[Plamadude30k]

I can’t believe I missed this thread earlier-I was on the south island between January 1 and January 6 this year. Looks like we must have crossed paths at some point!

My NZ gallery: https://picasaweb.google.com/Darth.Java/NewZealand#

[Plamadude30k]

Ah, Arizona winters-even the snow up in the mountains is pitiful. I may have one newly taken entry, though. I just hope the voters have a good sense of humor. Next year I’ll be in pretty much the only place in the U.S. I can think of where winter weather is going to be even HARDER to come by.

You’d almost think I didn’t like the cold!

There is snow in HI, on Mauna Loa.

My field trip up north was a success, I have entries that I can post with honor, though they may not stand up to everyone else who has had snow all winter. At least it’s better than the frost on a frozen TV dinner…

I suppose there is snow up there, and I’ll probably be spending quite a bit of time on top of the big volcanoes.

Also, I’m disappointed-I was looking forward to seeing how the mashed potato ice would do in the contest, though I guess it’s always better to see entries people are more comfortable with. I found a really nice pair of wintry images in my archives that I didn’t even know I had, so I’m feeling a little better about this contest.

[Plamadude30k]

Ah, Arizona winters-even the snow up in the mountains is pitiful. I may have one newly taken entry, though. I just hope the voters have a good sense of humor. Next year I’ll be in pretty much the only place in the U.S. I can think of where winter weather is going to be even HARDER to come by.

You’d almost think I didn’t like the cold!

[Plamadude30k]

If we rent a car, ravnostic, Plamadude30k and caradoc are going to insist we come visit 😛

From Vegas? That’s a bit of a drive. I wouldn’t say no to a little get-together, though.

[Plamadude30k]

Also ALSO also: BEES!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SZfdap92Ub2IRgwPCHCMKw?feat=directlink
Panorama of the Santa Catalina Mountains. After seeing Rav‘s pano, I’m glad I didn’t use it.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Py7DQ5iTqPYomrTpK9knog?feat=directlink
M51, whirpool galaxy. I simply didn’t have time to process this correctly, otherwise I would have used it instead of the Dumbbell nebula.

[Plamadude30k]

Intolerant Jerk‘s stuff is interesting. On the one hand, I’ve seen that with the right equipment ($cha ching$) this can be done. MY scope can do it, technically (had I the equipment enhancifiers.)

On the same hand, his last such picture got dq’d, for stacking (which he readily admitted to, and provided shot and filter details). So maybe he (she?) has such toys.

On the other hand…

I’d like to know of what the image is; location, common name, etc. A little perspective, perhaps.

I can tell you right now it was a newtonian, or some other forward secondary scope. The plus sign on the stars are an effect of the support for the secondary mirrors. I’ve seen photos of this quality from deep (2000mm +) 16 and 18 inch scopes with dslr’s and hundreds of stacked photos. I’ve also seen what Plamaduke has done with the 61 inch.
I did go back to the linked smugmug page and there was a lot of astrophotography, as well as lots of northern Italy and Switzerland shots.

Weird, you’re the second to think it’s “duke” instead of “dude”, which I’ve never seen before. Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a newtonian, you can get diffraction spikes like that by just putting a cut piece of cardboard in front of your scope-some people do it because they think the spikes on the stars look pretty (I certainly think so). Also, IntolerantJerk HAS to be using hundreds of exposures-his image quality is better than mine. I only stacked five for each color, but I do have a $20 Million 61″ telescope at my disposal too.

Also also: I’m surprised my HDR is doing so well-I expected to get blown out of the water!

[Plamadude30k]

Well damn, NoBigDeal, now you’ve just made me want it more. I wonder if I can raise the requisite funds before the end of the summer.

[Plamadude30k]

/obligatory ‘buy a Canon’ post.

Personally, I’m hoping my camera lasts long enough to be able to get a full-frame sensor, but…WAY out of my price range right now =

If I had it to do over again, I might well go Cannon, but as I’ve built up a kit of Nikon lenses and other equipment, I’d like to stay with Nikon to keep the cost manageable.

[Plamadude30k]

This summer, I simply must find the time to meet up with you. Might I suggest a trip toward Tucson? Near Plamadude?

It’s doable – with coordination.

I’ve ended up down near Oracle more than once in the past two years as the weather tracks keep shifting further away from the Phoenix area.

