A Black and White Moonrise above Monsaraz Village
A more “dramatic” Black and White view shows the April’s full moon also known as the Pink Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The name comes from pink flowers that bloom in the early spring, known as ground phlox. But this April Moon is particularly good to photograph, as the sun will share the sky for about 20 minutes after the moonrise, it will work as the perfect light that still illuminates the landscape, entire fields, or in my case, the beautiful medieval village and castle of Monsaraz, in Alqueva Dark Sky® Reserve, Portugal. To create this visual impact with the illusion that the Moon seems to be so big when compared with the objects on Earth, I just had to find the right spot located at a distant of about 3.7 km away from the castle. The result is a single shot captured with a 600mm lens.
PT: Nesta visão mais “dramática” a Preto e Branco, é possível apreciar a Lua cheia de abril, também conhecida como Pink Moon, de acordo com o antigo Almanaque do Fazendeiro. O nome está relacionado com as flores cor-de-rosa que florescem no início da primavera, conhecida como “ground phlox”. Mas esta Lua de Abril é particularmente boa para fotografar, pois o sol ainda compartilha o mesmo céu durante cerca de 20 minutos, após o nascimento da lua, funcionando como a luz perfeita para iluminar a paisagem, os campos ou, no meu caso, a linda vila medieval e o castelo de Monsaraz, no Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal. Para criar este impacto visual e a ilusão óptica de que a Lua parece ser tão grande quando comparada com os objetos em Terra, apenas tive de encontrar o local certo localizado a uma distância de cerca de 3,7 km do castelo de Monsaraz. O resultado deste disparo único, foi captado com uma lente de 600 mm de distância focal.
Monochrome vision from Olival da Pega dolmen
Anta of Olival da Pega, a megalithic monument dating from 3500-3000 BC, a monochrome vision similar to the perception that the human eye has, when it is under the stars | Sky of Monsaraz.! 21/04/2015- Telheiro | Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve – Portugal!
Noudar Choça and Milky Way in Black & White
Noudar Choça and Milky Way in Black & White
Included in the great Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve – first site in the world to receive the “Starlight Tourism Destination” certification – Noudar Natural Park is located in a farm estate called Herdade da Coitadinha spreads across 1000 hectare, ‘over-the-hills’ between the winding rivers Ardila and Múrtega and lodged among hills and summits near the town of Barrancos (Alentejo, Portugal) and in the border with Spain. The road from the Park’s entrance to the Noudar Castle goes through an extensive holm oak grove (‘montado’) area, ending with a majestic view over the water lines. In Noudar, life presents itself in a state of wilderness and absolute purity.
“Choças” and “malhadas” are old agricultural structures used by shepherds of the Herdade da Coitadinha estate. The “choças”, small shacks built with stone or mud walls and thatched roofs, were designed to shelter shepherds and their families – many large families spent nights or even actually lived in these small spaces. “Malhadas”, usually located nearby, were stone fences used for keeping cattle.
More about Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve:
Alqueva is the first site in the world to receive the “Starlight Tourism Destination” certification. This certification, awarded by the Starlight Foundation is supported by UNESCO, UNWTO and IAC. Starlight destinations are visitable places characterized by excellent quality for the contemplation of starry skies, and the practice of tourist activities based on this resource. www.darkskyalqueva.com
A Sky Full of Stars in a Land Full of Olive Trees
A short black and white startrail showing the earth rotation, above the land full of olive trees, captured in front of the Dark Sky Alqueva advertising outdoor, in Monsaraz. Alqueva is the first site in the world to receive the “Starlight Tourism Destination” certification. This certification, awarded by the Starlight Foundation is supported by UNESCO, UNWTO and IAC. Starlight destinations are visitable places characterized by excellent quality for the contemplation of starry skies, and the practice of tourist activities based on this resource.
The region of the Great Lake Alqueva in Alentejo, Portugal is a wonderful place to see the stars, constellations and distant galaxies such as the Milky Way. The unique characteristics of the night sky with a very low rate of light pollution, in the municipalities of Alandroal, Reguengos, Monsaraz, Mourão, Barrancos, Portel and Moura ensure the ideal conditions for an excellent observation of the dark sky. In Alqueva the sky has good atmospheric conditions for stargazing most of the year. Such skies are disappearing in Europe, where most of the population has no longer the privilege to observe an unpolluted sky.
Canon 60Da – ISO1600; 11mm at f/3.2; Exp. 30 secs. Taken in 29-06-2014 at 21:45 Sum of 24 images.
