“An eclipse is one phenomenon that is actually more impressive from the ground.” — Leroy Chiao
This week’s blog will feature photos of one of nature’s wonders, a total solar eclipse.
Sunday, 04/07/2024: Posted photo — Moose.
Today was a travel day to Houlton ME to see the eclipse. We were looking to go to either western Ohio, northern New York, or Vermont to see the eclipse. We have relatives and friends in those areas. Looking at the weather for tomorrow’s eclipse, it was decided to head to Houlton ME. There is a Walmart in Houlton. Since we saw the last total solar eclipse seven years ago in a Walmart in TN, we thought it would be a good idea to go to one in Houlton. Walmart had a big open space and there would be many people. We also though we could sleep in the parking lot. This did not happen, we slept in a rest area on the way. Houlton ME was predicted to have the best weather in the country along the path of totality. It did not disappoint.
This moose is at the Kittery Trading Post. We stopped in Kittery to get candy and to go to the Trading Post. I needed another fuel can for my camping stove. If the weather was cold, we were going to have hot chocolate while we waited, and I did not want to run out of fuel. We also stopped in Freeport to go to LL Bean. We shop the outlet store and did not go to the main campus this trip.
The ride to ME was uneventful. There were signs in both NH and ME warning people about the traffic and not to stop on the side of the road to see the eclipse. We did not see many vehicles on the road.
Monday, 04/08/2024: Posted photo — Sundog.
While waiting for the eclipse, I saw a sundog and took a photo of it with my cell phone. I adjusted by camera setting for the eclipse and did not want to change them.
Sundogs are colored spots of light that develop due to the refraction of light through ice crystals. They are located approximately 22 degrees either left, right, or both, from the sun, depending on where the ice crystals are present. This sundog was in the little clouds there were.
Tuesday, 04/09/2024: Posted photo — Second Contact.
Second contact is the start of totality. First contact is when the eclipse starts, second is the start of totality, third is when totality ends, and fourth is when the eclipse ends. Between first contact and second contact, a special solar filter needs to be put on your camera. It is the same type of filter that are in solar glasses.
Just before totality, a single bright spot will remain, resembling a diamond in a ring. I missed taking a photo of this phenomenon during the eclipse seven years ago and was fully prepared for it this time.
Wednesday, 04/10/2024: Posted photo — Totality or Maximum Eclipse.
Totality lasted 3 minutes and 18 seconds in Houlton. It was very close to the maximum totality line. Three minutes and 18 seconds is not a long time, but it was worth it. Looking at the horizon and seeing sunset/sunrise. Seeing Jupiter and Venus on either side of the eclipse was another bonus. I was looking for comet 12P/Pons-Brooks near the eclipse but it was too bright to see.
Here are a few photos of totality. Unlike seven years ago in TN, the sky was cloud free and the eclipse as spectacular.
Thursday, 04/11/2024: Posted photo — Third Contact.
This is Baily’s beads just as third contact starts, or totality ends. During the last few seconds before totality, the crescent Sun breaks up to form Baily’s beads (those are typically only visible through a telescope with a solar filter attached). At the end of totality, this sequence happens in the reverse order, starting with Baily’s beads until the returning burst of sunlight becomes too bright to view with the naked eye. I also missed this during the eclipse seven years ago and did not want to miss it again.
When looking at this photo, you can see some solar prominences. Though they look like they could be made of fire, they are eruptions of plasma, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). They are a hot gas made of electrically charged hydrogen and helium, extending outward from the sun’s surface.
Friday, 04/12/2024: Post photo — Collage.
Here is a composite photo of different phases of the eclipse.
The timing for these photos were taken from the Partial Phase Images area in my Solar Eclipse Timer app. This was a great app to use since it gave verbal instructions and information on what was happening during the eclipse. It would tell you want to look for on ground level and it would count down to the different contacts.
Saturday, 04/13/2024: Post photo — Daffodil.
The daffodils are starting to bloom in our yard. This is a sign of spring. The cold and damp weather did not stop their growth.
“If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it’s already a lot. The instrument is not the camera but the photographer.” — Eve Arnold
Random photos of the week.
Sunday, 03/31/2024: Posted photo — Easter Sunday.
Today is the most important day in the liturgical year. Easter marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, the last day of the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday), and is the beginning of the Easter season of the liturgical year. Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion, which would be Sunday. His resurrection marks the triumph of good over evil, sin, and death.
The date of Easter is based on the moon and the seasons. It is the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox (spring equinox).
