Aurora at Helm Bay
SARS-CoV-2 Negative
For now.
All last week I was suffering mild respiratory symptoms… Sore throat, stuffy and hoarse, mild muscle aches. Of course one immediately considers the worst case, that somehow despite being careful I had contracted COVID-19.
Not out of the realm of possibility, after a long summer of almost no cases our island has had a rash of infections over the last few weeks including a few deaths. The virus is clearly here and in the community.
I got swabbed on Saturday, and after a weekend of wondering I finally got the results on Weds evening.
Oddly enough I found the result while on the phone with my parents. I had told them about the symptoms and testing a few days earlier and they were calling back to hear the results. While I had not gotten an email notifying me of results, I checked the lab web portal anyway while on the phone. Two simple words… Not Detected.
All clear… This time.
While that was a relief to me and my parents they passed on family news.. My brother has tested positive and is now quarantined for a few weeks. While he has shown no symptoms and is fine, I am glad to hear he is taking the diagnoses seriously.
M33
Shangri-La
The North American Nebula
NGC7000 or The North American Nebula is found in Cygnus, just northwest of the bright star Deneb. A huge complex of glowing gas and dark dust the nebula covers and area several times larger than the full moon.
The image here is the sum of 60 individual frames, 30 at 1 minute and 30 more at 5 minutes of exposure taken with a TeleVue 76mm scope and a ZWO ASI1600mm Pro camera through a hydrogen alpha filter.
Shangri-La
Puʻuwaʻawaʻa Take 2
This week I returned to Puʻuwaʻawaʻa.
The plan was to use a mountain bike this time. One nagging issue in hiking Puʻuwaʻawaʻa is the long access road you need to hike just to get to the base of the puʻu. Two miles of straight, and mostly paved road to climb before the hike really gets interesting.
It is old pavement, but in good shape as there is little more than foot traffic. Last time hiking out I wished I had a bike so those two miles would be one smooth downhill roll back to the vehicle. Once above the puʻu I could use the bike to explore the network of ranch roads that lead back into the forest reserve.
That was the plan, reality did not work out quite as well.
Continue reading “Puʻuwaʻawaʻa Take 2”Rough Road
My Telescope Sings to Me
OK, I did not expect this.
I have been observing from my driveway each evening this last week now that the Moon has left the evening sky. Pleasant sessions wandering through the stars and clusters of Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Ara.
The week has also featured gentle trade winds at the house, resulting in fickle breezes around the telescope which is mostly in the shelter of the house. I get some manini gusts that make it around the garage that really do not bother me but do keep the mosquitoes down.
These breeze have created an unexpected phenomena, they make my telescope sing to me.
It is a gentle and resonant low B note as the breeze plays past the front of the telescope. Much like blowing across the top of a beer bottle, the tube of the telescope resonates with the breeze. Apparently a Cave Astrola 8″ f/6 telescope is a tenor.
Sometimes quiet, sometimes quite notable, I listen to the telescope hum while I look up the next cluster to observe.
Now if you excuse me I need to chase the pigs out of the yard… Again.
Dumped
Photographing some of the gulches, waterfalls, streams, and historic bridges on the old Mamalahoa Highway near Onomea I note that these jungle gulches were often used as dumping spots for cars and trucks.
Numerous engine blocks, frames, tires and axles can be seen in several streams. Most of the vehicles appear to be mid-twentieth century, the remains well weathered by the elements. An engine block among the boulders, an axle protruding from the brush.
One or two? More than that… Just below the bridge at Hanawi there is an entire cliff face made of vehicles, the rusting frames making up the whole side of the gulch. The Jeep grill protruding just above the stream made a interesting photo…
