Lost in the Stars…
This is some time ago but I was looking back on some photos I took back when I was on Kawaii. That trip was a really special one for me then again I think that every-time I go to a beach it special! But in all seriousness this really was a special trip I went with one of my dear friends and we had an amazing time. Everything from the jungles, to tattoos, to swimming in the ocean and day drinking on the beach. In other words perfection.
But even though that trip was amazing it is only the tinniest bit that I want to talk about today because I want to talk about starts and astronomy. when I saw this photo again it reminded me of the emotions I feel on a deep clear night a miles away from anyone that passion, fear, love, and just that moment of being lost in so much more.
I’ve heard others say that when they think about the cosmos and the infinite sea that our planet swims in that they feel lost and insignificant. Well I think I understand where they are coming from but thats not the way it makes me feel. When I look up I feel that insignificance as beauty, I see that feeling of loss as tool to use to find something new, I see possibility. Staring at the sky has always done that for me and that trip reminded me about that love and that moment of feeling and true moment in time that still brings me to tears even today writing this as I remember that feeling of loss so profoundly floating in the ocean on a clear night and laying on the beach looking up.
Here are some of my favorite shots I’ve taken in some of those moments:
I love astrophotography and Cosmology and recently I have been experimenting with renting time on larger telescopes and rigs via internet connected scopes. I’ve tried a few friends rigs but they were a bit difficult to connect to and things were just buggy but definitely got me interested in trying them out.to see what the feel of it was like.
Im now trying a professional one called Slooh (https://www.slooh.com/) that has telescopes in Chile and the Canary Islands. So far it seems to be a pretty interesting and simple way to get people into remote telescope use and their scheduling system for times to use the scopes is really nice and well done. I do wish there was the ability to get more options on the img type, filters, and advanced controls but it is lacking in some ways. I think that it feels a little too easy but from thats really only from my perspective that colored by too much time behind complex control and video software. But overall I am really enjoying it and plan on trying a few more as time goes on.
Screen view from a control session on Slooh.
Here are a few of my Slooh captures:
I would love to know and see what gear, equipment and site you use as I am always trying to learn more in this space!