One more stunning sunrise over the lake, a bit better than yesterday's I'd say!

Click on the photo to see a larger version and to enjoy more in the sunrise/sunset gallery.

Dreamy Sunrise

Spring is on its way! A few thunderstorms have been creeping up, which means soon, lightning season will be here! Until then, I'll continue to enjoy the beautiful sunrises (and sunsets), and maybe still sprinkle in a rocket launch or two.

In this photo, the February Sun rises over Melrose, Florida with Santa Fe Lake in the foreground.

Click on the image for a larger version, or to enjoy more sunrise/sunset photos in the gallery. Have a beautiful day!!

Beautiful Morning Over The Pass

On February 7 at 7:52 am, I was able to capture 1.5 seconds of a 2-second solar transit by the International Space Station while the Dragon Capsule with Axiom Crew 3 was still attached; it undocked a few hours later that day to begin it's return to Earth with Crew 3 onboard. Riding along on this solar transit as it cartwheels past the Sun are the four members of SpaceX Crew 7, due to return to Earth late February/early March. I also captured their departing launch several months ago. Hopefully I will be able to also capture the Crew 7 return to earth very soon! Other current ISS Residents are the three members of SOYUS MS-24.
The crew gets to see 16 sunrises and sunsets every day as it orbits Earth at a stunning 17,500 miles/28,000 kilometers per hour! At this speed, the ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes.
Catching a solar or lunar transit is rare though, as it does not stay on the exact same orbital path. Plus, it depends on where you, the viewer is standing and where the sun or moon is at the exact time you are viewing from. Tricky math stuff.

PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON TO WATCH THE SPACE STATION TRAVEL ACROSS THE SUN

Find more groovy Space Station facts HERE.
SpaceX Crew 7 & Axiom Crew 3 ISS Solar Transit Video

Prescribed burns in Alachua County leave a blanket of smoke over parts of the area. This beautiful sunset is viewed from the Lake Santa Fe area. 

These prescribed burns are a way to reduce hazardous fuel buildup and control overgrowth. It also contributes valuable nutrients to the ecosystem.

To view prescribed burns, you can use THIS INTERACTIVE MAP from the Florida Forest Service.

Click on the photo to see a larger version or to see more sunsets in the gallery.

Smoky Sunset SkyA prescribed burn in Alachua County, Florida leaves a smoky blanket and a beautiful sunset at Lake Santa Fe.

Help me select the favorite image of 2023!

PhotoSphere Favorites 2023 copy

It's been a year of growth for me with regard to photography. I've been having a blast! A lot of late nights, some disappointments, many amazing sights that caught me in wonder (this world is an amazing place). I'm telling you, it makes it hard for me to focus on my real job and not want to do this stuff all the time, but this certainly does NOT pay the bills. But GAWD, it's so wonderfully amazing!

Learning all about rockets has been fun. It is a bit of a curve, there is so much to learn as you can suspect, and to be so far away makes getting the shots I daydream about just that much harder, but I'm getting there.

Learning astrophotography is even tougher. I'm focusing on Milky Way photography right now, leaving deep space for those with bigger wallets. Chasing the Milky Way will prove challenging enough. Season is approaching, so get ready to start seeing more of those images soon.

Next up will be IR photography. I just got my first full-spectrum converted IR camera from my mentor and Photography Professor from out in Washington State and can't wait to dip my toes into that!! It should be a beautiful addition to the Milky Way nightscapes I'm planning. 

But before all that, April's total eclipse is my next big goal, with the hope of catching Baileys Beads, or at the very least, the glowing white corona of the sun during totality. Wait.... what's wrong with me, I'm blathering on about 2024 when this is a post about 2023! Let's get back on track. These are the highlights of my 2023.

2023 In Review

Revived my blog!!

1 Solar Eclipse

14 Rocket Launches = 14 of 69 vehicles launched from Florida = 20% viewing rate for me!

Took my drone photography to "new heights".

Caught a few great storms in the lightning capital of the US.

Witnessed the miracle of the blue bioluminescence for the first time in the Indian River Lagoon.

Started polishing my astrophotography and nightscape photography skills.

Of course, here are my 12 (ok, maybe a few extra) favorite images of 2023... but I can't pick an overall favorite because some have more sentimental meaning to me.

That's where you come in.

Help me select the favorite image of 2023!

Which do you like most?
Pick your favorite by tapping any photo to open larger images,

then clicking/tapping the heart in the corner of your screen.