However… I may not be able to go that far this summer as we’re due in May.

I’d be okay with driving up to phoenix to meet you guys this summer. I’ve got a friend up there I can stay with overnight if need be.

[Plamadude30k]

Also, yes the Mauna Kea scopes have a lot to do with the fact that I’m headed out to Hawaii. I just got an offer from the graduate program at UH Manoa, and it looks pretty likely (not 100%, but pretty likely) that I’ll be spending the next 5-6 years there getting a Ph.D. (if all goes well).

Soooo…. Other than congratsawesomsaucejealous, the obvious reply is: If I can convince the navy to send me back to Oahu, how much lead time should I give before Island hopping over for a weekend and using you as an excuse to not get kicked off the moutaintop once the sun goes down?

It depends-I don’t know how often or how soon they let the grad students on the big telescopes. I’d be happy to have visitors, though, as I am now. If you’re ever in the Tucson area PM me. I have a ton of nights up at a telescope right here, and I can always use company (that’s a standing invitation for anybody in the area, really). Rav came and visited me last month, and I think he had a good time.

[Plamadude30k]

Also, yes the Mauna Kea scopes have a lot to do with the fact that I’m headed out to Hawaii. I just got an offer from the graduate program at UH Manoa, and it looks pretty likely (not 100%, but pretty likely) that I’ll be spending the next 5-6 years there getting a Ph.D. (if all goes well).

Awesome! Congrats and best wishes, Plamadude30k. Well, maybe just pretty good wishes. The part of me that’s jealous of you getting to live and study in Hawaii is holding me back some. 😉

Thanks! The one caveat is, of course, that I’ve been working extremely hard to get there for the past five years, and in the next five to six I’ll be working even harder.

Also, I love graphs and statistics. Thank you so much for posting them, it makes me happy.

[Plamadude30k]

Also, orionid, that Akaka falls picture is unbelievable-all my photos of it had a blown-out sky, and I just couldn’t get the color balance right for that incredible green. I may soon have a lot more time to practice on it, though…

Thanks!
The sun was high overhead to my left and barely forward, and I used a Cokin graduated density filter at a slight angle to horizontal. I was following the shadow of the valley more than anything else, just to keep the sun from blowing out the top right side. You can see the graduation if you look close.

Otherwise, I had the camera set for vivid saturation (one of the few times I’ve deliberately taken it out of standard), and brought up the contrast in post by tweaking curves.

Are you headed out island way? Would the scopes at Mauna Kea have anything to do with that? I are envious.

God, I love GND filters. My #1 favorite photography tool.

Also, yes the Mauna Kea scopes have a lot to do with the fact that I’m headed out to Hawaii. I just got an offer from the graduate program at UH Manoa, and it looks pretty likely (not 100%, but pretty likely) that I’ll be spending the next 5-6 years there getting a Ph.D. (if all goes well).

[Plamadude30k]

Wow, Ranger Joe‘s mitten shot and swampa‘s opera house completely blow mine out of the water. I guess I picked the wrong week to use those photos.

Also, orionid, that Akaka falls picture is unbelievable-all my photos of it had a blown-out sky, and I just couldn’t get the color balance right for that incredible green. I may soon have a lot more time to practice on it, though…

[Plamadude30k]

Having only seen the “iconic” photos of it, the first one is the only one that was recognizable to me without already knowing what I was looking at. That said, I like the third one, too. And as a two-fer, you could probably use a crop of any of the closer shots for the upcoming patterns contest.

Oh, I’m saving my best photo from that day for the patterns contest. Really looking forward to that, actually.

[Plamadude30k]

Hey everybody, could I get an opinion? I was recently in Sydney and I took a bunch of pictures of the Opera House especially for this contest, I just can’t decide between these few. An outside opinion would be most appreciated.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/w78CMHVF_3-EXG7DM4OrH46gTiJ2JKBd2yS106JdVyw?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/99qCWk7j66t8_U9eV1_iU46gTiJ2JKBd2yS106JdVyw?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xSItMXG9CrtprZBmUqkN_o6gTiJ2JKBd2yS106JdVyw?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X_W54_47nBygfcTSGXm9646gTiJ2JKBd2yS106JdVyw?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aM5h_cxFj7E6VTCssKF9qY6gTiJ2JKBd2yS106JdVyw?feat=directlink

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