Photography

Bird ID Challenge

April 20, 2019 By Zola Zeester 7 Comments

How many birds can you identify? Maybe you could use a little help?

A couple of years ago, the National Audubon Society made available the Audubon Bird Guide App, a mobile field guide for North America loaded with 821 species, photos, descriptions, and bird call recordings as well as migration maps and a bird locater. Doesn’t matter what your birding skill level, this Bird Guide App is fun and a first-rate resource and learning tool. Best of all–it’s FREE. Thank you NAS!

Our On2In2™ friend and bird lover, Nancy (@nk03262) recommends these digital tools for birding beginners and beyond:

Merlin Bird ID app (it’s FREE) – helps in identifying birds you see in North America and Europe. All you do is answer a few basic questions or take a photo of the bird, and it provides a list of possible matches.

eBird – a free online program and mobile app that allows birders to watch, search and record sightings in real time. Read → How to Use eBird, by Noah Strycker (January 1, 2015)

Birdseye Finding Guide app (it’s FREE) – real-time info on what birds are nearby or in a specific location

Sibley eGuide to Birds app ($ fee to download) – a digital field guide for North American birds that allows you to compare two bird species images, maps, and sounds

Want to improve your Bird ID skills? Nancy also recommends the Feeder Birds Course offered by Cornell Lab Bird Academy. It’s a self-paced, online course to help you learn how to identify the birds in your backyard and understand their behavior at feeders, and includes custom practice tools, instructional videos, and quizzes (all available through your web browser, no downloads required and nothing is shipped, $59.99).

Interested in bird photography? Paul Bannick, a professional photographer and Audubon Magazine photo award winner, says birds are “fascinating and challenging subjects” (i.e., there’s no app for that), and he offers advice and a few pointers in this article “10 Tips for Photographing Birds“.

If you want to see birds, you must have birds in your heart.John Burroughs (1837-1921)

Bird migration in the fall and spring is a perfect time to get out the binoculars* and explore, and with more than 700 bird species, US national parks are prime birding locations. Check out the National Parks Conservation Association recommended best spots for fall bird watching HERE, and have some fun with your bird guide app. From December 14 through January 5 each year, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, and rain to take part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. You can join the fun or follow the bird count results (check it out → here) Starting in January, listen for the mockingbirds as they begin to sing throughout your neighborhood.

Birding Festivals – There are birding festivals at National Wildlife Refuge areas (home to more than 700 species of birds) around the US and throughout the calendar year. It’s the perfect place to see and learn more about your favorite birds, or get a first look introduction to a species you don’t know.

🎅🏻 Christmas Bird Count – Every year from mid-December to early January, thousands of bird lovers head outside to tally bird species. Led by the National Audubon Society, it’s one of the longest running bird monitoring projects in the world, and the data collected helps researchers gauge how bird species will adapt to climate change and highlights shifting bird population trends. The best part is you don’t need to be an experienced birder or even have binoculars to join the fun.

Noah Strycker traveled across 41 countries and all 7 continents in 365 days with a backpack and binoculars, eventually spotting 6,042 species (the biggest birding year on record), and he wrote about his many adventures in the book Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World. Recommended as a “wonderful” read by On2In2™ friend @nk03262

Submit your bird identifications via a comment to this article (see below ‘Leave a comment’). Sorry, there are no prizes available for this bird ID challenge (no answers either), only the joy of eBirding. And, please share your birding adventures and photos with us! [To comment on any On2In2™ article, you must first sign up as an “Engage” member. No worries, it’s easy…Click this link]

Watch hummingbirds in action and tips on how to feed them

Give your backyard birds a cozy winter home and ‘Nancy’s Bird Butter’ for extra nutrition

During the mid 19th century, John Audubon spent more than 10 years observing and painting birds, then years more creating and publishing his legendary series of illustrations The Birds of America. You can view and download all the works of art from the original publication here at ⇒ Birds of America

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

*If you purchase binoculars or a book via an Amazon link within this page, Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

All bird photos in this “Bird ID Challenge” article were sourced from Unsplash, CC0
Feature photo is courtesy of Ray Hennessy/Unsplash, CC0

If Stars Could Speak

March 31, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“Awake” by Zach Rogers is a short video beautifully photographed and produced using a time-lapse process that results in mesmerizing views of star filled skies above stunning landscapes. It was a 3 year “passion project” involving the selection of 6,870 photos from a collection of 50,000.

