Quite often in the Southwest the rain clouds come but the rain itself evaporates before hitting the ground. Virga.
We need the moisture. As of Friday morning, June 1st, 2012 NO fires of any kind are allowed even in campgrounds in the Kaibab National Forest. Smoking is limited to buildings and vehicles. Please be careful with fire wherever you are. Know what the conditions are.
To view more skies from around the world go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.
Darn, the gate was locked on the Walhalla Plateau road so Point Imperial was out for the Perigee Supermoon.
Then I screwed up. Even after looking at several different websites I got the time wrong. Sunset at 7:10. I read moonrise at 8:35.
1/125s F/11
So Mike and I picked up Karen about 7:15, plenty of time to catch the last glow after sunset and set up for the Perigee Supermoon event. I even brought along a compass and guided everyone towards the Bright Angel trailhead. So while we’re all taking photos of the sunset the moon had already risen behind us.
1/40s F/5
Grabbing tripods with cameras we hurriedly moved down the trail a bit and set up again.
1/40s F11
Yet that old moon just didn’t seem as big as I’d expected. Seems I’ve read a lot of people saying that.
30s F22 (Looks more like the sun)
But that’s OK because we brought along two Nalgene bottles full of ice and one of premixed Margarita with prickly pear cactus syrup and plastic glasses. After all, it was Cinco de Mayo.
1/125s F/11
Lots of experimentation with the camera. Started off with some recommended settings and then just played around.
After about an hour we were getting cold so packed it in but not before turning around to see Venus high in the sky.
1/25s F/11
Took Karen back home and stopped for one last look at this years Perigee Supermoon through the pines.
To view more skies, and probably moons, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.
If you plan to photograph the upcoming astronomical events like May 20th’s Annular Solar Eclipse or June 5th’s Venus Transit remember that looking directly at the sun can damage your eyes and your digital camera. You can buy protective glasses and filters here. I hunted all over the web and was given this link by Martha’s Musings, an excellent photographer who travels all over California and beyond. Even with the high shipping on this $10 filter it was a better deal than the $900 plus I kept seeing. I couldn’t bare the thought of not taking photos of these events. And I’m not getting paid for this, although maybe I should.
After a delicious and delightful dinner at FabGrandmas this rosy sunset over Transept Canyon bid us goodnight.
Don’t forget to watch the Supermoon, or perigee moon, Saturday night. Because the moon is the nearest to earth for the year it could appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012. So go out and howl at the moon. And maybe take a photo or 200.
In the mean time check out skies from around the world at Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.