I’ve switched to using Facebook for comments on my blogs. I hope this makes it easier for people to comment while eliminating spam comments.
All posts by mjh
Time-lapse Video Captures May 2012 Solar Eclipse [Video] – How-To Geek
Time-lapse Video Captures May 2012 Solar Eclipse [Video] – How-To Geek
If you missed the solar eclipse a few days back, this short time-lapse video will replay the eclipse in under two minutes for your viewing pleasure.
Courtesy of photographer Cory Poole, the images were created by shooting through 700 shots through a telescope lense and blending them together into a time lapse video.
[via Wired]
Time-lapse Video Captures May 2012 Solar Eclipse [Video] – How-To Geek
Albuquerque has many great parks [ParkScore Project]
Albuquerque ranks #11 with a park score of 65/100. And our wonderful undeveloped bosque.
Comparing Albuquerque, Denver, and Tucson
Rio Rancho Explores Possibility of Adding Open Space | KUNM
In a newly released ranking of city park systems, Albuquerque came in 11th, just below major metropolises like Seattle and Philadelphia. [mjh: and higher than Denver or Tucson, with similar population size ~500K]
In terms of developed parkland– that is, space including amenities like basketball courts and swing sets– Rio Rancho isn’t doing that badly. The city boasts 3.5 acres of developed parkland per thousand residents, compared to Albuquerque’s 5.5.
When open space is factored into the equation, Albuquerque’s grand total comes to 61 acres of parkland per thousand residents. Rio Rancho’s is just six.
Birds and more in Alameda Bosque, north of Albuquerque, New Mexico
We visit the area around Alameda frequently. There is a large free parking area just southeast of the bridge. This area is the northern end of the miles-long Paseo del Bosque bike trail through the bosque. Within an easy walk are the old bridge, now closed to cars but used by walkers, cyclists, and equestrians, as well as unpaved trails radiating east, south, and north along both sides of the river. In fact, there are multiple levels of trails along the acequias and closer to the riverbank. What a fabulous area to hike, especially early in the day. (The shade is great but may not be cool enough by late afternoon, even in late spring.)
Birds are an an added bonus to the other natural beauty of the area, which includes wonderful views of the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande river,
On our most recent hike, we saw blue grosbeaks and summer tanagers, among other birds. On previous occasions, we’ve seen hawks galore, as well as porcupines and a camel.
APOD: A Partial Solar Eclipse over Texas
APOD: 2012 May 22 – A Partial Solar Eclipse over Texas
A Partial Solar Eclipse over Texas
Image Credit & Copyright: Jimmy Westlake (Colorado Mountain College) & Linda Westlake
Explanation: It was a typical Texas sunset except that most of the Sun was missing. The location of the missing piece of the Sun was not a mystery — it was behind the Moon. Sunday night’s partial eclipse of the Sun by the Moon turned into one of the best photographed astronomical events in history. Gallery after online gallery is posting just oneamazingeclipseimageafteranother. Pictured above is possibly one of the more interesting posted images — a partially eclipsed Sun setting in a reddened sky behind brush and a windmill. The image was taken Sunday night from about 20 miles west of Sundown, Texas, USA, just after the ring of fire effect was broken by the Moon moving away from the center of the Sun. Coming early next month is an astronomical event that holds promise to be even more photographed — the last partial eclipse of the Sun by Venus until the year 2117.
STOKES BIRDING BLOG: Northern Saw-whet Owl, baby!
Lillian Stokes is a great bird photographer.
STOKES BIRDING BLOG: Northern Saw-whet Owl, baby!
I’m on the NH Audubon birdathon fundraiser today, doing a big sit category in our yard and just got this photo of a young Northern Saw-whet Owl in our owl nesting box, too cool!!!
Ok, back to the birdathon.Posted by Lillian and Don Stokes at Saturday, May 19, 2012
Natural Moments – New Mexico birds and bugs photo blog
Joe Schelling posts some great photos of birds and butterflies, primarily in the Albuquerque area. Joe gets around and also identifies his subjects thoroughly.
Natural Moments
"Birding, butterflies, other nature photography, and travel to other parts of the world in pursuit of same are high on my list of favorite things to do."