A philosopher once asked, “Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?” Pointless, really…”Do the stars gaze back?” Now, that’s a question.Neil Gaiman, Stardust (1999)

Experiencing a night sky teeming with glittering stars awakens curiosity, perspective and inspiration, and is a recreational activity enjoyed by amateur astronomers throughout the world. The opportunity to see such a sight, however, is getting more difficult as dark skies are vanishing from the glaring effects of light pollution. In fact, more than 99% of people living in North America and Europe see light polluted night skies rather than stars, and the Milky Way is hidden from more than 1/3 of the world’s population. The International Dark-Sky Association (“IDA”) works to protect night skies and ecosystems within parks and conservation areas around the world. Find dark skies for your best stargazing experience via the IDA locator map HERE, and look around for Telescopes and Stargazing Guide Book * to learn more and get started.

The short video Lost in Light by night sky photographer, Sriram Murali, dramatically demonstrates the affects of different levels of light pollution on our view of the night sky.

If you can’t get outside—-Watch the Night Skies channel here to see more amazing stargazing views captured on video by talented photographers.

More about stars⇒ Sol Invictus Super Star Sorcery Mysteries of a Galaxy

Pros give advice on how to take great photographs of the night sky in this free-to-watch info-video series → Shooting Stars

Have you tried moon gazing? Humans have revered the Moon for thousands of years, and celebratory customs of moon viewing add a spiritual component to the experience of seeing a big, bright, beautiful moon in the night sky. Simple, but awesome.

The title of this article “If Stars Could Speak” comes from the title of original music by Alexandr Fullin. It was used by Zach Rogers as the soundtrack to the “Awake” video.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/229297445″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

References/Information:

“Light Pollution Hides Milky Way from 80 Percent of North Americans, Atlas Shows” by Nell GreenfieldBoyce, NPR All Things Considered (June 10, 2016)

Night Sky Network – Search tools to help you find astronomy clubs and special events throughout US

Earth Sky (List of astronomy events, festivals, star parties & workshops)

Ten of the Most Breathtaking Night Skies on Earth by Michelle Douglass, BBC Earth (August 27, 2015) Some the world’s best dark skies are over remote, hard to reach locations, while other sites are astrotourism hotspots encompassing national parks and observatories.

Lassen Volcanic National Park (located approximately 3 hours northeast of Sacramento, California) has meadows freckled with wildflowers, jagged peaks, clear mountain lakes, a rich diversity of plant and animal life as well as numerous volcanoes, steaming fumaroles (steam and volcanic-gas vents) thumping mud pots, and boiling pools. Stargazing & Astronomy→ park info Dark Sky Festival

Rakiura National Park, Stewart Island, New Zealand – This ‘Land of Glowing Skies’ was designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in January, 2019

Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona becomes International Dark Sky Park in June 2018

Dark Sky Festival – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California USA

Acadia Night Sky Festival – Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine USA

Jasper Dark Sky Festival – Jasper National Park, Jasper, Canada

Night Sky Festival – Joshua Tree National Park, California USA

Mayo Dark Sky Park – Newport/Mulranny/Ballycroy, Ireland

Dark Skies Festival – North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, UK

Winter Star Party – Florida Keys, USA, usually scheduled each year during the full moon in February

OzSky Star Safaris The “Classic” is held at the outskirts of Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, and the “Spring Edition” takes place at NSW Southern Tablelands

Exmoor Dark Skies Festival – Family stargazing weekend at Exmoor National Park, a large beautiful and peaceful area of wild countryside in the South West of England and Europe’s very first International Dark Sky Reserve

