My, how bright you are!

[stolenfeather]

After a full month of overcast skies and endless rain, we finally had a break in the clouds! How do I know that it has been exactly a full month? Well, the last time I was out, the night sky was blanketed with the light of a full moon. Last night? I'll let you be the judge:

Once more, I used my Samsung Galaxy S III (cellphone) to capture this picture. I was reading in my Astronomy magazine how many backyard astronomers are adopting this technology in order to document their outings. Real cameras do take better pictures but you can't argue with their portability and ease of use on the go! So have you tried it yourself? I really need to test this technology against deep space objects. Mind you, I think I already know the answer. It just won't work!

The night sky seems to be slowly returning to us as the days shorten with the beginning of October. The chill is also making the mosquitoes hide. Soon, we shall reclaim the night fellow stargazers!

Jupiter was low on the horizon around 10:00 pm. I attempted to capture it with my camera and phone but both proved to being hazy.

Two of my high school students came by for an astronomy session. Apart from a blinding moon and a hazy Jupiter, I had little to show. I attempted for the galaxy Andromeda but it was too close to the brilliant moon making the hazy cloud of the galaxy hard to see. Better luck next time right?I am very energized by their interest. Both in class and outside, they bombard me with endless questions. It's on thing to "take in" the night wonders but quite another to be sharing it with blossoming "youngster passion".

I really hope it won't be another month before I go out with my telescope and post my findings on this forum. The fact that both entries were on nights when the sky was overwhelmed by the full moon's bright aura is just... well, a backyard astronomer's luck!

Isabelle

[Digz]

A sure fire guarantee for a clear night - a full moon :-D

Nice report and shot. I need to get back out there - if only this cloud and wind would shift!

[Mr Spock]

Hi Isabelle, good to hear you are getting outside finally.

Of course, now the rain and cloud have gone, it won't be long before its -20°C again

[Hawksmoor]

Hi Isabelle

Great moon last night! Our garden was literally awash with moonlight! Glad to hear you are still stargazing. Have now got a date in October for the operation on my spine, so hope to be more mobile soon and get some photos of Jupiter with my new planetary camera some time before Christmas. Currently Jupiter doesn't rise above our garden hedge until 3.00am. Bit late or early for astronomy for me at the moment! My grandchildren bombard me with questions all the time but luckily the oldest is only eight years. At the moment I can usually furnish the answers, must get tricky with high school students, particularly when they can check out your answers on the Internet. best regards George

[stolenfeather]

I hope your operation on your spine foes well Hawksmoor! I encourage the students in asking questions and yes... there are times when I can't answer. When this occurs, I am very honest with them and invite them to look for the information with me. I really try to emphasize that the Internet isn't always the best source for information since long with the brilliant info, comes lots of garbage! 3 am to see Jupiter? I can understand you sleeping during this time. I have never been an "early riser" kind of gazer myself.

I can deal with the -20 Micheal. It's the -30's and 40's that bother me. Oh man... I can feel the frostbite already!

You are so right Lee, a sure fire way guarantee to a cloudless night ( a cloudless one in 1 month may I say) IS a full moon!

[Stevp]

Hi,

Great photo with the smart phone. I have also been trying my hand at it with an iphone 4s.

I havent managed anything too spectacular with it, though I was pleased at Saturday's attempt to capture some sunspots.

Here is the best I managed as a single shot, and used the Photoshop Express app to tweak the levels.

I've also just started playing with using the iphone to take video and tinkering with registax.

Playing around with the video/images at least gives me something to do on the cloudy nights!

I havent had much luck with Jupiter yet, but did managed an over exposed blob surrounded by the 4 big moons.

Good luck, and please do share your future efforts.

[stolenfeather]

I have surely done the over exposed "blob" thing myself. My husband used to have the iPhone 4 S as well but although normal shots came out great, the astronomy related one came out not as nice. Some of my students were also using their phones to take pictures of the moon with different results. One was having issues with an annoying black spot that kept on coming up in his pictures. He was really disappointed.

I find that taking pictures of the full moon is not as impressive as other phases. Thank you for your encouragement and I think your capture of the moon was well done. I haven't used RegiStax in some time. I should try again real soon. My best Saturn picture was using that program.

Isabelle

[Astro Imp]

Hi Isabelle,

Great shot of the moon. Like you I think it looks a lot better when you can get more contrast and love looking along the terminator and picking out the pinpricks of light as the high points get lit while the rest is still in shadow.

We also had it clear last night but back to high winds and cloud/rain now.

Look forward to hearing more from you.

Good luck and clear skies.

[stolenfeather]

A half moon surely gives us more shadow to use in our favour. Sorry about the high winds and rain. I had that for three weeks! I was starting to forget what the sun and blue skies actually looked like! Thanks for coming by Alan and I'm just hoping that the clouds stay away!

Isabelle

[faulksy]

nice pic that isabelle,arnt smart phones great for that sort of thing,hope you start to get your clear skys again so you can go dso hunting

[stolenfeather]

I would love to go DSO hunting but the moon is being quite the nuisance right now. No disrespect against our natural satellite intended of course... Patience, patience...

[themos]

Hey, you're in Victoria? Lovely place, have you been to the observatory at http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/outreach/cu/index.html

[stolenfeather]

No, I'm in northern Quebec / a little north of the 52nd parallel.

[Laowei Tony]

I used to live in Labrador, arrived in February and the northern lights blew my mind. I tell you dark skies there were easy to find. But yes, -40 C never was fun.

[pajr777]

I took this on an iPhone 5 on Saturday night:

Initially the moon was very over-exposed on the iPhone display, but once I tapped it the camera set it's exposure according to the brightness of the moon rather than the average brightness in the shot.

[stolenfeather]

Great shot Paul! I have a Samsung and so far am very pleased with the images captured with it.

Tony, Labrador sure can be cold! We had wonderful northern lights last night. My husband took some pictures of them. I will try and post them on this forum later on today. Stay tuned!

Isabelle

[The Sailor]

Nice photo Isabelle and good to know you are okay and back, did wonder where you had got to after your last return . I suppose I could take a photo using my phone, have never thought about it, mind you my phone is so old it uses steam .

Jim

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I didnt get out last night, probably wont for the near future as my mum is ill. This morning on the way to work though around 7-8, the full Moon in daylight looked surreal to me! Venus was up for a while too before the Sun washed it out. Would of loved to get a few pics of the full moon in daylight though.