Ribbons of light in the night sky! What are they?

12/15/23 night was spectacularly clear night with mild temperatures in low 30s and was Geminid shower night. I watched a Geminid meteorite live video which showed lots of streaking lights. I decided I will go out and try to capture some from my yard. The northeastern side of my house has lots of trees. I checked the position of Gemini in the sky. It was still very low and behind the trees for me. I figured if I set up time lapse in about an hour’s time Gemini should be visible above my trees. So, I set it up for a couple of hours shooting. But my neighbors’ lights were all over so bright as if conquering me and imprisoning me with lights. I think they are scared something will come and eat them up at night if there are no lights. One of my neighbors’ garage is so bright that it dazzles my eyes daily when I walk in my living room, and it is probably 300 ft away from me.

I spent some last twenty minutes of time lapse looking at the sky. By then both Castor and Pollux were visible. But I did not see any meteorites because of the brightness around me. But I did notice that the sky looked reddish in the northeast. I was not sure if this was pollution or real. When I was randomly checking the shots I found some ribbon like streaking on a couple of frames, my first initial thought was something on my sensor, but after inspecting few more I realized it was not my sensor problem. It was natural. So, I analyzed each and every frame of about 400 shots and here is what I found.

Post photography – analyses

I had shot about 400 photographs, each lasting 15 seconds and interval of 17 seconds between two shots. The first 94 shots, which lasted for 26 minutes, they looked normal though a faint reddish color on the left most part of the frame.

At the 95th shot suddenly the background looked more reddish and it remained like that till I finished the time lapse, though there is variation intensity of redness in the frames. Was it an auroral glow? I think it could be, but I am not sure as it was not supposed to be intense.

After about 69 minutes, at 244th shot, I observed the first streak or ribbon of glow across the frame almost vertical form the left of the middle Norway spruce in the frame. Next few shots the ribbon seems to be wavering in location as if it was moving in the sky.

At shot 280 or at 79 minutes, a second one appeared to the right of the first and both wavered moved to the left in the frame in next few shots.

At shot 301 or after 85 minutes, third ribbon appeared.

At shot 329 the middle one became faint and by 94 minutes or at shot 332 all became faint and almost disappeared. At shot 353 or at 100 minutes, a new ribbon appeared in the middle of the frame and disappeared by about 340th shot.

I am curious to know if anyone else has seen these kinds of ribbons of light in the sky. I don’t think they were human created. I can’t imagine someone sitting and playing with lights. It seemed like a natural phenomenon. Were they STEVES? I am looking forward to any suggestions.

Curious

Meena

Recent notes about birds from Finger Lakes

After a long time, yesterday I chased a rare bird – a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron at Taughanock State Park. The bird was simply hungry and ignored the birders. I don’t know the sex of the bird, but I am going to use the pronoun she/her. She caught a few crayfishes when I was there. It was fun to watch her plan for her moves. She sometimes would dip her beak in the water and wait and then nab the target. when she moved or put her beak in the water, it created circular waves. So I was wondering if those waves provide some information to crayfish that someone is watching it or after it. Also when she was looking for the prey, twice an Eastern Kingbird chased her around. At one time there were about 50 Turkey Vultures in the sky and few of them circled right over her head. She tilted her head to look at them. We were surprised that she took notice of them.

Here are some of her other pictures. It was pleasant to chat with some other fellow birders while watching her who had come from far away locations.

Closer to home, I have been having a property dispute with this little guy – House Wren. He finished his parenting duty at the house specifically built for him raising only one young, I don’t know why. Now he is ready to make a way for a second brood and attract a new/ or same female for nesting a second time. But the dispute is over where he wants his nest.

He wants his nest in my kitchen exhaust vent and I am telling him that it is my property. He comes inside the vent and chatters and I if I hear him from inside the kitchen, I take a spoon or equivalent and tap on the hood of my exhaust to claim that it is my property. Then I open door to get out and confront him. He is so mad he jumps up and down on the dead privet branch and chatters and yells. I tell him in plain English that the vent is my property. So every day we fight about it. Some times when the female is nearby she chuckles when we fight. We will have to see who will win. Luckily there are no lawyers involved.

Further away from home at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, I was lucky to meet another wren – a Marsh wren chattering and a bald Red-winged Blackbird from among the weeds.

Here I also came across, I think it is two families of Sandhill Cranes unless the chick grew quickly to the parents’ size in five days. As soon as I saw the family they ran to the cover and it was interesting to watch the juvenile run after the parents.

I am still sorting out sounds and pictures of my long 30 days trip to northern Midwest visiting North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan for birds. I will post about it sometimes soon!