Moonlit Startrail above Waterfall of Agarez – Vila Real.
In the image we can see a dramatic black and white moonlight scene, with a north short startrail above the beautiful waterfall of Agarez, in Alvão mountain range, Vila Real, north of Portugal. Canon 50D – ISO1600; 11mm at f/2.8; Exp. 30 secs. Sum of 38 images. Taken in 8-06-2014 at 1:28 AM.
The First Quarter Moon
Image of the Moon one day before reaching the “First Quarter”, with the disc 44% illuminated by the sun, the moon was at a distance of about 396.512km from Earth, with an apparent diameter of 30.27´arc minutes. In this phase, we could see a lot of craters due to the game of light and shadows on its surface. Canon 50D + Maksutov telescope F=1250 mm in a Vixen GP2 Photo Guider S tracking mount. ISO 1000; f/ 13.8; Exp: 1/80 sec. in 07/03/2014 at 23:08. Median Sum of 10 images in Maxim DL.
Below is the annotated version to help identifying some of them, as well as the Apollo II mission base.
Moon Earthshine – The Leonardo Da Vinci phenomenon
Seems that this February 1st, the Moon was almost Full and the calendar were wrong…or maybe not ? Actually it was right, in this smile view of the moon captured from Almada, Portugal, I could see the night side of the Moon very well illuminated by the Earth reflected light, like if it was Full Moon. This impressive phenomenon known as Earthshine, was described and drawn for the first time, by the great Leonardo Da Vinci about 500 years ago on his book Codex Leicester. Leonardo da Vinci explained the phenomenon in the early 16th century when he realized that both Earth and the Moon reflect sunlight at the same time. Light is reflected from the Earth to the Moon and back to the Earth as earthshine.
To increase the faint details, I had to made a long exposure of about 6 seconds with a Vixen GP2 Photo Guider S tracking mount, using a Astro Professional ED80 APO telescope with 570mm f/7 and a Canon 50D – ISO 400; Exp: 6 sec. in 01/02/2014 at 19:17
Perseids Meteor shower in Black and White
Image of the meteor shower Perseids, taken from Fonte-de-Telha, Portugal. Canon 50D – ISO1000; f/4; Exp. 25 secs. with 10mm, in 12/08/2013 at 4h14 AM. Sum of 32 images.
Moontrail and the Palm Trees of Orada´s Convent
A Black and White image where we could see the Moon trail between the palm trees near the Orada convent, Monsaraz / Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve. Canon 50D – ISO1000; 11mm f/4.5 Exp 301 secs. Sum of 52 images taken in 30/06/2013 at 04:14 AM
Black and White View of the Milky Way
Black and white view of the Milky Way in a vertical picture where prevail the clouds of gas and star dust, which rise above the huge lake Alqueva, in the region of Mourão, about 15km of Monsaraz, both of them, places from Dark Sky Reserve in Portugal. In this amazing region, the sky reveals a contrast and depth even greater, since it is away from some sources of moderate light pollution.
Canon 60Da – ISO1600 Exp 15 secs. 35mm f / 2 – Mosaic of images taken in 8 15/06/2013 at 4:26 a.m. AM
Black Via & White Láctea
Image of the center Milky Way above the rocks of Portinho da Arrábida, Portugal, shown here – like natural pyramids due to the perspective – in this black and white starry view. Canon 60Da – ISO 1600; Exp.15 Seg; f/2.8; 24mm in 11/05/2013 at 04h58 AM.
Lonely Canoe
Nautical Twilight and a smooth zodiacal light in the direction of Jupiter, visible near the center image, as the brightest star. Image captured in the Pegrogão´s Albufeira, a region of great Alqueva´s Lake, covered by the Dark Sky Reserve.
Canon 50D – ISO1250 ; f/4 ; Exp. 30s. ; 10mm. 27/04/2013 at 21h29
Barroca Startrail
A black and white startrail captured in the house of Barroca´s mount, in the Contenda homestead. Canon 50D – ISO2000 ; f/4 ; Exp. 30s. ; 10mm. 26/04/2013 at 21h37
The Sky above Almendres Cromlech
The Cromlech of the Almendres megalithic complex (or Almendres Cromlech), located near Guadalupe, in the civil parish of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, municipality of Évora, is the largest existing group of structured menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the largest in Europe. This archaeological site consists of several megalithic structures: cromlechs, and menhir stones
The construction of these structures date back to VI millennium B.C., and only rediscovered in 1966 by Henrique Leonor Pina. The construction phases, Almendres I date 6000 B.C and the Almendres II, date 5000 B.C Middle Neolithic. The relative chronology of the cromlech and menhirs is extremely complex and covers a period from the Neolithic to Chalcolithic, and it is believed that the monument had a religious/ceremonial purpose, or functioned as a primitive astronomical observatory.
