf6f6e/XL/Cloud%20bands%20behind%20anemometer%20at%20sunrise-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Ln5tjWJ/A)

The sun is now rising behind the pine tree to the left and will soon rise so early that I won't be able to catch photos like this anymore. The sun obviously doesn't mind getting up earlier, but I need my beauty sleep! . . . [bed] . . . . . [biggrin]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on April 07, 2020, 01:11:57 AM: Quote
I need my beauty sleep!
From what I’ve been told, you need a lot of naps to make up for decades of missed sleep!!! [rockon] [sleep] [rolleyes2]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: JosBaz on April 10, 2020, 09:11:33 AM: Love the astro-pic Bill. ThU32:-) One of my hobbies too. this is a telephoto shot from last week showing Venus in the Pleiades star cluster.

Jos
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on April 10, 2020, 02:30:53 PM: Beautiful, Jos! :)
Vincent (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI8fsi_aJ3c)
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: Blicj11 on April 10, 2020, 06:50:34 PM: Thank you for sharing Jos - stunning!
Title: Thanks! Photo details? (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on April 10, 2020, 11:01:19 PM: Dear Jos, X-Air, Blick, and WeatherCat shutterbugs, . . . .

Quote from: JosBaz on April 10, 2020, 09:11:33 AM
Love the astro-pic Bill. ThU32:-) One of my hobbies too. this is a telephoto shot from last week showing Venus in the Pleiades star cluster.

Indeed very nice Jos! The image is particularly sharp!

If it isn't prying, could you tell us some more details of how you took the photo? Camera setup, exposure, and so on? Back in the 1970s and 80s, I was trying very hard to take photos like this when all we had was good old film. Unfortunately while I did my part to keep Kodak, Fuji, and related companies in business, I don't have very many photos I can be proud of! :-[

Thanks for sharing! [cheer]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: mcrossley on April 11, 2020, 12:00:22 PM: Nice picture Jos, I looked but we were clouded out here ☹️
Title: Re: Thanks! Photo details? (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: JosBaz on April 12, 2020, 01:44:54 PM: Quote from: elagache on April 10, 2020, 11:01:19 PM
Indeed very nice Jos! The image is particularly sharp!

If it isn't prying, could you tell us some more details of how you took the photo? Camera setup, exposure, and so on? Back in the 1970s and 80s, I was trying very hard to take photos like this when all we had was good old film. Unfortunately while I did my part to keep Kodak, Fuji, and related companies in business, I don't have very many photos I can be proud of! :-[

Thanks for sharing! [cheer]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]

Hi Edouard,

I'm with you. As a teenager, I also spent hours in the darkroom hoping for a descent picture taken on Kodak Tri-X. [lol2]

I stil have the (low budget) 4-inch Newtonian telescope from those days, and used the (equatorial) mount for this photo.
Picked up this hobby again after seeing what can be achieved now technology has advanced 40 years -- triggered by folks like Trevor at AstroBackyard_dot_com.

The telescope mount allows me to track the movement of the stars. Accuracy is poor, but good enough for my Nikon D600 DSLR with a 200/2.8 telephoto lens. This image (cropped) is the result of stacking 5 images, each with a 3 sec exposure at ISO800.

Since COVID-19 won't let us leave the house anytime soon, I'm working on getting support from my wife to use the holiday budget on a new and better telescope. :P

Jos
Title: Thanks! Stubbornness doesn't always pay off! (Re: Photo details?)
Post by: elagache on April 12, 2020, 10:58:54 PM: Dear Jos and WeatherCat stargazers,

Quote from: JosBaz on April 12, 2020, 01:44:54 PM
I'm with you. As a teenager, I also spent hours in the darkroom hoping for a descent picture taken on Kodak Tri-X. [lol2]

With some extra time around the house, I have been going through my old photos and I still have quite a collection of missed astronomical photos. I tried it all: black and white, color prints, and color slides. Yes, I could fail with any of them! . . [banghead]

Quote from: JosBaz on April 12, 2020, 01:44:54 PM
I stil have the (low budget) 4-inch Newtonian telescope from those days, and used the (equatorial) mount for this photo.
Picked up this hobby again after seeing what can be achieved now technology has advanced 40 years -- triggered by folks like Trevor at AstroBackyard_dot_com.

