Killing Frost This Morning

This morning we had our killing frost for the Fall. 29°F for the morning low. Usually we get the killing frost the 1st or 2nd week of October, so it's a little early this year but pretty close. Growing season officially comes to an end.

I've had a fire in the stove at night for awhile, but day and night both the last few days. Heck, I had a fire in the stove shortly after the 4th of July! No sense having free heat if you're not going to stay warm at all times. When it’s 50s outside, or forecast 50s low for the night, I’ll start a small fire. 60s if it’s quite windy. We like the house above 70.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Mars

The planet Mars rises around 1 a.m. and stands high in the southeast at first light. It looks like a bright orange star. It will rise a little earlier and grow brighter throughout the rest of the year.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

M22

Messier 22 (also known as M22 or NGC 6656) is an elliptical globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars that is visible in the night sky. It contains roughly 70,000 stars and is one of the nearer globular clusters to Earth at a distance of about 10,600 light-years away.

Picture was taken with my Canon Powershot camera optics only, no scope. Stacked with Deep Sky Stacker and resized for posting, image is otherwise unedited.

Stack: 58 light frame JPEGs, in-camera dark subtraction
ISO speed rating: 1600
Shutter speed: 15.0 sec
Aperture: f/4.3
Zoom 10x (Focal length): 330mm (equiv.)*
Exposure bias: +0.0 EV
Original image size: 1600 x 1200 Pixels
Flash used: No
Date taken: Friday, June 26, 2009
Time taken: 11:23 PM
Camera make: Canon
Camera model: Canon PowerShot SX100 IS

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Black River State Forest Conditions

Conditions as of Monday, September 28, 2009:

All-terrain Vehicle (ATV) Trails

The entire trail system was groomed one week ago and is in good condition. This will be the last grooming cycle for this season. All ATV trails will close for the season on October 15.

The section of ATV trail from Campground road to the Clay School Parking lot is temporarily closed again due to excessive water on the trails and riders going off trail to avoid these sections. During this time of closure a temporary route has been authorized with the Town of Komensky. Please ride with the utmost respect on this new route. You must stay on the roadway at all times and be mindful of speed.

Work is complete on upgrading the wetland crossings on a 1.1-mile section of trail from Wildcat Road heading west. There is some top dressing to be done on the crossings; this work will be done the week after the trails close for the season. As soon as we receive the necessary wetland permits we will begin work on the section that is now temporarily closed.

An example of a recently upgraded section of trail can be found north of the Highway 54 parking lot to Bartos road. These projects will protect the long-term sustainability of the trail system and lessen the frequency of trail closings due to large rainfalls. Over the course of the next two years we hope to upgrade all wetland crossings on the property.

source....

Jupiter looks like a brilliant star

The planet Jupiter looks like a brilliant star to the Moon's lower right this evening. Jupiter far outshines all the true stars in the night sky, so it's hard to miss.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Pictures of My Place

This is a picture of my place as it looks through the lens of the tax ASSessor's camera and through the eyes of the Town of New Chester.


This is reality. I say so, the bank says so, potential buyers say so, the insurance company says so..........


- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

A Wild and Windy Day For Cutting Firewood!

We're under a wind advisory and the wind blew pretty hard all night. The oaks that died from oak wilt eventually fall when the roots rot off. After a wind like this, there are usually some that have come down. That's when I turn them into firewood. Until then, the woodpeckers and other little critters enjoy them.

The wind was still strong this morning, but not too serious. I decided to go out and cut up a little load and haul it back here to the museum. But first I wanted to check on the neighbor's cabin.

On the way to the cabin, there was one small oak blocking the trail. I cut that up and split it and it gave me about half a load in my little ATV trailer. When I finally got to the cabin, a large oak had fallen about 100 feet from it. I decided I would cut that up and split it for the neighbor. But first, I would check the rest of the trails and finish filling my trailer.

I found another oak blocking a trail. I cut and split that and there was about a load and a half in it. I finished filling my trailer and stacked the other load in the woods. I'll haul it up someday.

So, back to the cabin to cut the large oak there. When I get there, the wind has picked up a lot. Stronger than it has been all night and all morning so far. I need to carry the saw the 100 feet or so to the tree, because the neighbor has a food plot for the deer between the cabin and where the tree fell. I don't want to trample it all down with my ATV and trailer. So I park in front of the cabin, reach for my saw, and CRAAAACK! CRAAAASH! Another large dead oak right next to the one I would have been cutting snaps off two feet above the ground.

Uh, I think I will cut the trees for the neighbor tomorrow! I jump back on the ATV and all the way home the wind is really howling. I'm riding along looking at the big oaks overhead swaying and twisting just like wheat in the field. It made me a little bit nervous. The wind was supposed to starting dieing down this afternoon, not get stronger. I'll bet tomorrow I find more trees toppled.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

When Nature Is Freakier Than Sci-Fi

Fishermen off the northern coast of France have found a large parasitic isopod (a relative of the louse) that has evolved a rather hideous method for survival in its host: It gets into the fish’s mouth and then devours its tongue. It then attaches itself at the back of the fish’s throat where it presumably feeds of whatever the fish normally eats. The really bizarre part is that the fish doesn’t seem to suffer any ill effects other than the loss of its tongue.


source....

the Garnet Star

The reddest star visible in northern skies stands high overhead this evening. Its official designation is Mu Cephei, but it is also known as the Garnet Star. It is a red supergiant, which means it is much larger and cooler than the Sun.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Go To The Light

The invention of a feather-duster for security lights, patent pending.




- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill