Stories, Excerpts, Backroads
Willow and I headed out early to catch the waning crescent beside bright Venus and Jupiter.
It was my plan to capture them above Chisel Peak but I couldn’t get the angle right with light quickly approaching. The right angle would have required us to walk another mile or so. That would have put the sun near up and me late for work. That’s the way it is sometimes.
A dazzling display of aurora a few nights ago. Willow and I headed north and stopped on the mile hill overlooking Radium Hot Springs. Knowing they can stop as quick as they start we kept going towards darker skies.
These Northern Lights were caused by activity on the surface of the sun. This coronal mass ejection struck Earth’s magnetic field and lit up the sky. It should have been a dark night, but Willow and I were able to walk around like it was a full moon.
By 3:30 the aurora borealis pulled way back and I could tell dawn was on the horizon. I forget how early morning breaks when the days are long. The longest days don’t even permit a fully dark night.
It was good to get out.
A crystal clear morning. Venus came up in the morning dawn. The sun caught the top of the peaks in the west before it rose over the mountains. The thin moon rose just before the sun. It was an old waning 6%. Due to its thinness and the morning light it was hard to see. I needed the binoculars to spot it at first. A Robin came and sat close to me and a heard of young Bighorn Sheep ran, about 50 yards in front of me. The way they were going I expected to see something like a coyote or cougar on their heels, but nothing. Something riled them however. The river is still clear and runs slow beside the tracks. Not long now the wetlands will be full. Next moon probably. Very fine morning.
Willow and I were up early. The moon was due to go down at about 4:30am. Our goal was to catch a bit of the Milky Way before the coming sun started to wash it.
We were off for the end of the lake. The pick-up slid in the mud. It has been clear and warm during the day, but chilly at night. We broke through the ice skimmed over the mud holes, churning this way and that trying to stay out of the ruts.
Just about at our parking spot, damn near level with the lake, I underestimated a strip of mud, letting the truck slide deeper and we were stuck.
There was no going forward or back. We were already in four wheel drive. I shifted the beast into 4 low and it still wouldn’t budge.
I got out and surveyed the situation. It is usually a foot and a half step to the ground out of the truck. This morning the step was just about level with the mud. We were stuck. It was dark. There was only one thing to do. Go looking for the Milky Way.
Willow looked at me sideways as if to say, this is where we are going to park?
We walked up the hills overlooking the lake. Willow stayed close with the coyotes yipping.
The moon was down in the west. The Milky Way stretched east to south. Antares, the heart of Scorpius was well up above the horizon. The Prancing Horse whinnied as if chuckling at our predicament.
We walked to the waters edge. The geese were at it, establishing territory, gearing up for flight. Once it started to get light we headed back to the truck.
I laid some broken branches in a corduroy fashion, shovelled mud and water and did some rocking, lots of rocking. Finally, like a stubborn tooth, the muck let loose and the ship sailed onto solid ground.
The only way out was forward, so I had to turn around and go back through the cranky puddle. Fortunately, I had realized the err of my ways and picked a more favourable route without incident.
Once home it was like Lisa knew I had got stuck. It could have been we were later than usual or the mud soaked up to my knees. She reminded me I wasn’t thirty anymore. I assured her we weren’t stuck, just parked for a while.
Interesting morning.
Willow and I were first in the mountains then down the lake, on the west side, anticipating the return of the galactic centre. Willow barked at the coyotes yipping. An owl started up somewhere behind us, then was quiet, maybe busy filling it’s belly with an unlucky vole.
The Milky Way curved from north to south. The stinger of Scorpius glowed red, a smear of greenish northern lights, turning magenta over the Giant Chief Nutmuq¢in.
An imagined glacier under foot. Even Willow bought into my tall tail, and gave me the cautious look of, let’s not fall through. You worry to much old hound, just the same, there is coffee an’ a muffin waiting. Plus we had our proof, spring is really on its way.
This is a closeup of the comet from a couple of nights ago. It is not taken with a telephoto lens. That would require a piece of equipment that tracks the sky which I don’t have. Instead it is taken with a 55mm lens and cropped tight.
Amazingly, 10 satellites can be seen in this photo of a small piece of the sky. You may not be able to see them depending on what computer or phone you are reading this post.
Most of the satellites are Space X communication satellites. It is amazing how many more there are than only a few years ago.There is something about them, that I can’t put my finger on that makes me uneasy. When I see so many it makes me think the world is going down the shitter. I don’t know why I have this feeling.
Stayed up past bedtime for another crack at seeing Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. It was more difficult to pick out, but with a little squinting I found it in a much higher position than the last time we spotted it. Without dark clear skies it would have been impossible to see.
The comet is racing away from us, back to the Oort Cloud, and getting dimmer and smaller by the day.
I took quite a few photos on different camera settings. Once I go through them I will share more here. The photo above is a panorama of six shots stitched in Adobe Lightroom. It was taken on a much higher ISO than I usually use for astrophotography, but was necessary with the lens I was using. Well worth losing some sleep over.
We have been battling the clouds but was able to get one picture of the comet tonight. It is not the greatest picture due to having my camera set wrong. It does show its long spectacular tail.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is rising in the sky, providing we get some clear skies there should be more opportunities to see it.
It will be very interesting to see how it interacts with the waxing moon.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has now emerged from the glare of the sun to become an evening comet.
Once again it was Lisa’s eagle eyes that was able to spot it just as we were about to give up. From our vantage point it was beside Mt. Nelson.
The photo was taken with a very wide angle lens, the same one I used to take the auroras, and the crop is a small part of the frame. If it is clear tomorrow evening I may give it another try with a lens that will make it appear closer.
It is always rewarding to spot comets, they are often a challenge. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may become easier to see as it rises into a darker sky. As it does, however it will quickly fade as it moves further away from earth on its journey back to the Oort Cloud. In 80 thousand years it will return.
The report said earth was in for a good solar storm and it didn’t disappoint. Willow and I headed for The Grotto on the west side of the valley. I had a good strong coffee and some jerky to get us through.
The aurora was noticeable before the sky got dark. We went all the way up the creek until the road ran out. I could have locked in the hubs and gone further, but it had been 50 km from the last person I’d seen and that would be quite a walk if I got stuck. I’m getting older and Lisa says I need to take less risks.
The northern lights came out, stayed out, danced and undulated from the glaciers to the heavens. An absolutely magical experience. I even caught Willow looking at the movement of the sky.
It should be noted the photos show more colour than can be seen with the naked eye. The shapes and greens can be easily seen. The magentas and reds show darker to the eye and not as vibrant. The cameras sensitive sensor picks up the extra colour.
Palliser Pass 