Monday, 04/01/2024: Posted photo — Sunset.
I took the group on a longer hike tonight since there is more daylight. We made it to the summit just as the sun was going beyond the horizon. I took this photo on the trail to the summit.
Tuesday, 04/02/2024: Posted photo — Sunrise.
Here is this morning’s sunrise. With a storm arriving later in the week, the sky was starting to cloud over. I was able to get this photo of the sunrise shortly before cloud cover arrived.
The tapping of our sugar maple trees is coming to an end. The sap is starting to run watery because of the new growth. Here is a bud off one of our trees. These are some of my favorite looking tree buds. I like the shape and texture of it. The color is not bad either.
Thursday, 04/04/2024: Posted photo — Crocus.
Finally, a little sun brings out crocus. The plural of crocus is also crocus. This was the only one that bloomed in this area.
Friday, 04/05/2024: Post photo — Weather Front.
One of the favorite things I like in nature is looking at a weather front. A front represents a boundary between two air masses that contain different temperature, wind, and moisture properties. I just love looking at the crispness and the straightness that is with this front.
This is a cold front that will be bringing us snow.
Saturday, 04/06/2024: Post photo — Snow.
Wet, heavy snow on the ground. Our cars were serviced since we did not know which one we were taking to view the eclipse and when I went to turn on my wipers, both the wipers were pulled from their mounts. Time to get new ones before we head off. The current plan is to go to Vermont. I will let you know next week if that has changed.
Here are some photos of the snow. The dent in the woodshed was due to a branch that fell on it a while ago. Repairs are in the works.
Today I went out looking for the remaining waypoints at the High Ridge Wildlife Management Area. I found all but one. This one is driving me mad! The other waypoints were in the general vicinity of where they were located on the map. The map gave me a general area since the eastern and northern scales on the map were different. When I attempted to triangulate from known coordinates to find the location, the bearings did not line up. Now that I have the coordinates of more waypoints, I can zero in on the location.
These are a couple of views along the way. The ground was very icy from the snow/sleet/ice we had yesterday (Saturday).
Monday, 03/25/2024: Posted photo — Morning Moon.
Today is the official day of the March full moon. It was a little cloudy in the morning, but I was able to get this shot in the morning. I was attempting to get the ring around the moon with my cellphone camera.
There was a planned full moon hike with the hiking group that some friends and I have founded. The day was turning out to be sunny, yet the ice was still hanging on. During the hike, I attempted to frame this shot. This is what I consider one of the best views from the mountain. The way the barn just sits out in the open makes this view.
Tuesday, 03/26/2024: Posted photo — Sunset.
Last night’s full moon hike was good and bad. The good part was the great sunset photos with the ice. The bad was that there was a cloud bank over Boston, so we did not see the moonrise.
On the way down from the summit, we were on a very icy trail with ice being thrown at us from the trees. The wind was picking up and it sounded as if it were raining ice.
Great day to be on the mountain.
Wednesday, 03/27/2024: Posted photo — Relay for Life.
Once again, I am doing the Relay for Life (RFL). The RFL is an event organized by the American Cancer Society to raise money for research and to help cancer patients and their families.
This is the address to send money if you want to donate. The RFL will take place in June.
Relay name: RFL of Greater Gardner Team name: One in the Spirit SK #: 6AYVG9 Relayer’s name: Joseph Ciras
If you do donate, message me so that I can get credited for the donation since was the caregiver for my bother.
Thank you for your help.
Thursday, 03/28/2024: Posted photo — View from the Trail.
During a recent hike, I attempted to frame this view. This is what I consider one of the best views from the mountain. The way the barn just sits out in the open makes this view.
The trail that has this view is a trail that is not used very much. I do not understand why. It is off one of the main trails. Might be because of all the rocks on the trail. It is not difficult, just tricky. It is one of the few trails on the mountain that you do not see many people snowshoe on during the winter.
Friday, 03/29/2024: Post photo — Ice on Fence.
I wanted to show these photos earlier in the week. These are some artistic photos from Monday night’s hike. I have been receiving many positive comments on these photos, so I am sharing them with you.
Saturday, 03/30/2024: Post photo — The Great House.
The Great House. Unearth during roadway construction, the Great House was built in 1633 and was the first public building erected in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in Charlestown MA. It is now part of the Freedom Trail. I had training today in a building that as just off the Freedom Trail by a few hundred feet.
“Once you learn to care, you can record images with your mind or on film. There is no difference between the two.” — Anonymous
Random photos of the week. Not my best week of photos.