About a dozen monoliths present some form of carved drawings,four of which exhibit only small circular holes. Monolith number 8, with a cut flat top at about breast level and showing several dimples, might have served for finer astronomical observation, specially spring equinox observation, by putting small stones on them. These observations might be made from stone 39, on the eastern focal point of the elliptic layout. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CromelequeAlmendres.png) Menhir 48, also exhibits a schematized anthropomorphic representation, surrouned by circles and associated with a crozier.
In the sky image, is visible the Orion Constellation above the stone circle, and the shadows of the stones projected in the land, due to the light of the moon which light up the landscape from the oposite site. Canon 50D – ISO 1250; f/4; Exp.30s 10mm em 20/12/2012 at 20:09
Stars above the horses
This image was captured in the land of Juromenha, near Alandroal, one of the regions covered by the Alqueva´s Dark Sky Reserve (www.alquevadarksky.com), distinguished as the Worlds First Star Light Tourism Destination.However, during the two nights that I was shooting, I had the great presence of the moon to light up the landscape, creating many different blue sky tones and showing less stars than we usually see, with naked eye. The moon, let me capture the beauty of the place with incredible romantic views in a scenery full of quiet, peace and plenitude. Lakes, horses and millenar olive trees, is just an example of what we could find there…
Canon 50D – 35mm f/4 5″ ISO2000 taken in 06/10/2012 at 1h55 Sum of 131 images with a total integration of 11 minutes.
Startrails in the templars ruins
Image taken in Vera Cruz, Portel, one of the regions inside de Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve, The world’s first certified “Starlight Tourism Destination”. The image shows a startrail in the ruins of the ancient Templars.
A Moon magical moment, in Almourol Castle
The castle of Almourol is one of the more emblematic and cenographic medieval military monuments of the reconquest, and the best representation of the influence of the Knights Templar in Portugal. Located on a small islet in the middle of the Tagus River, in Vila Nova da Barquinha, in the centre region of the country. The castle was conquered in 1129 and it was part of the defensive line controlled by the Knights Templar, and a stronghold used during the Portuguese reconquest.
In this magical black and white scene, is visible the Moon and above it, the planet mars.
Canon 50D – ISO500 f/4.5 12mm Exp.20″ in 01-05-2012 at 2h06 am.
Super Full Moon 2012
Imagem da maior lua cheia de 2012. Fotografada em 5 de Maio. Mosaico de 9 imagens, com uma distância focal de 2500mm a f/27.6. Canon 50D -ISO1600 + Meade ETX90 1250mm F/13.8 + Barlow Celestron 2x Exp.1/60s
Full Moon Cathedral – Évora
Full Moon behind the Cathedral of Évora situated in the historical centre of the city, which was included in the classification by UNESCO, as a World Heritage Site.
Canon 50D – ISO640 f/10 92mm Exp.5″ in 08-03-2012 at 21h11
Cromelech Xarez in Black and White
Image from Monsaraz region, one of the locations covered by the great Dark Sky Reserve area and that had the best dark sky measures in the process of Starlight validation.
Covering 3000sq km in southern Portugal the Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve is the first area in the world to be internationally certified as a Starlight Tourism Destination by the Starlight Foundation. More info at: www.darkskyAlqueva.com.
Canon 50D – ISO1250mm 10mm F/4 Exp.30s in 24-02-2012 at 22:54
Last Quarter Moon
Imagem da Lua em quarto minguante cerca de 50% iluminada, obtida a partir de Almada, no passado dia 20 de Outubro de 2011 pela 01h24. Canon 50D -ISO800 + Meade ETX90 1250mm F/13.8 Exp.1/80s
The Ring Eclipse
Mosaico da Sequência do Eclipse até à fase da Totalidade. Imagens obtidas com o ETX90 + Ocular de 30mm + HP 850. 03-03-07
Crescent Moon Mosaic
Meade ETX90 EC + Philips Tou Cam Pro. Mosaico de alta reolução captado em 10-06-05 – 22h30.
