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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

18Nov13 Forest Fires, Bright Moon Rise, Car & City Lights

Last night's observation from Wiseman's View was both interesting and informative.  The recent Table Rock fire which started a week ago and has now burned nearly 2,500 acres on the east rim of Linville Gorge, is nearly out with only a few tiny isolated spot fires remaining.  However, some folks at the overlook last night were hoping to see vast large fires and dismissed the remnant spot fires as the usual BMLs!  At least the large crowds provided the opportunity to photography vehicle headlights on NC Hwy 105 on the west rim of the gorge.  In addition, the bright rising moon over Hawksbill Mountain was spectacular.  Most of my photos should be enlarged to see the finer details.
  
Distant Lights of Taylorsville, 41.5 mi
Azimuth 88O from Wiseman’s View
Taylorsville is the dim horizontal band of lights immediately below the far skyline in the center of the image
Two communication tower lights are visible on Hibriten Mtn (89O azimuth) on right side of image:
1)       The usual blinking white light on the tall tower north of the summit; and
2)       A new red light on a tower on the summit
City Lights of Lenoir lie above and beyond Brown Mountain (the flat ridge in the foreground)
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 420 mm lens at f/8, 1 second exposure & ISO-400
 
Lights of Hickory 31 miles beyond north slope of Table Rock Mountain
Azimuth 111O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 138 mm lens at f/7.1, 2 second exposure & ISO-1600
 
Small Isolated Forest Fire on Flanks of Table Rock, 1 mi distant
Azimuth 135O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 420 mm lens at f/8, 47 second exposure & ISO-3200
 
7 Small Isolated Forest Fires on Flanks of Table Rock
Table Rock is Azimuth 13O from Wiseman’s View
The largest spot of fire in the center of the image is enlarged in photo 5178
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 18 mm lens at f/4.5, 60 second exposure & ISO-1600
 
Vehicle Headlights on North Flank of DogBack Mountain
Azimuth 185O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 18 mm lens at f/4.5, 6 second exposure & ISO-1600
Vehicle Headlights on North Flank of DogBack Mountain
Azimuth 185-191O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 55 mm lens at f/5.6, 14 second exposure & ISO-1600
 
Moon Rise Over South Flank of Hawksbill Mountain
Azimuth 75O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 18 mm lens at f/4.5, 60 second exposure & ISO-200
 
Moon (bright white) with Unique Lens Flares
Azimuth 75O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 420 mm lens at f/8, 1 second exposure & ISO-400
 
Moon (bright white) with Unique Lens Flares
Azimuth 75O from Wiseman’s View
Tripod-mounted Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR with 294mm lens at f/7.1, 1 second exposure & ISO-400
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Forest Fire in Linville Gorge---how's that for nocturnal lights!

Yesterday (Tuesday, 12Nov13) a forest fire burned on the east rim of Linville Gorge immediately south of Table Rock.  I photographed it from Wiseman's View on the west rim of the gorge from 8:37 pm until 9:13 pm when the howling winds and cold temps drove me back to the car.  Winds of 25-40 mph with much higher gusts fanned the fire and made tripod-mounted time-exposure photography difficult.  Fall's recently dropped dead leaves undoubtly added fuel to the fire.


Forest Fire on East Rim of Linville Gorge
The image shows the forest fire immediately south of Table Rock, an airplane light streak in the sky above Table Rock, the constellation ORION in the sky through the tree branches, and the lights of Lenoir & vicinity over the top of Brown Mountain in the distance.

Forest fires and brush fires were first mentioned as possible sources of BMLs in George Mansfield's 1922 USGS report.  While fires as large as this one are not likely to be mistaken for mystery lights by many folks, smaller ones such as campfires probably can be.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Catawba Valley Lights, Moon & Venus

My photography from the NC 181 Overlook tonight produced some more interesting images; however no mystery lights were seen.  All photos were taken with a tripod-mounted Canon REBEL EOS DSLR camera with either a Canon 105-420 mm  telephoto zoom lens or a Meade ETX-125 1,900 mm 5" mirror reflecting telescope.

60% Waxing Gibbous Moon
 
 
Catawba Valley city/town lights, view looking southeast
Brown Mountain is the dark tree-covered ridge slopping to the right in the foreground

Baker Mtn, 32 mi distant & communication towers on far horizon
Brown Mountain is the flat top, tree-covered ridge in the foreground

Single flashing white orb atop communication tower on Hibriten Mtn, 20 miles distant.
Adams Mountain lies directly in front of Hibriten Mtn
Note airplane light streak in the sky and two small red orbs stacked vertically on a smaller communication tower to the left of the white orb
The north slope of Brown Mountain can be seen in the lower right corner of the image

Venus above Hawksbill Mtn, east rim of Linville Gorge

 
Venus setting through trees on ridgeline north of Hawksbill Mtn
on east rim of Linville Gorge
Note short star trail in sky above

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Staged Light test Nov 4, 2013

On Monday night, November 4, 2013, our BML Research team conducted another radio-assisted staged light test on Chestnut Mountain.  I manned cameras at the NC Hwy 181 Brown Mountain Overlook while a pickup truck drove FS Rd 198.  The staged lights were only visible to the naked eye at one spot along the road, approximately 1.9 miles from the 181 Overlook.  Image 4832 shows our staged light.  This road is a popular destination for bear hunters & bear season recently opened in the area.  Other lights in the image are stars in the sky and distant communication tower and house lights.

Staged Light Test on Chestnut Mtn
Looking northeast from NC Hwy 181 Brown Mountain Overlook
The small white light below the skyline on lower flanks of Chestnut Mtn
is  520-lumen battery-powered handheld spotlight on FS Rd 198,
approximately 1.9 mi from the camera
 
The 8% Waxing Crescent Moon setting over east rim of Linville Gorge
 Looking southwest from NC Hwy 181 Brown Mountain Overlook

House Lights on Jonas Ridge
Looking northwest from NC Hwy 181 Brown Mountain Overlook
Prominent colored light streaks across center of image
are those of a large delievery truck heading north on NC Hwy 181
The skyline lights are from houses in the Gingercake Acres community along NC 1265

City/Town Lights in Catawba Valley beyond Brown Mountain
Looking southeast from NC Hwy 181 Brown Mountain Overlook
The lights of Valdese and Drexel between 125 & 140 azimuths are visible
The blinking navigation lights of an airplane are visible in the sky