The telescope mount allows me to track the movement of the stars. Accuracy is poor, but good enough for my Nikon D600 DSLR with a 200/2.8 telephoto lens. This image (cropped) is the result of stacking 5 images, each with a 3 sec exposure at ISO800.

Interesting! My first telescope was a 3" reflector from Edmund Scientifics. However, the mount broke after only about a year. My second telescope was also a 4" reflector, again from Edmund. Honestly I don't know what happened to it.

Quote from: JosBaz on April 12, 2020, 01:44:54 PM
Since COVID-19 won't let us leave the house anytime soon, I'm working on getting support from my wife to use the holiday budget on a new and better telescope. :P

Best of luck in obtaining this particular bit of economic stimulus! [bounce]

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Fog breaking up in the morning light. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on April 13, 2020, 11:16:14 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

The famous San Francisco Bay fog isn't nearly has common as it once was. We are seeing more weather patterns that keep fog away. The most notorious being the off-shore wind events in which winds from the inland deserts blow the marine influence back into the Pacific. These are what our wildfire season are made of. So this morning was a welcome bit of nostalgia:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-SwfnV6B/0/26927bc9/XL/Breaking%20fog%20behind%20anemometer%20after%20dawn-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-SwfnV6B/A)

The warmth of the rising sun was enough to cause the fog to start breaking up producing these pleasant colors. I'll definitely enjoy the fog while I can, we are already on an unusual spring time off-shore wind event.

Enjoy!

Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
Title: Conditions that prevail in the west . . . (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on May 29, 2020, 11:11:04 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

Summer hasn't officially arrived yet, but the hot dry weather has definitely arrived in Northern California. A neighbor’s pine tree is definitely on its last legs and it captures the arid conditions that now prevail in the San Francisco East Bay:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-T9pSwRj/0/c08e2a23/XL/Dying%20pine%20tree%20behind%20anemometer-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-T9pSwRj/A)

Such are the conditions that sadly prevail through much of dry western parts of the United States these days . . . . . . .

Oh well, . . . . . . . Edouard
Title: Goodbye Spring - Hello Summer. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on June 20, 2020, 10:51:50 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

Hopefully most of you were more on the ball on this one than I was. I knew the Summer Solstice was coming, but it was a particularly hectic week and I never had a chance to double-check on precisely the time. As it turns out, the solstice happened while I was answering posting on the WeatherCat forum, so this is already old news. Still I do have a picture to mark the occasion:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Tdszkrf/0/892cc741/XL/Clouds%20drifting%20by%20anemometer-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Tdszkrf/A)

It is what used to be a typical example of the weather in Northern California for June. Fog in the morning giving way to afternoon sunshine. Alas, what was typical isn't anymore. Even the Monterey office of the National Weather Service remarked at surprising lack of fog this year. Without the fog, the temperatures have varied more the high side. It is certainly looking like a hot and dry summer for California and much of the West.

For better or worse, Summer 2020 is here at last.

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Summertime fog. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on August 07, 2020, 11:05:12 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

This morning the fog was just the height needed to poke above our horizon but not completely obscure the sky. It made for a pretty photo:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Mx3RM4F/0/d3cf9551/XL/Fog%20behind%20anemometer%20after%20dawn%202020-08-07-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-Mx3RM4F/A)

This was a fairly typical scene decades ago when the fog would intrude into the inland valleys almost every night. It appears we might get one more week of nostalgia before the weather starts its turn toward the hotter and drier in the transition from Summer to Autumn. Already the nervousness of wildfires is in the local media and our local electricity provider has broached that most disagreeable phrase: "Public Safety Power Shutoffs."

