365 Theme 246: Purple

A blue toadflax taken at the Franklin Parker Preserve in the New Jersey Pinelands. If you look closely you can see pollen grains on the petals. (As always, click the image for a larger version.)

365 Theme 193: Musically Inclined

A grasshopper sparrow at Duke Farms. Duke farms has some of the largest remaining grassland tracts in New Jersey. And this fellow is singing with joy about that. Or he's looking for a date. This species is threatened [pdf] in NJ, as much of the grassland in the state has been turned into farmland, which is some cases can be managed to support grassland birds, or into buildings, which cannot. 

I stole the idea for this theme from another 365 Challenger, but I cannot find my note with that person's name. If anyone knows who it was please leave a comment. Thanks. 

Update: In the comments Ellen pointed out that it was coffeemonkey from whom I stole the idea.

365 Theme 53: Clocks

This is the clock tower on the Coach Barn at Duke Farms in central New Jersey. This building reminded me of the Dr. Who's TARDIS, it seemed much bigger on the inside than the outside would lead you to believe.

Duke farms is a 2700 acre estate that is being 'developed' as an environmentally sustainable oasis in the center of the most densely populated state in the US. While there is currently limited access to the public, a major part of the overall plan is to increase access. To that end a new visitors center is planned to open in 2010. And Duke farms has partnered with the NJ Audubon Society to offer field trips, a program which began last year.

Sunday Six: May 3rd


                                    Giganotosaurus carolinii

This is what greets you upon entering the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia or as my nephew calls it, the Dinosaur Museum. It is literally over the ticket counter right inside the front doors. It is slightly larger than ...


                                       T Rex

Who put the 'terrible' in terrible lizard. But T Rex has the bigger brain (slightly). The lighting in the dinosaur hall was difficult. It was dark with bright spots, windows and light fixtures. And trying to find angles that hid lights and signs and wires was tricky. Plus it was all hand held, resulting in plenty of soft or outright blurry images.

                                    T Rex's Foot

Significantly larger then her 'hands'. And I suspect rather unpleasant in everyday use.


                                    Butterfly

On the top floor of the Academy is a butterfly garden. And this is one of the resident butterflies. I do not know the species, and as they are flown in from around the world I don't have a field guide to look them up (if you know please leave a comment telling me). I'm not sure if it is the travel or that the habit isn't right or if it is a normal lifespan, but the butterflies live here for only a few weeks. Update: Mike Sokorski, Butterfly coordinator for the Academy has left a comment id'ing this as Tithorea harmonia.


                                   Another Butterfly

Again I do not know the species. If you do please let me know in the comments. It was very warm and humid in the room housing the butterflies. And my lens (at least the filter) kept fogging up. I was lucky to get some clear images. Update: Mike has id'ed this one as Idea leconoe. Thanks Mike.


                                    Iguana

I'll end with a living not so terrible lizard. The Academy also has an animal rehab center. I'm not sure what this guy was in for. But he had a knack of almost posing perfectly and then at the last minute turning her head to a horrible angle. But I managed to get a pair of good shots including this one.

365 Theme 286: Skeletal

Yeah I know, another bird picture. Archaeopteryx lithographica. This is a cast on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Sunday Six: April 26th

                                Arabian Lights Dance Company

Another shot of the belly dancers and their very colorful costumes.

                                       Dance Fan

Julie in the comments on my Skin theme image asked for an image of the "enthusiastic fans". Alas, this is the only one I have. This young man was very enthusiastic, and he actually joined in on two of the dances.

                                       Sunset

A much more serene view of the horizon and the tree line that the next night would be the stage for my lightning images. But this would be a good night and I would be up imaging until 5:00 AM.

                                       Leo Triplet

The three fuzzy patches in this image are the three galaxies that make up the Leo Triplet, namely M65, M66, and NGC 3628. This is one of 80 frames I took of these galaxies, the idea being that I can stack them and increase the signal to noise ratio. Each individual image was between 60 and 120 seconds and stacking them will give me a much greater effective exposure time.


                                           M13

M13, the great globular cluster in Hercules. Another not so great astrophoto. But still not awful for my first time out. As with the Leo Triplet I've got a number of frames I can stack to hopefully bring out some additional detail. But to get truly better I'm going to need to guide. And practice, practice, practice.


                                   Summer Milky Way

This shot was taken at 3:56 AM. We are looking south and the light dome is whatever town is in that direction. Our home galaxy, the milky way aches overhead. The ghostly red image of a person is my friend and fellow club member Jerry Lodriguss. If you want to see some truly superb astrophotos visit Jerry's site, Catching the Light. You'll be glad you did.

365 Theme 318: Tent

This was my home for three days at the Delmarva Stargaze. Note the sundogs at either side and sunbeams streaming out the top. This was Friday and the night would be so good I'd be up until 5:00 AM. The next night not so much as the lighting flashed all around us.