Star Search: A Night Guide for Urban Texans by Wes Ferguson (Texas Monthly, March 2018) – Where to find dark, wide-open skies or a big telescope for star gazing in the state of Texas

Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival, Canada

Fountain Hills Dark Sky Festival, Arizona

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

The feature photo is a still shot taken from the video, “Awake” by Zach Rogers

*This page includes an affiliate link to a shop website. If you purchase a product or service directly through the link, Zeester Media LLC may earn a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Pro Photo Tips

March 11, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Ever look at a photo and wonder –‘why can’t I do that!?!’ Well, absolutely you can. Here’s an opportunity to learn from professional photographers and improve your camera skills.

This FREE To WATCH live stream program series, Pro Photo Tips, is filled with ‘how-to’ information and helpful advice for the amateur photographer. If you miss a live stream broadcast or want to watch a program again, just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player.

But, First Things First — If you are a beginner, or don’t remember how to work that expensive camera you bought a few years ago, start with some basics.

Lighting Basics Made Easy is a great beginner talk that takes some of the mystery out of lighting with a discussion of the different types of light and their properties, including color temperature, specularity and intensity. If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch. Click/tap the “Watch Again’ button on the media player below ↓

WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™

Want to come home with vacation photos you can be proud of? Whether your interests are a casual record of a family holiday, or a serious visual exploration of a place far from home, these practical tips and visual inspiration will help you maximize the quality and quantity of your photographs as well as add to the fun of a travel experience. If you missed the live stream broadcast of Travel Photographing: Pre-Trip Planning and Preparation there’s still time to watch a video recording of the presentation. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

At the Photography Workshop: Sports 102, photographer Marc Farb gives us the inside scoop on how to make images more impactful from capture to final print, whether shooting a professional sports event or the local little league. If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

We all enjoy capturing a special moment with a photo to share while exploring new places, and travel photography has been popular since the invention of hand-held cameras in the late 19th century because it combines two passions — travel and photography. David H. Wells, an award-winning internationally travelled publication photographer and veteran photo educator, brings four decades of experience in photography around the globe in this 90 minute presentation, Tools of Travel Photography.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of Tools of Travel Photography, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

You can expertly mat and mount your photos — saving time and money while having fun, too! If you missed the live stream broadcast of DIY Matting and Mounting for Photographers, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below to learn valuable mat cutting techniques, including how to properly measure and calculate border sizes, cut single and double mats, and t-hinge mount photos into finished mats.

MORE TO WATCH – FREE & On-Demand

Pros give advice on how to take great photos of the night sky in a FREE To WATCH, info-video series → Shooting Stars

Professional photographers share their work, inspiration and creative ideas in a series of free-to-watch live stream broadcasts and video presentations → Inspired Photography

Photographers tell their inspiring stories in this On2In2™ collection of short video documentaries → → Watch: Photography

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your photos with us, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Feature photo courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Polar Bear

December 29, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Cinematographer Dom West and photographer Joshua Holko along with director, Abraham Joffe and crew trekked over 120 miles per day in Svalbard (a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean located about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole) to capture polar bears on film for the video documentary, Ghosts of the Arctic. It’s awesome.

Polar bears are marine mammals that have been around for a very long time, and for thousands of years, have been an important figure in the material, spiritual and cultural life of indigenous people throughout the Arctic region. A ‘sister species’ to the brown bear, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) evolved somewhere around 350,000 – 6 million years ago, and at some point, split off from the brown bear and moved North, during which time a series of evolutionary changes occurred allowing the polar bear to survive the harsh conditions of the Arctic. The polar bear of today has black skin covering a layer of fat up to 4.49 inches (11.4 centimeters) thick, small ears, a short tail, and fur made of dense, insulating underfur with top guard hairs of varying lengths that prevent heat loss, and paws and claws perfect for roaming around the Arctic and swimming.

