Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Week 28, Day 202, November 11, 2009 The Sky is the Limit


It was a great morning, so I hopped off the bus on North Campus, and walked to my office.  As I was walking I passed the Fuertes Observatory at Cornell University. 

According to the Cornell Web Site, "The main telescope at Fuertes is a 12" refractor, with a mechanical tracking mechanism that is operated by weights, like a grandfather's clock."

I haven't been through the building to see it yet, but it's open to the public on clear Friday Nights.  See the web site for more details.

Lessons Learned:
  • I need a good set of gloves that keep my hands warm, and allow me to change the settings on my camera.  If the gloves are to thick, it's difficult to change the setting.  It's very easy to accidentally push the wrong button.  If they are to thin, my hands don't stay very warm.
  • I was very disappointed in some of the photos that I ordered online prints.  I just ordered a new printer so that I can more easily control, and see the effects of what I'm printing.
Photo details: Exposure time 1/30 sec, Aperture f/8.0, ISO 100, Focal Length 17 mm, 35 mm equivalent focal length 28mm, Lens Canon EF 17-40mm, hand held, circular polarizer filter.

10 comments:

Andrew said...

How did you get such a clear shot hand-held at 1/30 with no IS? Insane!

dev wijewardane said...

damn, 1/30th hand held!

webruci said...

Hi Steve:)
I would like to apologise I'm not comment in last week but I was busy not even post every day.
I love your photo it is a great framing.

my post is: I'm upset to go home for this show off country what decived us. It is home sickness. I hate racism and nationalism and UK is in the first place with this. I 'm a human ben and I cant accept to see others different for skin color or country origin.
Next spring we move back to Portugal where is everybody welcom:)
I found a site I would like to visit and know.
it is a photo site where you can post 2 pic a day and have review for artist or sell your pic and lot of contest. You are my friend and you are good , visit and find out more. I .m there already have two contests. is a anual fee but is low. here are the link: http://www.fanartreview.com/index.jsp
Robert

Rune Eide said...

You must post a report from the future visit to the observatory. I have never been to one, and this one looks like a place I would want to visit.

Re your comment: I found the flower on a small garden bush, and it had several in bloom. They were fairly small.

Eric Mesa said...

Cornell! Rock on! I'm C/O 2005!

Just discovered your blog via digitial-photography-school.com

AB said...

In the large version, you really see the sky in all its glory.

Unknown said...

Ahhh, I too just found the link to your blog (and nice compliments) on DPS. I was totally delighted to see that you are at Cornell, where I was a student way back when. I have a lot of film images of similar subject matter in my collection, and back then made an animated short film of a walk across campus from Collegetown, composed of drawings based on stills that I shot in the middle of the night. I am hoping to find time soon to restore the entire project digitally. All I have now is:

http://www.brianmiller.biz/No36Anim.htm

Keep up the great work!!! Your images bring tears to my eyes! I live in Colorado now, and while the scenery here is equally breathtaking, it just isn't the same!

Gallow said...

Andrew and Dev,

I learned a secret a while ago. I set my camera to take multiple shots by holding down the shutter button. The camera usually moves a little when I first push the button, and when I release the button. I shoot several shots (10). Usually some of the shots in the middle are fairly steady. This allows me to get away with a slower shutter speed when I don't have my tripod.

Robert,

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience in the UK. That must be very difficult. I hope everybody isn't that way. I hope your move to Portugal goes well.

I will look at the site you recommended. It sounds very interesting.

RuneE,

I look forward to looking at the stars, and photographing the equipment inside the observatory. It should be a lot of fun. I'll be sure to post about it.

Eric,

Go Cornell!! Thank you for joining, and looking at the site.

AB,

The sky was spectacular that morning. I had such a great feeling being outside that morning.

Brian,

WOW!!! your animated short looks so cool. I hope/look forward to seeing the whole thing. That must take a lot of work.

I'm glad that I'm able to bring some of the scenery to you in Colorado. I've have a couple of friends who live out there, and their photography of the area is amazing. But, like you said it is different.

Steve

Barbara Martin said...

Nice shot set up, and it would be interested to know what's inside the observatory.

Ian said...

To keep my hands warm in cold conditions I use Alpine Lowe Convert Mittens which have flaps which fold back to reveal fingerless gloves. Got them in a branch of cotswoldoutdoor.com. Changed my winter photography for ever!