The Blood Moon
- Jeremy Likness
- Sep 6, 2021
- 3 min read
In early August, several large forest fires burned out of control and sent so much smoke into the air it was hazy all day. Smoky skies herald beautiful sunsets. One evening I read that visibility would increase as the temperature dropped, so I stepped outside to set up my telescope. I looked up to see a blood red moon. I used my portable tripod and captured several shots with my Samsung S21 Ultra phone. I combined (stacked) the photos and ended up with this photo:
Not too shabby for a smartphone! It's still tough to compete with the shots the telescope can take, like this gibbous moon a few days later.
Last time I wrote, I was just starting on a new drug regimen.
"Jeremy, how's that going?"
"Glad you asked..."
Symptoms update
I was happy that the recent switch to add Sinemet only knocked me down for a few days. I've been taking it regularly now and have no side effects. My tremor is still persistent and strong, but the stiffness in my hands is lessoned and I can type well. I can't remember the last time I had a foot cramp. Overall, I'm happy with the change. The only problematic symptom for me right now is twitching causing phantom mouse clicks. Microsoft has an accommodation specialist who will meet with me next week to discuss possible software and hardware-related solutions. I'll keep you posted!
Working it out
The Beat Your Symptoms Challenge is fast approaching and I haven't been working out consistently. I decided to dig in and stick with it and just finished a solid week of training. I'm doing push-ups, diamond push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, kettle bell swings, clean and jerks, squats, one-legged and one-handed variations, elliptical cardio and a lot of walking. So far, so good! I post workout updates on occasion to our Instagram feed if you're interested.
Friends and family
I was so stoked to have my daughter visit us for a week. She brought along one of her close friends from college. We all had a great time. Here is a collage from some of our activities.
Although I was sad to see her go, we plan to visit Colorado in a few weeks. My parents are also coming to the Pacific Northwest for their first time and will be here for my 47th birthday on September 22nd. I'm super stoked!
Deep Sky Workflows
Astrophotography continues to be a passion of mine. I decided to create a separate brand so that people interested have a dedicated feed. Processing a picture is referred to as a workflow and most of my pictures are deep sky targets, so now you know the scoop behind the name. We've had a lot of clear nights and mornings lately, so I've managed to make several observations. You can always keep up with my astrophotography here:
🌐 Blog: https://deepskyworkflows.com
🐤 Twitter (sorry, had to borrow the wrong color bird): @deepskyworkflow
🖼 Instagram: @deepskyworkflows
🧔📕 Facebook: https://fb.me/deepskyworkflows
▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTfyv52aBiubARo3t30MAQ
Here's a collage of some recent pictures. The top two are wider shots using the DSLR camera my wife let me use. It's a Sony Alpha 6300 and I'm learning how to use it but happy so far with what it can do.
I really enjoy the hobby and for my birthday will be getting myself a new telescope setup. It won't replace Stellina, but will give me more flexibility to take close-up planetary shots and use narrowband filters or imaging nebulae. Stay tuned!
Regards,
Conrad Anker is one of link the world's most decorated climbers, with a lifetime of experience on peaks from link Antarctica to Zion. He led the North Face athlete team for 26 years, co-authored the 1999 book The Lost link Explorer, and starred in the 2015 documentary Meru. He lives in Montana.Top photo: Zhang Weiguo/VCG via Getty Images
My most recent thing in the last year is reading about all link the James Bond watches, Quesada says with a childlike grin. "This is a Gruen, the first watch worn link by Sean Connery, the Precision. I am almost positive this is the exact model and I think this was the first watch seen in a James Bond movie. There are two or three seen in that movie, but link I think this is it."
I'm personally a big fan – more than one of my HODINKEE colleagues has described me as a "Caliber 400 evangelist." I think it's better engineered, more technically interesting, and link a better value proposition than any link other similar movement from ETA, link Sellita, Kenissi, La Joux-Perret, etc. The specs speak for themselves – 120-hour power reserve, a silicon escape wheel and anchor, anti-magnetic, and a 10-year warranty with a decade-long service interval recommendation.
What watch are you hoping to buy next?I’m always dreaming about the Lange Zeitwerk. I’ve always wanted that watch. In Ginza, I walk by that store about once a month and always want to link go in and buy it, but I never do. You’ve got the digital numbers up front and then you link look link at the back and see the art and craftsmanship in that movement. Every time I see it I’m just like, “Oh my God!”