Incredible Harvest Moon shots from the fire lookout tower

[DemoTex]

The Harvest Moon was actually two nights this past weekend. Saturday night was a 99.8% waning moon and Sunday night was a 99.8% waxing gibbous moon. The 100% full moon was at about 7:21 AM PDT Sunday, setting over the Paulina Mountains to my west. Go figure.

But here is what is important, and I try to drill it in. A near-full moonrise before sunset will have a complete different light/color than a near-full moonrise after sunset. Think of a late daylight sky versus a night sky. Reds and yellows versus deep purples and blues.


Saturday's 99% moon, rising with the sun still up (sun coloring sky)


Saturday's 99% moon, rising with the sun still up (sun coloring sky)


Later Saturday, the sun's influence on sky color loses hold and night sky color begins to dominate.


Sunday night (9-30) the Harvest Moon rises 99.8% waxing, six minutes after sunset. Color is a whole different ballgame. Night sky color now dominates the photo.


Moon higher, colors darker - deeper (When the Deep Purple Falls Over Sleepy Garden Walls ..)


Quick snapshot on my way down the lookout steps for my off days Sunday night (7 PM PDT).

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Not bad my dear, not bad.

[DemoTex]

3. Thanks Nadin

Enjoyed your reply re: Nomex earlier.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Wonderful pictures, my dear DemoTex...

And I know that for me, at least, the explanations of what is happening with the light from the sun and so on, is very illuminating, pun intended!

These are so gorgeous. They just take my breath away...

You do have the perfect spot.

Thank you!

[DemoTex]

6. Thanks Peg

Perfect spot, indeed. Low hanging fruit. Why, I could probably give a Republican a Canon 5D-MK-2 and it - the Repub - could probably do a masterpiece photo. Like the proverbial monkey with a typewriter pounding out "Macbeth."

[spanone]

4. brilliant!

[FightingIrish]

5. Incredible shots of Oregon

Does any place else have a moon like that?

[Care Acutely]

7. Hey, I was hoping you would post soon, I saw this and thought of you . .

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[DemoTex]

11. Incredibly True! Fantastically done. Perfectly captured.

Almost every word is my story. Kerouac's story. Snyder's story. Even the muleskinner - and I don't have to use a muleskinner to access my lookout - spoke my words. Motherfucking words from my mouth. Like Kris Kristofferson sang, "You've been readin' my mail." Tour de Force a la Lookout. I might use this for my sign off next week. Thanks so much for posting this.

[Care Acutely]

31. You're so very welcome! I'm so happy it brought you joy.

I watch it when I need some peace, and to clear out my head. I watch it frequently.

[dixiegrrrrl]

34. If I had a chance to do it over again....

I would be a good fit for a lookout gig.
Spent most of my life in and around the Cascades and Olympic National Parks.
Really relate to what the guy says at the end, about being away from the noise and people,and having the chance to be with your own thoughts.

[Care Acutely]

35. I still have time. It would be good for me.

It would be very good for me, but right now I have a parent to care for and a personal milestone to meet. Such is the way. I may never have the chance other than to admire that existence from afar, but for now I can catch little tiny glimpses, and imagine, and that will have to be peace enough for now.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

8. Gorgeous photos!

Thanks for sharing them with us!

[jberryhill]

9. Thanks!

[niyad]

10. thank you for sharing these beautiful photos. as always, you did a superb job

[gateley]

12. God I love your pics and posts, DemoTex! Thanks again!

[ashling]

13. Simply astounding

wonderful shots

[ErikJ]

14. Excellent Text book lesson of moon's movements

The Moon moves 12 degrees to the east every day while becoming fuller with each passing day until 100% full. Your photos illustrate that perfectly.

Of course after that the moon starts shrinking with each day while rising later and later.

[Lugnut]

15. Wow!

The positions of the moon and the colors are breathtaking! Thank you for sharing these beautiful shots.

[Vadem]

16. Beautiful and incredible! I didn't see that beautiful moon here in

Alexandria, VA! That was beautiful!!!

Thank you so much, Demo Tex!

[pa28]

17. K&R

[Kablooie]

18. How the heck do you do that all the time?

You get amazingly beautiful photos year after year from the same spot.
Very impressive.

[DemoTex]

19. I plan ahead

I have an iPad app "Deluxe Moon" that gives me not only moon phase, but rising and setting azimuth for the day. So I knew early yesterday that the moon would rise on an azimuth of 076 degrees at 18:49 PDT. I used the Osborne Fire-Finder to mark the azimuth, and a good clock (a Timex is sufficient) to pinpoint the moon-rise. I was set up with three cameras at 18:30. That is the way to do it!

[JohnnyRingo]

23. That sounds llike no trouble at all. (LOL)

Simply breathtaking images, you really nailed it.
Thanx for sharing.

[Kablooie]

27. Ah ha! You have an unfair advantage with that Osborne Fire-Finder.

That's your secret.

[xxqqqzme]

20. I love the harvest moon.

It covers so many years and places. These pictures are the best. Get to store them w/ my other memories.

[DebJ]

21. Pictures 4 and 5 are just breath-taking! Thanks! n/t

[Cha]

22. Thank you for the beautiful shots of the

Full Harvest Moon, DemoTex!

We have such an amazing Universe~

[DesertRat]

24. Beautiful! Thank you for sharing

[montana_hazeleyes]

25. Thank you

for these gorgeous pictures.

[catchnrelease]

26. Wow!

'Awesome' is not an exaggeration in this case. You have a great eye for photography. I envy you being up there.

[Greybnk48]

28. Thank you for that.

Beautiful!

[riderinthestorm]

29. Fanstastic!

I'm usually so slammed with work I don't take the time to "smell the roses" - enjoy our beautiful world. For some reason in the past week I've really been taking the time to look and see.

The harvest moon these past two days has been incredible. And I'm not in nearly the beautiful surroundings that you are in....

Thanks for posting these. They are simply stunning.

[ellie]

30. Beautiful!

[GCP]

32. I'm confused

BTW, thanks for the gorgeous pictures.
When I went to school, 'waxing' meant getting bigger, and 'waning' meant getting smaller. How could it be waning on the Saturday and waning on theSunday?

[DemoTex]

37. Good question

Because the full moon was actually Sunday morning (setting). Ergo, Saturday moonrise and Sunday moonrise were both about 99.8% full, on both the waxing and waning gibbous side. But, for all intents & purposes, we had two full moon rises this past weekend.

[Odin2005]

33. WOAH!!!

[Patiod]

36. Thanks, DemoTex

And thanks for the recent tour of your tower. Now, when I see your pictures, I can imagine in my head where you were when you took them.