New Pics

Been running some star trails through Picasa - it's impressive how many more show up when you tweak the settings, though the image is a little more noisy. These I took last week, when skies were clear.

Photographer's tip: I used Bulb mode to control the exposure time. Using a Pentax k-x for any long exposure work is a little bit of a disadvantage, and I must qualify that because it's a great camera anyway. The Noise Reduction feature on it, if left active, will take an equal exposure against a black screen, i.e. with mirror down. This second exposure is the same length as the one you've taken and is used for the software algorithm to take out any "noise" in the image. So you're left with doubling your time outdoors or halving the work you get done on long exposure stuff. Just a note!

Star Trails:


And with wonderful lens flare from a nearby streetlight...


Otherhow, I've been out to Dun Laoghaire last weekend and during a quick walk out the pier snapped these. A bit underwhelming maybe, but I think the Black and White treatment of the city skyline is interesting.





That's all for now! Comments box is open down below. Etsy prints, as ever, out here.

Brian.

It's Astronomical

Guys, gals, and undecideds. There is to be a loony eclipse, that is an eclipse of the moon this evening / tomorrow morning.

Astronomy.ie advises that the eclipse will be fully developed (i.e. the moon will be totally eclipsed) at about 0300 on the morning of 21 Feb, i.e. very late tonight.

Unfortunately, met éireann have decided in their wisdom that the weather will be cloudy, so blame them if you stay up all night and still can't see it. (Disclaimer: I know they don't make the weather).

That said, it'll be another 2 years or so till the next one, and a long time (apparently) till the next one before midnight, so it may be worth setting an alarm, making a flask, getting a blanket and sitting out in the garden at 3 in the morning to watch the clouds part and the moon disappear.