What else does the cold of January bring? Manatee!! The lumbering gentle giants from the salty shallows of the ocean come to the sublime warmth of the crystal clear waters of Florida's consistently warm springs! They maintain a balmy 72°f throughout the year and due to this fact, the beloved manatee congregate to these waters to keep warm during winter. As you can see, some of the springs can get quite crowded! Locals and tourist (like ourselves) travel to catch a glimpse of these protected and very mellow 'sea cows', or as I like to call them, 'floaty potatoes'. They look like big boulders in the water, slow to move as they gently roll and play, stopping on occasion to graze on grasses.

You can see in the drone shot that much of the area around Three Sisters Springs is roped off. This is to provide a sanctuary for the manatee, a place of safety where tourists cannot encroach. While people are allowed to float in the waters to view, they are not allowed to engage with them. The manatee are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, which states: "It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee."  At this particular spring, there are many volunteers and park rangers keeping a sharp eye on the manatee to ensure their safety.

Manatee AerialAerial view over Three Sisters Springs on the Crystal River in Florida, showing the manatee as they huddle in the warmth of the springs during a cold January day. Manatee BreathManatee taking a breath in the Crystal River, Florida. Manatee MomMom and baby manatee in the Crystal River, Florida. Manatee MomMom and baby manatee in the Crystal River, Florida.

The recent cold snap brought below freezing temps to parts of Northcentral Florida. We were on a trip early the other morning and came upon the beautiful sight of frozen blueberry bushes of Straughn Farms! A very rare and unusual sight for Floridians (but not for this Wisconsin girl).

They were sprinkling the bushes in an effort to protect the tender blossoms from the freezing temps that had creeped down from an arctic air mass. Don't despair! This is method many berry growers use to protect their crop when temperatures are expected to fall below freezing; however, this method can only work if that range doesn't fall below 24°f and if the grower keeps the ice wet. If the ice stays wet, it maintains a temp of 32°f and the precious contents encased within should not succomb to the nips of the falling frigid air around. 

With the rising sun, and the showers of the spraying sprinklers over the frozen berry bushes, it made for a magical little pitstop along the way, and I was lucky enough to have my drone with for this!

Click the images to open a larger version, and to see more in the Scenic Gallery.

What a rollercoaster of emotions. The nervous anticipation waiting until 2:18 am on January 8, 2024 to see if the new ULA Vulcan Centaur Rocket would actually launch on time from SLV-41, and without incident. I was so full of excitement. I had arrived in Titusville to photograph a Falcon 9 launch much earlier in the day and had hoped to rest in between launches but that was not going to happen. I found my vantage point and set up, then waited the 6 hours for 2 am to arrive. I had taken several test shots much earlier in the night when the stars were clear and bright. I was ready. I sat there waiting, watching the remnants of bioluminescence twinkle on the shore of the Indian River Lagoon like tiny blue diamonds. Tonight was going to be magical, I could feel it. So could the little raccoon that briefly came by for a visit, I whispered gentle greetings to the little fella as he paused to see if I could offer him some late night snacks.

2:18 am was upon us. The culmination of prep and bleary-eyed waiting broke free as soon as the skyline burst into a ball of fire. With much success, the ULA Vulcan launched with extreme brilliance, so bright I was not prepared! The engine burn was a strange blue hue, and much bigger than I expected. As the rocket lofted high into the sky, huge sparks showering down all around as it rose (which I've never witnessed before). The clamoring engine roar rolled across the water through my chest and beyond. I could see the launch pad still glowing orange as it burned off remaining gas from the launch, another unusual feature. So many interesting things happening all at once, it was a lot to take in! I was so excited it went up without incident! So excited! This is the stuff that makes these launches so very addicting.

But alas, the mission's success may not last. Today, a few days later as I write this post, the mission may be in peril. It was supposed to orbit the earth several times before slingshotting to the moon where it was supposed to then orbit the moon several times before deploying the lander to decend for landing on February 23rd. However, due to problems discovered several hours after launch, that landing may not ever happen. The Pittsburg-based company that built the lunar lander, Astrobotic, has been posting regular updates on their Astrobotic Press Page as well as Astrobotic X Feed.

(UPDATE AS OF JAN13, 2024 FROM ASTROBOTIC:  "Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft is on a path towards Earth...")

The Peregrine Robotic Lander carries experiments, scientific instruments, two prototype satellites for Amazon's Kuiper boradband constellation, and cremated human remains.

On a mission called Luna Tranquility, the cremated remains (lunar memorials) prepared in small metal capsules with only a few grams of remains each were to be deposited into the Lacus Mortis region of the moon. 