Sunday, 03/17/2024: Posted photo — Wet Road.
The subject of my weekly photo project this week was road. As with most weeks lately, I had full intention to take another photo for this project and time flew by. I am finding it more difficult to do this weekly project that it was to do the daily project.
This is a photo looking down my street from our driveway. The water on the road gives this photo my character that if the road were dry.
Monday, 03/18/2024: Posted photo — Boundary.
There are two Massachusetts State Parks withing 10 minutes of our house.
The 3,000-acre Wachusett Mountain State Reservation offers plenty of natural and recreational opportunities. And Leominster State Forest that has hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and fishing. Both locations have segments of the 95-mile Midstate Trail in them and I hike and snowshoe in them, depending on the season. Leominster State Forest is flatter and easier to snowshoe in, and I have rock climbed the Crow Hill Ledges often when I was younger.
You have seen many posts from me about my hiking Wachusett Mountain and not many about my adventures in the Leominster State Forest. I will have to post more about those hikes.
Tuesday, 03/19/2024: Posted photo — First Day of Spring.
Today is the first day of spring, the vernal equinox. This was the earliest that the vernal equinox occurred across the contiguous United States in 128 years. Why was it the earliest that the vernal equinox occurred across the contiguous United States in 128 years. According to space.com, there are two specific reasons for this: 1) The quadrennial intervention of leap year often causes a slight variation of the date, and 2) Daylight saving time (DST).
These are tulips that are starting to break through the soil at our house. I was looking to take photos of crocus, but have not seen any this year.
Wednesday, 03/20/2024: Posted photo — Are you Looking at Me.
I came home from work today and saw this squirrel just looking at me. I took out my phone to take it photo expecting it to run away, but it just stayed there.
One of my co-workers heard a story about a state running out of license plates numbers in a particular state so he wanted to know how many combinations of six digits there are. I sent this problem to my son, a mathematician, and these are his calculations.
He did the calculations with (36) six-character plates (26 letters and 10 numbers) and with five character with the last digit indicating the month of registration, as it is done here in Massachusetts. There are other special cases that he did not calculate.
Friday, 03/22/2024: Post photo — Good Morning.
Some snow and ice on family vehicles. Taken in the future (Saturday morning, not today)
Saturday, 03/23/2024: Post photo — Snow and Ice.
Woke up to snow and ice. This weather was expected. I had to run some errands in the morning and the roads were bad. I saw a few cars that have drive off the road. Some people are just invincible.
“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” — Diane Arbus
Random photos of the week.
Sunday, 03/10/2024: Posted photo — Trees.
Looking up at trees. This was an attempt a symmetrical subject. These are two of the sugar maples on my property that are being tapped by my neighbor. I like the way the trees are almost silhouetted against the sky.
Monday, 03/11/2024: Posted photo — Bat House.
The bat populations have decreased significantly over the last few years. Bat houses can be very useful in providing secure roost sites for bats. Bats provide several benefits to humans and the environment. Bats play an essential role in pest control, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds. Bats that eat insects are called “insectivorous.” They feast on insects each night, eating about 50 pounds of insects each night.
This bat house is at one of the trailheads on Wachusett Mountain. I took advantage of the later daylight by doing a longer hikes this week starting in the daylight and reaching the summit at sunset.
Tuesday, 03/12/2024: Posted photo — Sunset.
My Monday night group reached the summit for sunset for the first time this year. We almost made it back to the trailhead without our headlamps. We were about a half hour short. On the way up to the summit, I wanted to take a longer trail. When the group reached the trail junction at which I was going to turn, it was 10 minutes to sunset, so I took the more directed route to the summit.
Wednesday, 03/13/2024: Posted photo — Mount Monadnock.
Mount Monadnock from the summit of Mount Wachusett. It is always good to see Grand Monadnock on a clear day. There have been many days this year in which I have hiked to the summit during the day and not seeing her due to rain and low cloud cover.
Thursday, 03/14/2024: Posted photo — Orion.
Happy pi Day to all!
This photo was taken with the long exposure night setting on my cellphone. My cell phone as an astrophotography setting and I am attempting to figure it out. What I am attempting to do is manually change to that setting. So far, no luck. I need to rely on the phone changing the setting on its own.
Orion, in astronomy, major constellation lying at about 5 hours 30 minutes right ascension and 0° declination, named for the Greek mythological hunter. Orion is one of the most conspicuous constellations and contains many bright stars. Orion can be easily identified by the three stars of its belt.
