A normal treat about a winter trip to Wisconsin is astrophotography. Wintertime means that the sun sets early and the dry air is usually clearer. This trip was an exception. We went almost three weeks with cloudy evenings and the two clear nights still had wispy clouds and a full moon which made it difficult to get a great shot. Still, a few turned out and it was enjoyable to spend some time outside in the quiet woods at night. Thanks go to neighbors Pam and Lois for letting me shoot from their property that has the best vantage of the southern sky.
Here is a long exposure of my camera rig taking a long exposure of the southern sky across the wetlands. It was fully night but the full moon and long exposure makes it look like day.
Night sky over Danbury
The moon was so bright it washed out many of the stars.
This exposure was long enough to see the stars move. At the center of the circle they make (or nearly so) would be polaris, the north star.
Another shot trying to find a gap in the trees that the moon didn't dominate. Since I couldn't go out on the lake I was forced to find vantange spots on land.
Night sky over Bass Lake.
This one is interesting as the high clouds look almost purple. In the upper right the moon is just off camera but still caused lens flare.
Another shot with star trails and an lens flare from the moon.
This is another meta shot where I took a long exposure picture of my main rig taking a long exposure picture.
Full moon over Danbury.
Here is a long exposure shot looking south over the Tamarack bog behind our neighbors place (Thanks Pam and Lois for letting me take pictures there).
The full moon was spectacular but did not make getting pictures of stars very easy.
Night sky over Danbury.
Night sky over Danbury.
Night sky over the Tamarack bog.