Interestingly, the Vulcan rocket has another mission called Enterprise Flight, a deep space flight carring more cremains. These remains and DNA samples are from over 200 people including former presidents George Washington, Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy as well as remains from the creator and several cast members of the original Star Trek TV series. 

View configurations of the ULA VULCAN ROCKET.

The image below is a composite of my initial test shot from earlier in the evening when the Orion constellation was low in the sky, paired with the streak shot of the Vulcan launch itself. What an absolute beautiful launch to see in person. Pure magic!  Below that is a closer view of the Vulcan rocket as it soars toward space.

Click the images to see larger versions in the gallery (more rocket photos there!)

Vulcan Vulcan Fire

What better way to start my 2024 rocket season than at a location I've been wanting to shoot from for a while! Playalinda Beach, within Canaveral National Seashore. It is a gorgeous location with a perfect view South toward the launch pads of Kennedy Space Center. The tricky thing is that it is not always open during launches due to safety concerns (if a launch is too close to the beach, they will close access), and sometimes it reaches capacity quickly and they close access at that point as well. Today was a normal Falcon 9 Starlink launch so I gambled on a Sunday hoping for normal crowds. It was originally scheduled for a 2:00(ish) launch time, but typical of rockets, it got pushed to 5:35 pm. YIKES. Great for photography with a beautiful sunset sky, but getting terribly close to gate closing at 6:00 pm when they then would kick everyone out of the area. But obviously, it launched right at 5:35. 

I arrived at noon, loaded all my gear for a two-camera system into my little wagon and towed it for a 30-minute trek down the beach to the closest point we are allowed to get, a fenced barrier limiting access to NASA property. This was my first time at this location, I didn't know what to expect. I surveyed the area and realized that on that spot on the beach, while so very close and beautiful, was also very low. The tide was coming in and was due to peak right at the launch window. I didn't want to be contending with that while managing my cameras. From past images I've seen from this location, the water does indeed swell up around the fenced area right where we can stand. Plus, I liked the higher vantage point I saw from the platform waaaaay back on my way in, and all the spectators in the foreground would make it just that much more fun. Sigh. Trek back I must. Thank goodness for the little wagon. I passed quite a few fishermen, I stopped to talk with one particularly successful fella taking off a large 24" fish from his line; "BLUE!" he shouted with a big smile on his face. Blue fish is what he called them. He obviously knew what he was doing and had absolutely no interest in the impending rocket launch.

I made it back to the point I felt to be the best angle and set up. I was surprised how quiet it actually was.... until approximately 10 minutes to launch, then it got crowded, but that energy is what makes this fun, and it never gets old. I feel the same, every launch, a very nervous excitement as the countdown winds and I wait for the glow in the horizon. And with every new location, I'm making notes on pad location and orientation so I can learn which pad is situated where and what I am able to see from that particular location. It's like collecting fossils in a way, I'm collecting data and recording it, trying to get as much as I can and the best I can. Anyway, you probably just want the photo. Well, here it is. A composite of a time-lapse, several stacked together. No long-exposure arc due to the time of the day, I would have risked an overexposed image. Plus, I wanted something new. I hope you enjoy the beach as much as I did. I'll go back for sure.

Mission details located below the image. Click the image to open in gallery.

Falcon 9 Starlink Group 6-35 Playalinda

Mission Details:

Falcon 9 Block 5 Starlink Group 6-35

• Thrust: 7,607 kN
• Stages: 2
• Height: 70 m
• Fairing Height: 13 m
• Booster B1067 Flight #16 landing on Drone Ship ASOG
• Type: Communications
• Launch Cost: $52,000,000
• Location: SLC 40, Cape Canaveral FL

I recently had the opportunity to take out an American Coach Ford Patriot Class B RV from for a concept photo I had in mind, to demonstrate the capability of RV lifestyle in a Class B size, doing the things I would imagine doing in an RV. On this night, stargazing in a remote area of Florida. The concept is alluring to me, having all my gear neatly stowed within the comfort of a very handy RV and the convenient size to drive nearly anywhere. The additional benefit is that when my hubby grows weary of staring up at the sky, he can simply go inside for a comfortable few hours of rest.

What you are looking at is an end result after several hours of photography; 204 separate 20-second photographs taken in succession of the stars as they "move in rotation" around the center Northern Star Polaris (which never moves), carefully examined to remove any (and there were A LOT) airplanes that made their way to the northern international airports. These hundreds of images were then stacked/overlaid together to show the "motion" of the stars as they "rotated around" the Northern Star (Polaris) for the final star trail effect. I use those terms of motion loosly because its actually the Earth doing the moving, not the stars but from here, it appears as though its the stars. There is no special photoshop effect done to make the swirl you see, that is simply how the rotation of the Earth makes the stars apperar to 'trail' during a long exposure or stacked photography. Polaris, the North Star, stays in the same place in the Northern sky, which is how we can create such a dramatic and beautiful swirl.