Home for a polar bear is on the ice in the Arctic region, including Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland and Norway (60-80% are in Canada), and it feeds almost exclusively on the fat of ice-dependent seals. As sea ice advances and retreats each season, polar bears may journey thousands of miles to find food, and they rely on the ice to travel, hunt seals, breed, and sometimes den.

Prior to the 1970’s, polar bear populations were in decline as a result of unsustainable hunting and trapping that began as far back as the 1600s, but a 1973 international agreement that strictly regulates commercial hunting helped the population numbers improve. It’s estimated there are currently 22,000-31,000 polar bears in the world. In the 21st century, however, polar bears face additional threats including pollution, oil & gas exploration/development, shipping, human-bear interactions, and climate change as Arctic sea ice is disappearing at an alarming rate. If ice-free periods exceed a polar bear’s fasting ability of 220 days, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for polar bears to survive, especially in areas that lack an alternate food source.

In May 2006, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added the polar bear to its ‘Red List’ of the world’s most imperiled animals, predicting a 30% reduction in the polar bear population in the next 45 years.

BYU Polar Bear Research Video: Working with Polar Bears International, Brigham Young University Professor of Wildlife Sciences, Tom Smith, and his students are engaged in a multiyear study to monitor maternal polar bear den sites in Alaska and to determine how climate change is impacting these animals.

Information/Resources:
Polar Bear International (Polar Bears 101, Human Interaction, Tracking Map & FAQ)
Defenders of Wildlife – Basic Facts About Polar Bears
World Wide Fund For Nature – Polar Bear Status
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Red List of Threatened Species -Polar Bears
Conservation of Polar Bears in Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada
How a Production Team Broke Cameras and Braved -30° to Shoot Polar Bears in 4K, by Emily Buder, No Film School (August 2, 2017)

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Untitled Film Works video, Ghosts of the Arctic
Photo of Arctic polar bear is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels, CC0

Lincoln @ Gettysburg

November 18, 2018 By Zola Zeester 3 Comments

An illustration by S.J Ferris that depicts Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg finds its way on the cover of a banquet menu in 1898. — Illustration by S.J. Ferris (1895), The Buttolph Collection of Menus, New York Public Library, PD

Lincoln @ Gettysburg is a recounting of how President Abraham Lincoln used new technology (the telegraph) as well as brilliant writing skills to lead the country during the American Civil War, and tells the back story of the Gettysburg Address. It’s a must see for history buffs and/or lovers of Lincoln as well as an inspiring lesson in leadership.

The documentary was first aired by PBS in November 2013. Watch it today via Amazon Prime via this link → HERE, or you may be able to watch it online via PBS ( membership is required to access streaming video in some PBS viewing areas). Alternatively, Lincoln @ Gettysburg may be available to watch via the PBS program service provided on streaming TV & media players (e.g., Roku; AppleTV); search history categories or “American Experience” to locate.

The things I want to know are in books; My best friend is the man who’ll give me a book I haven’t read—Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln had an extraordinary ability to understand people, their motives and desires, and he used that ability, as well as amazing fortitude, with great effectiveness. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln provides an enlightening portrayal of the man and historical account of his presidency (It’s a Zola favorite). If you haven’t yet read the book, recommend you get a copy. Check for it at your local library, or you can purchase via Amazon simply by tapping the image of the book.

There is no known photo of Lincoln presenting his address at Gettysburg, and finding him in the few photographs in existence has been difficult for historians. However, a recent photographic analysis by the “Virtual Lincoln Project” successfully identified Lincoln and others in the crowd. Find more about the discoveries and see an interactive display of the photos via Smithsonian Magazine article “Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?” by Franz Lidz (October 2013).

In 2015, the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library acquired the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection. It includes an extraordinary compilation of 19th century American photography and the largest collection of unique photographs of Abraham Lincoln. “Living with Lincoln” is a film documentary that chronicles the devoted collecting, preserving and documenting by five generations of Meserve-Kunhardt family members through photos, home movies and personal stories. You’ll find the Living with Lincoln video for rent or purchase here → via Amazon Instant Video.