Friday, 03/15/2024: Post photo — Waypoint.
This is a waypoint from a hike. I was out verifying the coordinates in my GPS match the coordinates I calculated for this orienteering course using Google Earth and a map that I know is incorrect by scale. There were a couple of locations that I did not have the GPS coordinates for the next waypoint so I had to take out my map and compass to get to the next waypoint.
Saturday, 03/16/2024: Post photo — Stone Wall.
Throughout New England there are stone walls in the woods. How did they get there? At one time most of the land was clear cut for farming and the farmers used the field stone on their property to outline the property lines. This stone wall is in the High Ridge Wildlife Management Area where I went out hiking today to start my third verification hike of waypoints.
“The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.” — Annie Leibovitz
Here are some mountains that I have seen during my travels.
Sunday, 03/03/2024: Posted photo — Sunrise.
A wonderful sunrise. Took this photo on Monday morning and not on Sunday. I was busy on Sunday with a birthday celebration from a member of my family.
Monday, 03/04/2024: Posted photo — Night Hike.
I lead the Monday night hike this week. As the weather is getting better, more people are hiking on Monday nights. We have had 2–4 people on hikes during the winter, tonight we had seven. More people are expected due to the warmer weather and it being lighter at night. Time for some sunsets!
Tuesday, 03/05/2024: Posted photo — Stream.
With the snow melt and the rain we have had recently, the streams on the mountain are running. This is a photo from tonight’s night hike. Again, I did not realize that my headlight had a blue tint to it.
Wednesday, 03/06/2024: Posted photo — Bouquet.
A bouquet of flower that I took while food shopping this week.
Thursday, 03/07/2024: Posted photo — Rabbit.
The rabbit that lives on our property has been seen for the first time this year. I have seen rabbit prints in the snow during, but this is the first time I have seen it. Glad to see it made it through the wet, cold winter.
Friday, 03/08/2024: Post photo — Cube Solving Robot.
I help the robotics team at my high school alma mater. They were practicing their judging speech for the state championships and showed us that they have designed a robot that will mix up a cube to create a pixel for a mosaic that will be making. They did this through a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education program) that they started. This is the first STEM Rubik’s project in the country and they are sponsored by Rubik. I know a couple of the robotics team members from the speed cubing community. Here is a video of the robot: https://youtu.be/Id_YpwkuKww?si=U987aegensWYtoMc. It is long but it give you an idea of how these two cubers programmed the robot.
Saturday, 03/09/2024: Post photo — Covered Bridge.
This covered bridge is at the Bull Run Restaurant.
I attended Don White’s Annual Birthday Show at the Bull Run with some old college friends. It was not about the show, it was about connecting with people you spent a lot of time with earlier in your life and just getting together very sporadically over the years. The show was interesting, and the company was great. Will I remember who performed or what they sang, probably not. I will remember going out with some old friends.
When I was younger, people would tell me not to take family and friends for granted. As I get older, I understand what they mean. Thank you Chris for taking this group photo to keep the memories alive.
“Essentially what photography is life lit up.” — Sam Abell
Various photos from this week. This is a birthday week in my family with two or the three of us having birthday’s this week.
Sunday, 02/25/2024: Posted photo — Color.
The colors of candy.
Monday, 02/26/2024: Posted photo — Moxie.
I have posted photos of Moxie previously. It is one of my favorite beverages to drink. It truly is an acquired taste.
Tuesday, 02/27/2024: Posted photo — Night Sky.
This photo is from last night’s hike up Wachusett. This photo was taken from the fire tower looking at Boston. I took this photo because the look of the clouds drew my attention.
A Pepino Melon is an oval-shaped, smooth-skinned fruit native to South America. Also known as Pepino Dulce, or sweet cucumber in Spanish, the Pepino turns from green to yellow as it ripens and develops striking purple stripes when mature. Pepino Melons have a pear-like texture and a mellow cantaloupe-cucumber flavor.
Thursday, 02/29/2024: Posted photo — Waypoint.
Over the last few weeks, I am mapping out an orienteering course to use for my advanced navigation class. I am taken a map that was given to me and determining the GPS coordinates for each point to very the map. So far I am about halfway through the verification process. The organization that put in the course has not giving me the coordinates yet, so am I determining them.
Friday, 03/01/2024: Post photo — Puzzle.
