Category: Exploring

To The End of Orient Point, Long Island, (N.Y.)

On By mvschulzeIn Adventure, Close Up, Close-Up, Daytrip, Exploring, Geology, Lighthouses, Little Animals, Nautical, New York, New York State, Perspectives, Photography, Pondering, Remembering, serenity, Telephoto5 Comments

The approximate distance from Times Square to the North-Eastern tip 0f Long Island is 100 miles, or 160 kilometers. Some time ago I explored this sea-washed lands end, known as Orient Point, while over looking the 1899 lighthouse by the same name.

Walking back, I noticed I was not alone!

Zoom in for a closer look and comments are always welcomed. M 🙂

 

 

 

Last Vestiges of Winter

On By mvschulzeIn 2000's, Adventure, Curiosities, Daytrip, Dogs, Exploring, Hiking, New Jersey, Photography, snow, Spring, Winter4 Comments

It is late March in Northern New Jersey, and dirty piles of leftover snow have just about melted away.  Along back trails of the Ramapo Mountains, streams are flowing again creating interesting shapes and patterns in their melting ice. Sandy, our faithful hiking companion back then, was exhausted after this particular late March day ….in 2006.

Thanks for Viewing. Comments are always welcome, and zooooooom in for a closer look!  M 🙂

The Smith Tower – Seattle, Washington

On By mvschulzeIn 1910's, 1980's, Adventure, Art, Buildings, Exploring, Family, Observation, Perspectives, Photography, Pondering, Seattle, Sky Scrapper, Summer, Travel, Vacation, Washington State6 Comments

At forty-two stories, 462′ (141 m,) the Smith Tower was the tallest building in Seattle for fifty-five years, 1914 to 1969. On a vacation some years ago, we enjoyed the history of that building and climbing to the observation level near the top.

From the NW corner,  eleven-year old Steve stands before the Seattle Space Needle seen here to the north.

                      Eastern Elliot Bay forms the waterfront of Seattle.

And the view south is the old King Dome, which we thoroughly toured earlier, with the King Street Train Station (with tower) and I-5 in the distance to the left, here looking south

         Thanks for viewing, zoom in for a closer look and comments are always welcome. M 🙂

Walking in Annapolis, Maryland

On By mvschulzeIn Art, Buildings, Curiosities, Exploring, History, Photography, Pondering, Travel5 Comments

 

While in town for a wedding some time ago, we walked past the impressive Maryland State House, still in use, and dating back to 1772.Above is the upper portion of the building including its lightning rod, designed by Benjamin Franklin.

Thanks for viewing, …zoom in for a closer look, and comments are always welcomed.  M 🙂

Grand Canyon to Tetons

On By mvschulzeIn 1990's, Adventure, Exploring, Family, Geology, Hiking, National;Parks, Perspectives, Photography, Pondering, Summer, Travel, Vacation6 Comments

A slightly different take on two great national parks.

Above: Kaibab Trail, South Rim Grand Canyon – 8/7/95
Above: Early morning fog (referring to the photographer, me!) and Jackson Hole – 8/11/90

Thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcome. Zoooom in for a closer look. M 🙂

In Search of Pluto

On By mvschulzeIn 1960's, Astronomy, Back Yard, Corvid-19, Curiosities, Exploring, Home, New Jersey, Observation, Pandemic, Perspectives, Pondering, Remembering, Science, telescope, Uncategorized, Weather5 Comments

A tale from over fifty years ago!

Using this 10″ (255mm) reflector telescope, and a simplistic chart published in Sky and Telescope magazine, I would try to confirm seeing Pluto, …a difficult star-like pinpoint at the edge of visibility. Observing from my suburban town only twenty miles (32 km) N.W. from the brightness of New York City, proved challenging.

A second observation from a considerably darker location was planned as Pluto would have slightly changed position amongst the same stars. But it didn’t happen as unfavorable weather conditions persisted for several weeks.

ABOVE: As seen in the eyepiece, …a rough drawing of visible stars in the area of where I believed Pluto was located. The arrows, particularly “G,” indicated possible candidates. I estimated magnitude 14, (the published approximate magnitude, or brightness of Pluto,) was about the faintest I could see at the time.
ABOVE: Compare the sketch to this same very small area in the constellation Leo, as shown from “Google Sky,” a searchable photographic atlas available free on-line, and certainly not available back then!

Did I see Pluto? Maybe, or maybe not. I recently concluded there was not sufficient evidence for me to comfortably confirm a sighting.  But re-visiting this event from an “armchair viewpoint” so many years later, was …an interesting way to pass the time during this pandemic year.

Special thanks to “Cosmic Focus,” an advanced amateur astronomer/imager from Australia, for providing the incentive to re-visit this quest, …and guiding me to to the current charting resources available today. His wonderful captures of Pluto and a keyway to a remarkable WordPress site can be found here or https://cosmicfocus.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/pluto-the-previous-planet.

Thanks also for viewing. Comments are always welcome, and you can zoom in for a closer look. M 🙂