Fremont Peak Redux

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Just 3 weeks ago I was atop Fremont Peak for some night photography.  Members of the photography club and I returned to capture the shooting stars of Perseid Meteor Shower.  As we waited for the sun to set,  the dry grass glowed with warm back light.

The sunset was more beautiful than I expected.  Usually a spectacular sunset requires broken clouds to reflect the light, but on this night, the sun dropped into a bank of fog and entertained us with radiant layers of color that intensified even after the sun disappeared. 

I wish I had a streaking meteor to show you, but I don't.  They were too elusive for me.  Most of the time, the oohs and ahs from the many spectators sprawled across the observatory platform were the only evidence that a meteor had crossed the sky.  I missed more than I saw and photographed nary a one.  I did however photograph the Milky Way and the 30 inch reflective telescope that was pointed toward it. 

See more photos on my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Santa Cruz Boat Harbor

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I spent the afternoon and evening in Santa Cruz with friends from the photography club.  Someone lamented the lack of a clear, blue sky, but I was happy to have the broken clouds that added drama and interest to the late afternoon sky, and bode well for a spectacular sunset.  A stroll around the harbor brought back memories of a sail from San Francisco to Carmel that included two nights tied up at the Santa Cruz visitor's dock and a crab fest in the back of the boat.  That was 35+ years ago.

  

An hour before sunset I moseyed down the beach looking for a composition that would include the sunset and the Walton Lighthouse.  As I looked around, the slowly sinking sun painted the sky pink, and I was delighted to see not only the color reflected in the shallow water, but also the lighthouse.  

      

And then the big show began.  Most people think that when the sun drops out of sight, the show is over, but when there is a break in the clouds just above the horizon, the light that shines back up can be spectacular, as it was on this night. 

The lights from the Boardwalk roller coaster sparkle in the lower left corner.   The masts are from the Hobi Cats parked on the beach. 

The last photo of the night. 

More photos from this trip to Santa Cruz are on my Flickr Page:  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/