Today is one of the birthday’s in my family. The other one is in a couple of days. The person whose birthday was today wanted to do a puzzle. These are pieces from the 500 piece puzzle that was completed today. Tomorrow we do a 1000 piece puzzle, and then Sunday we do a more difficult 1000 piece puzzle.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
Here are some mountains that I have seen during my travels.
There were many great views of the mountain in the park. Took this photo was in the morning when the water was calm. There was someone sleeping in a hammock just outside the frame of this photo.
Monday, 02/19/2024: Posted photo — Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The Tetons are great and majestic mountains. Took this one just after sunset in the golden hour.
Tuesday, 02/20/2024: Posted photo — Lake McDonald.
Glacier National Park, Montana
This was my first view of Glacier National Park. We did some hiking with a mountain goat and her children on this trip.
Wednesday, 02/21/2024: Posted photo — Prince of Wales Hotel Waterton Lake.
Waterton – Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta
When we arrived at the park, the ranger saw that I had a camera. She told me of the spot to take this photo. It was up a private road used just by the rangers.
Thursday, 02/22/2024: Posted photo — Along the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
Alaska
We took a ride on the White Pass Railroad on our trip to Alaska. We did go into the Yukon to turn around. This is one of the mountains along the way. This photo is in color.
Friday, 02/23/2024: Post photo — Lake Louise.
Banff National Park, Alberta
I did not know that Lake Louise was a famous lake. We just stopped in to take in the views. It was crowded when we arrived in the morning and was very crowded in the afternoon when we continued our journey.
Saturday, 02/24/2024: Post photo — Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Washington
Been to Mount St Helens many times since it erupted on May 18, 1980. I am amazed with the way nature is recovering. The first time I went there was ten years after the eruption and there were still logs floating in Spirit Lake.
Today is the 36th anniversary of my starting to date my wife. I celebrate if every year. It is close to St. Valentine’s Day, so I make it a double celebration. Yellow flowers mean friendship. There is a lot of red roses being sold this week, so I wanted to be different.
Monday, 02/12/2024: Posted photo — Rotary not Traffic Circle.
In New England we call this a rotary and not a traffic circle or roundabout. Sometimes I wish that GPS systems would be trained with local lingo. This is the Concord Rotary, one of the busiest rotaries that I have driven through. It has two lanes, and you need to pay attention to the drivers around you.
Tuesday, 02/13/2024: Posted photo — Icicles.
A foot of snow! No! Six to eight inches of snow! No! One to three inches of snow! No! A dusting of snow! Maybe. This weather forecast all happened within a few hours of the storm starting in our area. The snow moved out to sea quickly and the residents in southern New England and near the coast receive the most snowfall. Some up to a foot. Living in the snow belt of the state, we were expecting more. Schools close last night since heavy snow was predicted up until late in the evening.
Looking out an office window I saw the icicles hanging off the Japanese Yew, so I took this photo through the dirty window.
Wednesday, 02/14/2024: Posted photo — Keyboard.
Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the start of the season of Lent. Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It’s a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.
The choir my wife and son sing in, sang for the Ash Wednesday Mass. At the end of Mass, I saw the lights reflecting off the organ keyboard, so I took this photo.
Thursday, 02/15/2024: Posted photo — Milky Way.
The topic of a photo project I am doing is called unexplored. There are many regions of the galaxy that are unexplored, so I wanted to take a photo of the Milky Way on one of the few clear sky days we have had lately.
Friday, 02/16/2024: Post photo — Harmony small things Grow.
“Concordia Res Parvae Crescunt” in harmony small this Grow. This is the motto of the Xaverian Brothers. The Xaverian Brothers were founded in Belgium by Theodore James Ryken in 1839 to be missionaries, and have been educators in the United States since 1854. The high school that I graduated from is an Xaverian Brother’s school. I go back every Friday to help the Robotics Team with engineering and project management advice.
Saturday, 02/17/2024: Post photo — Devils Tower.
Taken at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming.
At the base of the Tower is a bolder field that we hiked up to. Massive rocks, some large as a bus, form a 13-acre field. Predominantly around the west and south faces of the Tower, this field of giant rocks was created as pieces of the Tower weathered off and eroded down. Geologists agree that Devils Tower began as magma, or molten rock buried beneath the Earth’s surface. What they cannot agree upon are the processes by which the magma cooled to form the Tower, or its relationship to the surrounding geology of the area. This was one of the three movie sets were stopped in at during this trip. The other two were Goblin Valley were Galaxy Quest was filmed and the Field of Dreams in Iowa.
Photo by Joseph Ciras 