Jupiter and Saturn Alignment (almost)

It snowed more than a foot at my place on Dec 16 2020. I tried to dig a tunnel for my car on 17 but failed to accomplish it in two and half hour. Next 15 days are cloudy or mostly cloudy except on Dec 18 was the only day with chances of seeing Jupiter and Saturn as close as possible. That too Ventusky showed possibility bunch of clouds over Ithaca during that period. So I was planning to go to King Ferry area for viewing as it is one of the darker locations. On Dec 18, I started digging earlier so that I will have enough time. It took two and half hours to clean the car and rest of the snow so that my car could get out. I had about 45 min to spare. So again on Ventusky made sure that King Ferry area has clear skies. Based on Stellarium simulation the best time for viewing was from about 4.40 pm to 7.40 pm after which the planets would be below horizon. At 3.45 pm I got ready to go with my camera and got into my car. I started the engine nothing happened. I restarted it again and this time I held it on for some time still nothing happened. After a couple of minutes, I gave a third try thinking third time was a charm. Hmm nothing happened. I looked at the sky it was clearing out, so thought maybe I should try it from home as I could not drive. Feeling sad, I sat in my car for 5 more minutes. I thought I will give it another try. Engine spluttered into life. I idled the car for next seven minutes to charge the battery. By that time sun was quickly going down the south western sky. I had about 40 minutes drive to the area I was planning to spend my time. I knew I could just make it just before the Jupiter starts being visible but it would be darker by that time. Another thought came to my mind what if after the viewing my car again would not start. Do I want to take the risk and my cell phone dies rapidly in cold weather? I decided to risk it. Temperature was falling down to 20 F. Thus I headed towards King Ferry. I found that Nut Ridge Road had a good view crescent moon and the Jupiter should be quite close to it as per Stellarium simulation and should start appearing soon. I started getting my camera ready and was hoping to do time lapse video with 18 mm lens. In the olden days lenses had clearly marked location where it was infinity and where it was close focusing. But the modern auto focus lenses because of the way combination of the lenses work has no mark where the infinity is. I tried to auto focus moon first to find the infinity. But for some reasons my camera kept going out of focus and I could not determine where the infinity was. I tried rotating ring in all directions it kept moving and never ended in any one direction and I could not see the moon with 18 mm at all and my fingers were freezing. I tried with 80 mm same result. I was frustrated. I thought at least I can observe the planets with binocular. The planet Jupiter started showing up as a small point. As it got darker I could see the Saturn. I was expecting them to be very close to each other as it was just three days before the alignment. To my surprise they were quite a few minute arc apart. With binoculars I could see at least three moons of the Jupiter close to each other around 9.00 o’clock. There was one which is seemed at a distance of 4 times the disc of Jupiter. I am not sure it this was a moon or a distant star. I watched the Saturn for some time and then I started to feel I am seeing the rings. I am not sure if that was an illusion or my imagination or truth.

Then I decided to try my 500 mm lens which would mean I will just get the close up of the planets. It was very windy and my tripod shook though it was from the car I was shooting. My right hands fore finger was frozen and I felt no sensation. I tried shooting several frames most of them were shakes or there was movement of the planets. I just got couple of shots at 1/8 of second at 3200 ISO which might be called as better focused. At least I have proof that I observed the close alignment and don’t have to wait for another 800 years. I am glad I could get out and see it in spite of the all hurdles presented. Crescent moon was visible and shot with the same setting as for the planets created Sabattier effect image and I thought it looks lovely!

Starry Night in Spitzkoppe, Namibia Africa

I was on this great Africa trip from Kenya to Simon’s Town for 72 days by road visiting over nine African countries. I knew Africa is one of the darkest continents, with minimum light pollution based on the dark sky chart. So, I wanted to give a hand at photographing night sky.

I thought I would get many chances to photograph the sky as we were camping in most locations and in two plus months, I should get many chances to photograph the sky. But unfortunately, though we camped in most places the light pollution from the camp itself was terrible as most of the camps had big lights on to scare the animals away. Also, milky way was not rising till the middle of the night. I had just two good chances on two nights to try the sky.

Once in Masai Mara camp in Loita hills. The problem there was the chief of the tribe wanted to keep us safe from the animals, so wherever we went one of the Masai’s would follow us with a big flashlight and would be impatient that we went back to the safety of the tents. So, I could not do any time lapse photography there, but milky way was spectacular, but high up in the sky. The second chance was in early November 2019 in Spitzkoppe with lots of rocky hills around us to give some background.