The van is a Class B RV, 2023 American Coach Patriot on a Ford Transit chassis, which I loved because it was nearly exactly like driving my Ford truck, but nicer! I especially loved that the rear couch folds down into a large comfy bed, so that one could leave the back doors open (with mesh closed to keep bugs out) and gaze up at the sky all night long. I could tell you more about this unit, but honestly, I don't yet know a whole lot about Class B RVs even though I work at a dealership (bookkeeping), so I'm going to point you to speaking with our competent sales staff if you need more information. Shameless plug for Sunshine State RV here, Florida's #1 Class B dealership.

It was a very clear December night, which also meant very chilly, but the end result seems worth the few hours spent out in the cold, no complaints here!

Click the image to open a larger version in the gallery, where you can see more astro photos!

Stargazing In Style

The launch I've been waiting months for, which has been delayed multiple times, finally went up last night, December 28 2023, from Kennedy Space Center launch complex 39-A right on time at 8:07pm. This launch of the USSF-52 mission was actually the seventh mission of the Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane that rode into orbit on the Falcon Heavy and will spend its time in low earth orbit, with an unknown return date. With each successive mission, it has spent longer and longer in orbit, its last flight lasted 908 days!

While many of its missions are top-secret, we are able to know one of the tasks for this flight; to study the impacts of radiation on various plant seeds during long-duration spaceflight. I'm pretty sure there will be other spy stuff in the mix as well, which they are calling “experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies”. Nonetheless, when it does return, you can bet it will be in the dark of night with little notice, not allowing us to build the anticipation that its eventual launch had.

This night, the clouds were not in my favor, but it still led to some beautiful final images. One of the engine burn as it revealed itself from between the clouds composited with the moon, and the other from a test shot over the lake as I was preparing for the eventual launch, which is when I realized how the wide angle would not work and made sure to have my long lens ready. Not every rocket shot has to be an arc after all, right? I hope you enjoy them!

Click the images to open larger versions in the gallery, where you can see more rocket photos!
 

Falcon Heavy and the MoonThe launch I've been waiting months for, which has been delayed multiple times, finally went up last night, December 28 2023, from Kennedy Space Center launch complex 39-A right on time at 8:07pm. This launch of the USSF-52 mission was actually the seventh mission of the Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane that rode into orbit on the Falcon Heavy and will spend its time in low earth orbit, with an unknown return date. With each successive mission, it has spent longer and longer in orbit, its last flight lasted 908 days!
While many of its missions are top-secret, we are able to know one of the tasks for this flight; to study the impacts of radiation on various plant seeds during long-duration spaceflight. I'm pretty sure there will be other spy stuff in the mix as well, which they are calling “experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies”. Nonetheless, when it does return, you can bet it will be in the dark of night with little notice, not allowing us to build the anticipation that its eventual launch had.
This night, the clouds were not in my favor, but it still led to some beautiful final images. One of the engine burn as it revealed itself from between the clouds, composited with the moon.
 

The House of Refuge

Friends and Fans, I need your participation. 

I don't normally ask you to participate, but this time I need your help. I need to narrow these down to just a few picks, and I can't do it without bias, so your selective eyes are required. Its really quite simple, click/tap on the photo to open it, if you like it, just click/tap on the little heart that appears on the photo when you hover on it. That will help me decide which to cull out.

This is my 'study' of the House of Refuge, in Stuart, Florida. This is one of my absolute favorite places to go on Florida's Atlantic coast. The rocky coastline is utterly dramatic, unlike anything else you will find along the sandy beaches of Florida. While visiting family over Christmas, we went every morning (and even one evening for star gazing) hoping to catch sunrise, but it was a stormy weekend to be there. Alas, it was still as beautiful as always. 
It was built in 1876 to help stranded and shipwrecked sailors. In 1915 it became a US Coast Guard Station, carrying on its life saving traditions. Today, it is the oldest surviving building in Martin County and is an active museum providing a look back to Hutchinson Island life dating back from 2000 BC.

Click the images to open larger versions in the gallery, where you can see more scenic photos!
 

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What better lake to take a Christmas cruise on than Lake Santa Fe? Decked out with Christmas lights on the kayak, Justin floats along on a chilly but crystal clear night with a sky full of bright stars above.

Click the images to open a larger version in the gallery, where you can see more scenic photos!
 

Christmas Kayak