Star Trails

Another star trail shot from my backyard.

Damm lens flare from a streetlight.

25 Degrees? No Problem.

As someone who loves the night sky, the light-pollution folks might have a point.

Tonight is going to be the most clear and dark sky that we've got for a long time because of how brutally cold its going to be. So i decided to try and photograph this old stone chimney i found at Lake Herrick on the Campus of the University of Georgia. Naturally, i wanted to try to do a night/star trail shot. I like that stuff. (ISO 100, f/4, 15 minutes)

Alas..... there's a bit of FAIL here. The sky glow from the Athens & the college just washes out the sky and totally kills the effect. Same with every church and landmark around here - someone always puts up a streetlight. Makes me jealous of those who live in the desert southwest.

In the stars.....

Howard Sims, 72, stands outside his observatory on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Comer. Sims, an amateur astronomer, built his observatory when he moved from Chicago.


Howard Sims is 72 years old.



Howard Sims, 72, looks through his 12 1/2 inch telescope in his observatory on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Comer. Sims, an amateur astronomer, built his observatory when he moved from Chicago.

He has his own observatory. He has his own 12 1/2" telescope. (900 inch focal length or 22860 mm lens) He built it, ground the mirror and put it together while living in Chicago. Then he moved to Madison County and built his own observatory alongside his house.

Don't you wish you were that cool?





Howard Sims shows off pictures of the construction of his observatory on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Comer. Sims, an amateur astronomer, built his observatory when he moved from Chicago.




The moon as seen through Howard Sims' 12 1/2 inch telescope in his observatory on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Comer. Sims, an amateur astronomer, built his observatory when he moved from Chicago.