Feature Photo: Abraham Lincoln in a crowd of soldiers, public officials and citizens at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863. The photo, credited to American photographer, David Bachrach, is believed to have been taken just after Lincoln’s arrival, approximately 3 hours prior to his delivery of the now famous “Gettysburg Address”. The photo is currently located at the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park. [Sourced from Wikimedia, Public Domain]

Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase of video or book via a link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Inspired Photography

October 28, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Photography is an art form as well as a science with a history of technological development that goes back as far as the ancient Han Chinese and Greeks, and is now used in many fields of business, science and art. Amateur photography, which began in the late 19th century with the introduction of a hand-held camera, has spread widely in the early 21st century with different platforms and equipment, and a cell phone as the key tool for making photography more accessible. However, it’s not always easy to take a good photo despite all the new tech and imaging techniques.

Want to take better pics? Watch and learn from professional photographers sharing their work, inspiration and creative ideas in a series of free-to-watch live broadcasts and video presentations.

Programming Note: Sometimes it happens — scheduling changes or technical interruptions in a live broadcast. Please check back for updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info. If you miss the live stream broadcast of a program, a video recording is typically available to watch. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or on the video posts located on the media players below.

WATCH On2In2™

Our Journeys Into the Night: How We Found Ourselves in the Dark – Chris Nicholson and Lance Keimig show and discuss the evolution of their photographic imagery over the course of 30 years, and tell the stories of how their careers and styles developed and how they became so intensely focused on nighttime photography.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of Our Journeys Into the Night, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the May 10 live stream broadcast of Connecting With Nature, there’s still time to learn what it takes to capture the beauty of nature with a great photograph. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below, and watch as nature photographer Mike Mezeul II shares the stories behind some of his favorite and most challenging images. He also shares imagery from some of his wildest outings, including tornadoes, volcanoes and northern lights.

Michael Halsband’s talk was cancelled. Disappointing as we were all looking forward to it. But, turned out OK because professional photographer Bruce Byers stepped in and discussed his work and methods. Bruce believes that photography is a powerful artistic medium because it can change how people feel, what they see, and how they believe. After seeing his work, you’ll begin to understand. To watch, just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

Whether you are a beginner or advanced in your photography skills, you’ve probably taken some beautiful images. But, do you aspire to take your portfolio to the next level, add to a specific body of work, or even challenge yourself with a new technique or subject matter?

Travel Photography and the Self-Assignment inspires photographers at every level as seasoned travel photographer, Liz Groeschen, shares several short and long-term ‘self-assignments’ she gave herself while living in Seoul, South Korea and traveling through 30+ countries around the world, including her own backyard, New York City. If you missed the March 21 live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcasts of Learning To Fly and Exploration for Landscape Photography, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the posts on the video players below ↓

Award-winning headshot photographer, Rod Goodman, shed light on the creation of a headshot in this discussion of both the technical and creative aspects of the subtle art form. If you missed the live broadcast of How to be a Headshot Hotshot, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the video post on the video player below ↓

Jeff Cable, a 5-time Olympic photographer and popular speaker, understands the challenges of close-up photography. If you missed his live talk on how to take high-quality photos of small subjects, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or post on the video player below ↓

American photographer Amy Arbus’ work has been published in more than 100 magazines, including Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, and Vanity Fair, and is part of collections located in the New York Public Library and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. She’s also published five books, including the award winning On the Street 1980-1990, The Inconvenience of Being Born, The Fourth Wall, and her most recent, After Images, an homage to modernism’s most iconic avant-garde paintings. The books are available for purchase via Amazon → Amy Arbus Photography

In the presentation “The Photograph Not Taken”, Arbus talks about her instincts, thought process and technique while sharing favorite treasured photographs. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from a gifted professional photographer. Click/Tap “Watch Again” on the media player below ↓, and be patient or fast forward as it takes about 3-4 minutes for the talk to begin.