Such are the curious rituals to be found during the California dry season . . . . . . .

Edouard
Title: Surreal result of California wild fires. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on September 08, 2020, 11:13:09 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer and start of autumn. Alas in California, autumn is wild fire seasons and as any scan of the US news will reveal - wild fire season has already started. This morning I was greeted by a very surreal site:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-Cc72zMF/0/59c46962/X2/Sun%20through%20smoke%20behind%20anemometer%20at%207-15am-X2.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-Cc72zMF/A)

While much redder, the sun appeared only about as bright as the full moon at 7:15 am. The cause? Winds are blowing parallel to the California coast and are bringing smoke from a number of fires in Mendocino county - most notably the August complex fire (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6983/). By 7:45 the sun was a bit more recognizable but it was hardly the bright sunshine expected of California:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-qN6z2rL/0/72105c62/X2/Sun%20through%20smoke%20behind%20anemometer%20at%207-45am-X2.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-qN6z2rL/A)

I took one more picture at about 10:10 am:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-Dp2QXGK/0/20d44409/XL/Sun%20through%20smoke%20behind%20anemometer%2010-10am-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sun-through-smoke-behind-anemometer-Oct-8-2020/i-Dp2QXGK/A)

It has been this way all day. It isn't cold, we've exceeded 90˚ F (32˚ C) but it has been a gloomy as a cloudy January day and the forecast is similar for tomorrow.

Definitely a bizarre and surreal period here in California which has also featured rolling electrical blackouts and now Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

Oh well, . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Moods of the sky behind our weather instruments 2019-20
Post by: xairbusdriver on September 08, 2020, 11:17:29 PM: Looks like a sales bonanza for room sized air-cleaning devices. :'( [rolleyes2] My son in San Jose says it's not much better there.
Title: Autumnal equinox - 2020 (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on September 21, 2020, 10:54:33 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the season's turning,

Believe it or not, tomorrow is the Autumnal equinox. You can find out exactly at what time this will happen at your location on this handy, dandy webpage:

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20200922T1330&msg=September%20Equinox%202020 (https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20200922T1330&msg=September%20Equinox%202020)

Alas, here in California Autumn typically starts out as simply an extension of the miseries of Summer. This sunrise shot taken yesterday shows that the smoke hasn't completely departed the scene:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-TMf6P7k/0/89b72d7c/XL/Sunrise%20through%20haze%202020-09-20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-TMf6P7k/A)

Another unexpected side-effect of a run-on summer is the proliferation of spider webs:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-X6VzqJh/0/3b258505/XL/Cobwebs%20in%20rain%20gauge-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-X6VzqJh/A)

With no strong storms to blow these things away, spider webs just get more and more tangled. This leads to a particularly unpleasant situation as the days get shorter. In the early morning light they are difficult to see and so I frequently plow into them while starting the drip irrigation circuits.

Whatever Autumn will bring your way, we'll all have to make the best of it - not much else we can do at this point . . . . .

Oh well . . . . ., Edouard
Title: Wispy clouds before dawn. (Re: Moods of the sky . . . 2019-20)
Post by: elagache on October 07, 2020, 10:49:47 PM: Dear WeatherCat observers of the seasons turning,

Still waiting for any serious change of the seasons here in Northern California, but yesterday there was this pretty scene before sunrise:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-L4XfJVn/0/0040c737/X2/Wispy%20clouds%20behind%20anemometer%20before%20dawn-X2.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Nature/Weather/Sky-effects-behind-weather-instruments-2019-20/i-L4XfJVn/A)

In the meantime we still have smoky skies and marginal air quality. Even in this photo you can see the haze beneath the clouds on the horizon. Such are da' conditions that prevail these days in CA.

Oh well, . . . . . . Edouard