SKYWATCH FRIDAY (Sunrise on the Lakeshore)

I can take absolutely no credit for these photos, that all goes to my husband. A few weeks back he decided to partake in an event called 'Bike the Drive.' When the entire length of Lakeshore Drive in Chicago is closed to cars for several hours on a Sunday morning and given over completely to cyclists. Needless to say this is an early morning thing which is how he managed to capture these beautiful shots of an unusually empty beach lit by the gentle light of dawn. I, of course, was still asleep at this point!





For sky views the world over, go to Skywatch Friday.


Photo Credits - DominickV

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - BLUE MOON

As we all know, New Years Eve blessed us with a 'blue moon' and being as I am always late with everything, I am posting my images of it this week!


As usual I could not keep my camera totally still but somehow, in this instance, it adds to the ethereal effect (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)
Of course a Blue Moon is not blue at all. There are various different definitions of what a blue moon actually is but the most modern one is the term used to refer to a second full moon that falls in one calendar month. There was also a partial Luna eclipse on this night but it was only visible in certain places and as far as I know Chicago was not one of them.


It was not the clearest of nights and I had to catch the moon as it dodged in and out of the clouds but what was really odd was sometimes when the moon was out of sight behind a cloud, there was still a beautiful reflection on the water.


So how long do we have to wait for the next blue moon? August 2012. And if you want another blue moon on New Years Eve? That would be in 2028!
See the skies of the world from the comfort of your own home by visiting Skywatch Friday. It is definitely worth a visit.


Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - SUNRISE OVER LAKE MICHIGAN

Unfortunately it is getting to the time of year again when I am up before the sun. But at least this week I was rewarded with some spectacular views of the sun rising over the lake.





For skies around the world visit Skywatch every Friday, it is well worth the effort.


Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - SWIRLS

For this weeks skywatch I spotted soft swirling clouds that looked as if they had been applied to the sky with a paint brush.


And sitting in amongst them is the softest half moon, just barely visible.


Until I zoom in a little more............


For beautiful skies from all around the globe, check out Skywatch Friday.


Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - A METALLIC MORNING.

One morning last week I woke up to this dramatic sky over the lake.


Not exactly a shiny summer morning but quite dramatic for a skywatch posting.


To see the sky from every corner of the globe, check out Skywatch Friday.


Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - MOONRISE IN CHICAGO

My Husband cycles home from work and when the weather is nice I sometimes walk out to meet him on his way along the lakefront. On this particular evening we sat and watched the moon rise over the lake as we looked back towards the city.


Don't forget to check out skies from all over the world at the Skywatch Friday site every week.


Photo Credits - CJT & DominickV

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - SCILLONIAN SKIES

Unfortunately I can't take any of the credit for this series of photos as my husband took them all, but I was there! On our recent visit to Cornwall we took a little three day trip to the Isles of Scilly (more about this magical place soon) and on our first night there, after a long delicious dinner we strolled out to the headland and sat to watch the sky over the ocean. The delightful part about this was that the sun didn't set until around ten o'clock so we didn't even have to have an early dinner!


And then a leisurely stroll back to our room where we were lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves.

Check out Skywatch Friday, it's the place to be on a Friday night!!


Photo Credits - Dominick V

SKYWATCH FRIDAY (Make Believe)

When winter gets me down I often think about warmer times in my life, and what could be warmer than Africa? Not much, I can assure you! A couple of days ago, out of the blue I remembered one night several years ago, when I was fortunate enough to see a comet. It was a truly breathtaking sight, as if someone had dropped a single drop of white paint onto the backdrop of the inky black African sky and then swept the brush out behind it until it ran out of paint. It was such a stunning sight it took my breath away. I remember sitting gazing at it for a very long time and, as with so many of the things I saw during my years there, thinking how truly privileged I was to see something so rare and so special. Well I guess that image must have lodged somewhere in the back of my mind because as I was walking home from work last night I saw this..........


It kind of worked for me in an odd way! Because of the angle of the setting sun, the vapour trail of the plane was an amazing shade of orange. Well it made me smile at least!


And it was a pretty (if frigid) evening.


For Skywatchers the world over, go to the Skywatch Friday site.

Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY (Back to Cornwall)

As the skies of Chicago have been rather grey and uninspiring this week I have decided to take you on a whistle-stop tour of Cornwall for something a little more cheery, and considerably warmer!


When we visited last June the weather was glorious and all the wild flowers were blooming.


Being a fairly exposed peninsula of land, there are some pretty serious winds that blow at various times of the year which are strong enough to influence the shapes of the trees.


Once the centre of tin mining for the world, these ancient stone mine buildings are dotted all along the coastline as reminders of an earlier industrial age.


With the exception of a small region of serpentine, virtually the entire peninsula is comprised of predominantly granite with very shallow top soil. Not many plants can thrive in these conditions but one that is successful is heather. Pictured here at Cape Cornwall as the sun was setting and the moon was rising.


Even after the sun has set the scenery is still dramatic and starkly beautiful.

Travel the worlds skies at Skywatch Friday.

Photo Credits - CJT & Dominick V

SKYWATCH FRIDAY (A Ray of Light, Part Two)

Well the sky has obliged again this week and provided me with another view. As the sun was rising over Lake Michigan it went behind the clouds but there were a couple of little splits in the clouds and that was enough to let the rays through which then, in turn, reflected on the partially frozen lake.


There are skywatch shots from all over the world at Skywatch Friday, check it out!

Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY (Moon rays)

I am saving my pictures of endless ice for another post, I am tired of looking at that right now! At least in the dark you can't see the ice :)


Instead I went for a hazy moon rising over Lake Michigan before it froze this week.


There are hundreds of amazing skywatch pictures from all over the world at Skywatch Friday, check them out!

Photo Credits - CJT

SKYWATCH FRIDAY (crazy clouds)

A couple of evenings ago I noticed this fascinating twisting candy cane cloud formation over the city. As usual I took far too many pictures of it so bear with me :)


At least I was reasonably restrained and narrowed it down to four!

For skywatch pictures from all over the world go to Skywatch Friday.

Photo Credits - CJT