Photography pros share travel, sports, outdoor photography know-how & more in these free-to-watch info-videos, Pro Photo Tips

Both professional and amateur photographers share their stories, work and inspiration in this On2In2™ collection of selected videos → Watch: Photography

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0
Photo of camera courtesy of Unsplash CC0

Editor’s Note: Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via the Amazon links within this page to Amy Arbus Photography or the discount camera equipment. This in no way affects the price you pay for a purchase.

Super Star Sorcery

October 26, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Deep space exploration and images captured via space telescope are nothing short of extraordinary as ever-improving technology enables scientists to reach farther toward distant planets and other galaxies. The wispy blue Witch Head Nebula (aka IC 2118) is just one example of many discoveries, but probably best represents the magic and mysteries of space and our fascination with the supernatural.

Rigel and IC 2118 (Witch Head Nebula), Robert Gendler, CC BY 4.0

Witch Head Nebula is located about 900 light years from Earth (FYI: 1 ly = 9+ trillion km/6 trillion m) within Eridanus (a large constellation appearing as a “river” in the southern hemisphere). “Nebula” is the name for an accumulation of dust, gases and other material that form into clouds within our galaxy and beyond. There are lots of them out there and several different types, and it’s believed Witch Head is an ancient “supernova remnant” nebula, meaning it was created by a massive star explosion. The wicked witch profile is created by the illumination of this cosmic cloud by Rigel, a nearby supergiant, blue-white star in the Orion constellation, that’s a couple hundred thousand times brighter than the Sun.

When you make the finding yourself – even if you’re the last person on Earth to see the light – you’ll never forget it. Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, and amateur astronomers have made significant contributions to understanding the universe with observational study and discoveries. Astronomy is also a cool hobby, enjoyed and shared by people at all levels throughout the world. Learn more about getting started from this NASA website info page. If you’d just like to look through a telescope or do some stargazing on a clear, dark night, search for community college classes, astronomy club special event ‘star parties’, and public viewing nights at observatories and state and national parks. Find HERE a list of US national park night sky programs as well as tips on where/how to find stars at home, around town and in the wilderness. Shop for Telescopes and Stargazing Guide Book * to learn more and start searching the night sky.

Information/Resources:
NASA: The Witch Head Nebula
Wikipedia: IC 2118, Astronomy

Watch amazing stargazing images captured on film by talented photographers⇒
“If Stars Could Speak” showcases time-lapse video ‘Awake’ by Zach Rogers, and see more from unique vantage points using different cameras and methods via the Watch: Night Skies video channel and the Cosmos Channel.

You can see Saturn in the evening sky without a telescope

Image of Witch Head Nebula is courtesy of NASA/STScl Digitized Sky Survey/Noel Carboni
Image “Rigel & IC 2118” by Robert Gendler CC BY 4.0 (sourced from Wikimedia)

Upsurge

September 1, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

When it all comes together… it’s like, man, this is the momentRay Collins

In the water, Ray Collins creates works of art with his camera, and cinematographer/photographer, Armand Dijicks, brings Collins’ seascape photographs to life in the short video, The Infinite Now, by transforming the stills into cinemagraphs. It’s a view of the ocean you’ve never seen before— beautiful and mesmerizing. Cinemagraphs create the illusion of motion by applying image editing software to composite a series of still photographs into sequential frames.

Love the Ocean? See & Learn more On2In2™ ⇒ Underwater Discoveries Saving Our Ocean Cranking Surf

Ray Collins started out his working life in a coal mine, and has become an internationally acclaimed, award-winning ocean photographer. In the short video, Sea Stills produced by Malibu Media, Ray describes his inspiration and technique in capturing moments of water and light in a wave.

