Thursday, August 6, 2015

The So Called "Blue" Moon

It's a hoax! It's not blue at all. Same color as always. The blue moon is a term used for the rare times when there is a second full moon during the same month. So July 31, 2015, provided the second full moon of the month. It only occurs every few years, with the next blue moon scheduled to appear on January 31, 2018. Mark your calendars! Why the term blue? I have no clue.

As I waited for the moonrise, camera and tripod at the ready, it turns out the sunset might have put on a better show than the blue moon. Here's my favorite shot from the night... about 15 minutes before moonrise.



Finally, the moon makes a brief appearance, but only to disappear again a few minutes later into the clouds. I tried to be very strategic in my location for a moon shot. We were in town this weekend (not out at the desert, as you can probably tell). I knew the moon would be rising in the east, and even had the compass heading. I wanted an unobstructed eastern view, and ideally something of interest in the foreground of the shot. I decided on a parking structure rooftop near the train station that would give me a clear view of the old building with "Fullerton" on it's roof. Who knows, may be I could even get a train in the shot!
Well, if you look closely, there is a train in the shot. But because of the motion blur, it's hard to see.
Here's the "blue" moon later in the evening when it was higher in the sky.

With my telephoto lens, I felt like Jimmy Stewart in "Rear Window" as the Amtrak Surfliner pulled into the station. This photo was taken from the parking structure rooftop about 300 yards away. Hmm, that gives me an idea...

Two final shots at the train station. This is a freight train coming in at high speed without stopping at the station. Quite an experience to be standing within a couple yards of a train as it flies by!

Here's what a fast moving train looks like during a 1/2 second exposure... just a blur and hard to see!
Good night, blue moon!
Linking with Skywatch Friday.
Click on the link to check out great skies from around the world!!

31 comments:

  1. I really love your last photo.

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  2. Your first shot is totally awesome!!! So much colorful beauty!! That one would have been my favorite, too!! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Have a great weekend!!

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  3. Oh, I love your time exposures! Which station is that? We like the one in Capistrano.

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  4. Great set of images. Yes, sunset is often more spectacular than a blue moon, red moon, or any other moon, and you have captured a great one.

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  5. Wonderful captures for this post! Sunsets are always a favorite of mine. And the train is fabulous.

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  6. Excellent photos, all the way around!!!!!!

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  7. Great shots. The sunset and moon pictures are gorgeous.I do like the moving train as well.

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  8. Great photographs, your technical skills sure expand what you can do. That photo with the freight flying by is wonderful.

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  9. breath taking pictures !!! i really can't say which one i like most :-)

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  10. Love the colours in those first shots.

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  11. Nice series of photo's, wish I could get a good moon shot like that, think I need a longer lens

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  12. Fabulous photos and a wonderful shot of the moon. Great !
    Best, Synnöve

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  13. Stunning sky shots. Beautiful colors and scenerey. But photograpy are more .... you show that with creative and cool captures of the train windows :)

    Happy weekend!

    Irene

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  14. You must also feel a bit like O.Winston Link with all those train shots. It are indeed stunning shots again.

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  15. Gorgeous sky shots, I love the pretty colors and the beautiful moon shots. The train station shots are cool, they remind me of movie scenes. Awesome series of photos! Happy Friday, have a great weekend!

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  16. What a great set of photos, I like it from the beginning to the end!

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  17. Enjoyed all. LOVED that first shot. Cheers.

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  18. Stunning photos. They are all beautiful!

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  19. Really like these shots, especially the Jimmy Stewart one. Well done.

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  20. wow you have some amazing photos as usual...love the one of the moon peeking through the clouds :-)

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  21. Fascinating and stunning images. Loved them all!

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  22. That first sunset shot is lovely, and those train shots are great. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  23. A moon watcher and a train watcher as well. A combination one wouldn't think of as going together at all ...but you do it wonderfully. Loved it all and now I have an old movie to add to our queue. That photo montage is great. Fun to find you in town too.

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  24. Blue moon or not, that night shot with the Fullerton building is just fantastic--grays and blacks enveloping the city but with just enough light so that the details of the rooftops are still evident. Awesome setting ;)

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  25. love love them all :)))))

    Anita

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  26. Wow, enjoyed each one of these images. All for different reasons. The train blur has to be my favorite, though. The moon up high is a close second. As always, masterful photography!

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  27. Wow wow wow - stunning colours!

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  28. Gosh you schooled us! And that top shot gave me acid flashbacks, nice ones :)

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  30. Well I love all of this, from the first picture to the last. A delightful story-telling quality to the post, film references, the lot!

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