Google map location


So, when we arrived at the Spitzkoppe campsite in Namibia, I decided to look around for the best place to try night sky. I found a location between two main hills from where I could photograph the night sky. But I had to cross another hurdle, our group leader should give me permission to be alone at night somewhere half a kilometer from the camp. I checked with Joe if has any objections, he did mention presence of wild animals like hyena and jackals and I had seen some footprints of these animals in the area where I was planning to put my sleeping bag. I told him bravely that I am not afraid of wild animals, though in my heart I was bit scared after the encounter with wild elephants in Victoria Falls. He hesitantly gave me permission to go. So, after the dinner I took my sleeping mat, sleeping bag and a flimsy tripod and my camera to the spot. Initially, I had already focused my focusing to infinity with auto focusing. It was not very windy but may be winds were 3 to 4 mph, which died by midnight.


I looked up at the star studded sky, no light pollution except for a couple of weak lights from the village about two miles away in the east, but the quarter moon was still visible. I slept for an hour or so as the moon was to set around midnight. Once settled, I placed my tripod on a hard surface so that it won’t shake (I think that was mistake because it did shake a bit), then took some shots to see what was the best exposure. At 20s and 2000 ISO and 3.5 aperture it was a bit too dark, so I decided to take 30s shots, which was a little bit higher as you can see the stars start tracking, but that I found only when I blew up the pictures on the computer. I set up a time lapse of 1.5 minutes delay per photograph as it would take some time to write. Looking up in the sky I could see Orion, Taurus and Pleadis constellations with no background landscape, just the sky.

I expected the path through which the stars would travel and thus I thought that they will pass from the peaks with jagged edges in the westerly direction. I faced my camera in that direction and started the time lapse. I sat and watched the sky for some time. I saw some meteors from the top of the sky.

Then I decided to take a nap. I got up many times in the middle of the night to make sure that there are no animals in the nearby area and, I can hear the camera clicking every 1,5 minutes. By about after three hours, I found that I was facing the camera in more of north-western direction than the star movements. So, I decided to focus on sugar loaf peak that is where the main constellations were disappearing. I could also see some clouds of clusters of stars in the southern part of the sky. I am not familiar with the southern sky, so I am not sure till now what those clusters are. So, I pointed the camera in that direction and took some pictures.

Then, I saw a meteor from some part of the sky. So quickly turned my camera towards that direction hoping for another one. Luckily for me one more meteor streaked from that area towards the earth. And I was pleased I caught it in the shot.

I wanted to change the direction for time lapse photos. By this time, I had less than two hours of dark sky as it got light by 5.00 am. That means I will have just 2 seconds worth time lapse video. But still I gave it a try. Here is the star movement from midnight to till about 3.00 am in the video format, which has been slowed down to half the speed so you have six seconds to view.

Next time I know what to do. But only thing is I need to find a dark area, may be in Southern California or may be another trip to Namibia!!


Time lapse video

In preparation for Total Solar Eclipse Aug 21 2017! Be prepared for the pit falls and the things professionals don't tell!

I am getting ready to head to maximum totality zone and hoping to do some photography. Way back in Feb 1980 in India, I did some total solar eclipse photography. I had just bought a used 200 mm lens, which with Babubhai's help made it fit my then cannon camera just a two days before the eclipse. We were heading to Karwar but instead we landed up in Yellapur with Chandu's relatives. I was shooting film those days. So was very conservative as to what I shot and could not see the results immediately. But I did manage to get good diamond rings (both just before the totality and and just after the totality), orange Bailey's beads and even coronal flares. I also got some good partial eclipse photographs too. But don't remember what filters I had used for partial totality exposures. There were no eclipse goggles available at that time to us. Now I am armed with digital cameras and a 500 mm lens, so I am hoping to better than 1980. So decided to give it a try even before the eclipse. I bought Daystar solar filter through Amazon.com, which just today I learnt that it may not up to the US standards as it might damage my eyes and Amazon gave me a warning not to use that and refunded amount. But before this I had already given a try with filter, which was supposed to fit any lens from 90 to 109 mm outside diameter. It did not work well with the original style they had suggested. So finally, I used duct tape to hold the filter in place and shot some pictures. I will make some points later for wannabe photographers.

Today on recommendation from Earle Baldwin, I got a number 10 Welder's glass lens as that was the only thing available at the store . And I also got a pair of #10 Welding glasses from Harbor Frieght tool. Both of them seem to work well. I tried shooting the sun with much better results. I still need to play around with exposures and settings.