Information/Resources:
Armand Dijicks (online courses, video tutorials and ebooks available)
Photographer Ray Collins (info on photos and book ‘Found at Sea’)

More FREE To WATCH, and Learn from the best photographers
→ Watch: Photography video channel for inspiration
and → Pro Photo Tips for how-to-tips and advice

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from Ray Collins video, Sea Stills

Chasing the Light

August 27, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Zaria Forman video courtesy of Ted Conferences LLC, CC BY-NC-ND

While most glacial ice is located in Antarctica and Greenland, there are glaciers on almost every continental landmass, covering approximately 15 million square kilometers (5.8 million square miles), 10% of Earth’s land surface. About 75% of the world’s fresh water supply is stored within glaciers.

There are two primary types of glaciers:

Continental: These are enormous masses of glacial ice and snow, known as “ice sheets”, that flow away from a central region and are mostly unaffected by underlying topography. Found only in Greenland and Antarctica.

Alpine or Valley: Glaciers in mountains that flow down valleys. When two glaciers meet and merge at the base of mountains, the new glacier is called a piedmont glacier. If the piedmont glacier flows into the sea, it’s called a tidewater glacier. A cirque glacier is confined by a valley forming in a “cirque” (semicircular bowl-like basin at the head of a valley). Valley glaciers (aka alpine glaciers) form in a mountain valley when more snow falls on mountain peaks during a year than melts during the summer, creating a snow pack that builds up, thickens, compresses, turns into ice, grows and moves slowing downhill (Mer de Glace and Exit Glacier are examples of a valley glacier). An Ice Field (also spelled ‘icefield’) is an extensive area of ice and interconnected valley glaciers that usually form over high altitude basins and atop plateaus. Ice caps cover mountain tops.

Glacial ice is formed by the accumulation and compression of snow and ice over a period of years, often 100 years or more. It’s not quite as dense as ice formed by freezing water because of tiny air bubbles trapped inside, and this unique composition allows light reflecting as white to be absorbed while blue light is transmitted and scattered, resulting in the distinctive blue color of a glacier.

Formation and survival of a glacier are affected by environmental and geological factors such as the slope of the land, amount of snowfall, temperature and winds. The surface area of a healthy glacier is covered more than 60% by snow at the end of a melting season and produces good flow. This requires a delicate balance of variable circumstances, and that’s been continually disrupted in recent history.

NASA comparison photos show the disappearing Muir Glacier — Muir Glacier, 1941 – 2004, NASA Climate 365

Since the early 20^th century, glacier retreat and mass loss have accelerated and become more prevalent. In fact, several glaciers, ice caps and ice shelves have completely disappeared, and approximately 400 billion tons of glacial ice were lost each year since 1994. Many other glaciers are shrinking so rapidly they’ll likely vanish in a few more decades. Just one example is Muir Glacier in Alaska. From 1941 to 2004, it receded about seven miles and lost more than 2,625 feet in depth.

Information/Resources:
Wikipedia (Glacier, Glacier mass balance)
“All About Glaciers“, National Snow and Ice Data Center
Glaciers (terminology, notes and comments), Eastern Illinois University
Some of the Oldest Ice in the Arctic is Now Breaking Apart by Christopher Joyce, NPR Science (August 23, 2018)
“NASA Mission Takes Stock of Earth’s Melting Land Ice” (February 8, 2012) Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Global Climate Change (Glaciers) – Interactive Global Ice Viewer
Common Questions and Myths About Glaciers, US National Park Service
“Steps to Prevent Glaciers from Melting” (February 19, 2016) The New Ecologist
Artist bio, works, shows and exhibitions, Zaria Forman on Artsy

Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot (1902-1904) — Mer de Glace Crossing, 1902 – 1904

The history and exploration of France’s Mer de Glace (‘Sea of Ice’) is fascinating, and it’s become an important fresh water source as well as a popular tourist destination. Sadly, it’s also disappearing.

