Posts Made By: Alan French

Yesterday I had three Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting the feeders and the pine next to it. Two were youngsters. Today there were five. I opened the window and took a number of photos with my Canon SX10is, mounted on a tripod. It was pretty overcast, so the lighting wasn't the best, but I was pretty happy with the results (especially compared to yesterday's shot through the window).

Clear skies, Alan

Harold Hill is probably best known for his lunar drawings ("A Portfolio of Lunar Drawings"), but I found his introductory paragraph called "Some thoughts on the art of vision" absolutely fascinating. I encourage everyone who can to take the time to read it in its entirety.

Thanks to Tom Rauschenbach, I now have a link that will let you read the piece...
http://tinyurl.com/2a2g4zw

Clear skies, Alan

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100728-global-warming-noaa-climate-hottest-decade-science-environment/

http://climateprogress.org/2010/03/04/science-nsf-tundra-permafrost-methane-east-siberian-arctic-shelf-venting/

Why is it that nothing provides such fine views and rave reviews as a new eyepiece? It's because your eyepiece is perfectly clean. And you can be sure it will never be perfectly clean again, no matter how hard you try. Dirt and grime will degrade all your future views, reducing contrast and obscuring subtle detail. Fortunately, Flurry Astro-Innovations has come to your rescue! Introducing out new EverClean Ocular (ECO).

Why is the EverClean Ocular so effective? Because you'll never use it again. That's right, Flurry Astro-Innovations has developed a disposable eyepiece. Use it once, toss it, and dig out a perfectly new, perfectly clean, Ever-Clean Ocular. Enjoy perfect, high contrast viewing every time you observe. The ECO is biodegradable, and is made entirely from recycled materials.

EverClean Oculars are available by the dozen or a very economical gross (144 ECOs). And here's ever better news, because of our proprietary design, manufacturing processes, and high volume, you can order any focal length. That's right, you can get exactly the focal lengths you need! (Some restrictions apply.)

Call now to take advantage of our special introductory prices. Be sure to inquire about our subscription plan for the avid observer.

EverClean Oculars are already in use at major observatories around the world, and will soon be standard equipment for several well known telescopes.

Get the views you deserve - Go green, Go EverClean! Your eyes will thank you, and you'll be the envy of your fellow astronomers.

Clear skies, Alan
President, Flurry Astro-Innovations

The attached photo shows a gross of ECOs ready for packing and shipping.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/21/uva-still-fighting-climate-witch-hunt-ups-the-rhetoric/

The latest issue of Birder's World (December) has a very interesting piece "Then and Now" in Pete Dunne's birderatlarge column. Mr. Dunne writes about the difference between binoculars 25 years ago and now.

We live at a wonderful time.

Clear skies, Alan

I found an unexpected visitor on my feeders the other day, a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk. He kept flying after birds on the other feeder, mostly Blue Jays, but seemed somewhat unskilled and impatient. The lighting was not good and I was shooting through two panes of glass, but it turned out fairly well. It will be a nice reminder of a fun sighting.

Yesterday I had my first Pine Siskin, and a couple of Fox Sparrows.

Clear skies, Alan

Some really good points here...
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/11/29/a-firehose-of-global-warming-news-both-good-and-bad/

Item 7 was just in the news this past week.

Clear skies, Alan

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=47628