But more than that there are a few other things to be considered. So please make sure you are prepared with these unforeseen conditions. 1. Consider the altitude of the sun. As the totality occurs near midday the sun is going to be very high in the sky. If you are planning to use a tripod make sure you can aim your camera to the sun. 2. To focus the sun you have to tilt your camera towards the sun and you cannot avoid directly looking at the sun to bring it into your view finder. At this point it would be nice to have some cover over your head and view finder to block the sun as in the olden days photographers used to do to see in the screens of field cameras . I used emergency blanket, but still the sun was bright through that, may be you want to find a blanket which blocks the sun completely. 3. I used welding glass lens to photograph the sun but had to hold with my left hand in front of the lens, which was rather difficult as my hands were short to reach the tip of the lens. I barely managed at 500 mm lens extension. So if you are trying something make sure it fits snugly and flat on the lens. 4. It is best to try it out with your device prior to actual shooting day.

ICE and WIND CHIMES on Cayuga lake

Listen to a noise filtered sound of ice pieces and chunks hitting the shore and each other when the wind created waves and the waves crashed on to the shore.

The sky at this time was filled with Snow and Canada Geese. Also Tundra Swans were creating raucous.

Next link below is quick filter created recording




This link is original recording where everything is too loud.

East side of Cayuga Lake

I could not miss the chance of being out in the beautiful weather. So I decided to make a short trip along the back roads for red-tails, kestrels and buntings etc. But actually ended up doing some 68 miles round trip!
My plan was to go to Lansingville rd and head north on Davis road return via Center and Ridge Rd, but ended up going up to Poplar Ridge.
As I was pulling out of the drive I saw columns of insects in the air that go in up and down motion in cold days, I think they are gnats, but am not sure were dancing in front of my car. May be that is what the brought the bats out.
Along Warren and Airport there was nothing noteworthy. Via Asbury I drove to Drake road. As soon as I turned on this road, I saw a hawk sitting some distance away. I slowly rolled my car down behind it hoping to get a picture in beautiful light. Though I parked some 50 feet away from the tree, I think the hawk was watching my car. As soon as I was ready to shoot a picture, the bird took off. All I got was tip of its tail. Great pic for Id quiz! Later I got a fuzzy in flight shot. It was nice Sharp-shinned Hawk.




I saw couple of Red-tails on the way none close enough to get a picture and a dozen of Robins and about 25 Mourning Doves (MODO). From Lansingville Road I headed to Davis road, there was couple more Red-tails and three flocks of American crows at various spots along the fields, two more groups of American Robins (about 15) and two more flocks of MODO on the wires. Nothing else no larks and buntings.
As it was getting late enough, I decided to try Rafferty Road, it was almost quiet till I went past Dixon, when I first hear a few Horned Larks, as I was watching them, a couple of hundred feet away a flock of about 120 Snow Buntings (pure flock, I had estimated 100, but based on photo there were at least 120). So I pulled along the road hoping to get some pictures. They came often close to where I was but then a passing car would spook them away. Sometimes they went to the middle of the field, but then came back sat closer to the road. I don’t know why they preferred feed along the road. As sun was getting lower and lower, I decided maybe I should walk down to them. I went slowly towards them, they fed some 40 feet away from and were starting get closer and closer when another car spooked and most of them landed on a tall tree. As soon as they landed on the top almost all started preening. Additional ones joined they also preened. At any given time at 50% were preening. So it is curious to me why birds preen in groups. I have also watched MODOs, if one starts preening others also do the same. Finally all the birds were on the tree. They sat and preened for more than 20 minutes. I started get cold. Then a small flock broke off the broke and started to feed again. But I decided to head little bit north and look for kestrels. In Texas one day we counted 89 or 92 Kestrels and they were everywhere, but they were so skittish they never posed for a photo. So I was looking for one co-operative bird. But I did not find a single one. By then I had reached Poplar Ridge Road. Therefore, I decided I might as well head towards the lake and see what is there on the lake.




I came to Aurora Boat House. There were many Goldeneyes and Mallards near the shore. I enjoyed watching a pair of Goldeneyes swim and fish together. They looked so beautiful and elegant, I wondered why male got such beautiful plumage and female became so different. What kind of genetic changes occurred in their sexes. I did see not any grebes!
But sun seemed to be in hurry to go to the otherside of the shore. So I stopped and took series of pictures of beautiful sunset.

After the sunset, I headed back to Rafferty to see if any owls show up, but found none. But it was a beautiful day and was worth being out there to watch the sunset!


Also in December I came across a huge gathering of Snow Geese on Route 24 on Dec 19 th. I am always interested in group dynamics and how individuals interact with each other. SO I took some videos and have up loaded one on to youtube. It is amazing to see while some are squabbling with each others, some are blissfully sleeping in that din. When they are angry with someone, they bite the wing feathers of the opponents. It so much looked like when we were kids, girls always fought with each other and when very angry would pinch each other’s arms. Snow Geese behavior reminded me of that. Snow geese seemed humane or the girls were like snow geese!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSEmTiva6y0