Ring of Fire Eclipse: 2012 – The Big Picture – Boston.com
Excellent! I especially like the composite photos. Albuquerque and Chaco Canyon are in the mix.
Ring of Fire Eclipse: 2012
A rare annular eclipse – a ring of sunlight as the new moon, passing between Earth and sun, blocks most, but not all, of the sun’s disc. It is striking to see. Differing from a total solar eclipse, the moon in an annular eclipse appears too small to cover the sun completely, leaving a ring of fire effect around the moon. The eclipse cast its shallow path crossing the West from west Texas to Oregon then arcing across the northern Pacific Ocean to Tokyo, Japan. (Thanks to all Big Picture viewers for sending us your images of the eclipse.) — Paula Nelson (49 photos total)
Planning for the next Solar Eclipse over the US
Kudos to NASA for the data and to MiddleEarth condensing that data.
Annular Solar Eclipse May 2012. MiddleEarth.info
Here are the total and annular solar eclipses in the continental United States according to NASAsince 1900 up to 2059.
- A total eclipse crosses the Gulf Beaches from Southern Texas across North Florida and Georgia on March 30, 2052.
- On August 12, 2045 a total eclipse crosses from Northern California, through the center of the United States and down through Florida, with area of greatest eclipse near Southern Florida.
- On April 8, 2024 a total eclipse crosses from Southern Texas through the heart of the Midwest and exits through Maine, with time of greatest eclipse just before entering Texas.
- An annular eclipse of the sun crosses from the Northwestern United States through Southern Texas on April 20, 2023.
- On August 21, 2017 a total eclipse enters the Northwestern United States and exits around South Carolina, with time of greatest eclipse between St. Louis and Chicago. This is the one to prepare for.
"Listen to nature’s voice—it contains treasures for you." ~ Huron Tribe proverb
hat tip to The Digiscoper: Yellowthroat Portraits
The best view of the eclipse so far
OK, it’s really from an earlier eclipse, in you were wondering.
APOD: 2012 May 19 – Annular Solar Eclipse
Annular Solar Eclipse
Image Credit & Copyright:Mikael Svalgaard
Eclipse details for Albuquerque
Eclipse details for Albuquerque
- Sun will be low on the horizon for the event.
- The centerline for the event passes nearly through the Albuquerque International Airport. Any location in the metro area will provide an excellent view of the eclipse.
- The viewing area must be high enough to see Mt. Taylor, which is 60 miles (100 km) west of Albuquerque.
- 1st contact is at 6:28pm (MDT) when the moon first begins to cover the sun.
- 2nd contact at 7:33pm (MDT) when the moon is completely within the disk of the sun. The totality of the annular portion of the eclipse is 4 minutes and 26 seconds.
- 3rd contact at 7:38pm when the moon touches the edge of the disk of the sun on its way out of the sun’s disk. The sun sets at 8:20pm before the eclipse is over.
Information provided by The Albuquerque Astronomical Society
Annular solar eclipse
As the eclipse progresses it passes over the date line headed eastward. This annular eclipse will be visible in the late afternoon in the USA on the 20th (local date/time). As the eclipse path meets the coast the sun will only be about 20-30 degrees above the horizon (30 degrees at the start of the partial phase, just over 20 during the annular phase).
Should be visible in New Mexico.
NASA – Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20
This map shows the path of the Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20 . The northern and southern path limits are blue and the central line is red.
"This is the first central solar eclipse to cross the mainland U.S. since the annular eclipse of 1994 May 10."
If I remember correctly, we observed that one in the afternoon through the leaves of our now-dead-and-gone umbrella catalpa in the backyard and with a pinhole viewer.
The Sky This Week, 2012 May 15 – 22 — Naval Oceanography Portal
New Moon occurs on the 20th at 7:47 pm Eastern Daylight Time. At this time the Moon crosses the ecliptic directly in front of the Sun, producing an annular solar eclipse that will span the Pacific Ocean and make landfall on the U.S. West Coast. Residents of northern California, southern Oregon, central Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona, central New Mexico and northern Texas will see the central portion of the eclipse. This will appear as a bright ring of light surrounding the dark disc of the Moon, which will cover just under 95% of the solar disc.
The Sky This Week, 2012 May 15 – 22 — Naval Oceanography Portal