·Feature photo is a still shot taken from the Zaria Forman Ted Talk video
·Glacier Map, courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory, is a visual depiction of world glacier study and catalog by the Randolph Glacier Inventory (2014)
·Graphic: Dramatic Glacier Melt (Muir Glacier, 1941/2004), NASA Climate 365

Sol Invictus

July 28, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Since the launch of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in 2010, humans have had an unprecedented close-up view of the Sun, and the images captured are breathtaking, revealing a red-glowing Sun ablaze with flares, filaments and eruptions. The short video, SUN, by Michael König, is an edited time lapse sequence of SDO images obtained between the years 2011 and 2015. It will change forever how you see the Sun.

There are billions of stars like our Sun scattered throughout the Milky Way galaxy, and many are bigger and brighter. What makes the Sun uniquely superior (at least from the human perspective) is that it has made life on Earth possible, providing warmth and energy and holding the solar system together with its gravitational pull.

Just like all the other stars, the Sun is a big ball of gases. It has a radius of 432,168.6 miles/695,508 kilometers (1.3 million Earths would fill the Sun’s volume), with a surface (photosphere) temperature of about 10,000°F (5,500°C) [carbon such as diamonds and graphite will boil at that temperature]. Above the photosphere is the chromosphere and the corona, where it is even hotter (3.5million°F/2million°C) and features such as flares and sun spots appear.

The Sun will one day run out of energy and die as all stars eventually do, first swelling to a size large enough to engulf Mercury, Venus and perhaps Earth as well before collapsing and shrinking down to its burned-out core (becoming a ‘white dwarf’). Scientists have predicted the Sun has approximately 6.5 billion years remaining in its lifecycle. So, there’s still some time to enjoy life under the Sol Invictus before packing your bags and taking off to a new home planet.

So we here on Earth, we actually live in the atmosphere of the Sun.Dr. Nicky Fox

In the November 15, 2017 NASA Gravity Assist podcast, Jim Green, Director of Planetary Science at NASA, is joined by Dr. Nicky Fox from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, for a conversation about the Sun — how hot is it, what are solar flares, and how does space weather affect us here on Earth?– and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe—a mission to “touch the Sun”. Just click/tap the play button ▶️ to listen to the audio recording.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
August 21, 2017

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, causing the Sun to be totally or partially obscured for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness within a narrow path across the Earth’s surface (a partial solar eclipse appears in wider area alongside the path of the total eclipse).

Everyone in North America can experience the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 — 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Path, NASA

It was the first total solar eclipse to move across the entire US since 1918, and eclipse watchers were able to take in the ‘total’ experience on August 21, 2017 as it entered the US from Oregon (crossing between Lincoln City and Newport), and exited in South Carolina between Georgetown and Charleston. For information and 2017 total solar eclipse resources, go to ⇒ NASA Total Solar Eclipse 2017

⇒ Watch The US National Park Service in collaboration with NASA, the National Institute of Aerospace, and Southwest Community College, hosted a special event and live broadcast of the 2017 eclipse as it passed over Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you missed the live stream broadcast or just want to see it all again, click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the posts on the video players below ↓

⇒ Another viewing option is provided by The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Information/Resources:

Sol Invictus (“Invincible” or “Unconquered” Sun) From 274 AD, Sol Invictus was the primary deity of the later Roman Empire and favored by Roman emperors, Aurelian (270-275 AD) until Constantine the Great (306-337 AD), Wikipedia: Sol Invictus

Sun: In Depth, Solar System Exploration, NASA website

Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Launched on February 11, 2010 on a mission for NASA’s “Living with a Star” Program, the SDO is a spacecraft containing measuring and imaging equipment that orbits the Earth at an altitude of 22,238 miles (35,789 kilometers), allowing almost continuous observation and study of the Sun.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe successfully launched on August 12, 2018 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. It will travel directly into the Sun’s atmosphere with a never-before mission to “touch the Sun”.

Discoveries of Cassini’s exploration of Saturn are a sight to see!

More cosmic wonders & mysteries can be explored here → → Galaxies The Universe Moon Stars Cosmos Channel

Feature image of solar prominence is courtesy of NASA/SDO/AIA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Public Domain

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