Cassiopeia and Andromeda Galaxy in the Air Glow
This serene view, captured on the great lake Alqueva, near the “Ermida de São Pedro” in Mourão, one of the regions belonging to the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, we find several scientifically interesting things. In the left top corner of the image, we could find the Cassiopeia constellation and below the double cluster NGC 884 and 869. Almost in the center image, is clearly visible the great Andromeda Galaxy M31, in Andromeda constellation, the neighbor of Pegasus. Above the Alqueva Lake, is visible the strong presence of Air Glow (Atmospheric Chemiluminescence) , the further thing I have seen similar to an Aurora, with yellow light, by emissions from sodium atoms in a layer at 92 km. Above it, we could see the green light from oxygen atoms in a layer 90-100 km high. This emission layer is clearly visible from earth orbit.
Canon 60Da – ISO 1600; 35mm lens at f/2; Exp. 15 secs. Mosaic of 7 images, taken in 15/06/2013 at 03:45 AM
Below is the annotated version of the image:
Big Dipper, Air Glow and Gravity Waves in Mourão Dark Sky
In this picture captured in the great lake Alqueva, near the “Ermida de São Pedro” in Mourão, one of the regions belonging to the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, we cloud see the strong presence of Air Glow (Atmospheric Chemiluminescence) involving the Big Dipper constellation (Ursa Major) with the green light from oxygen atoms in a layer 90-100 km high. This emission layer is clearly visible from earth orbit. In the image, is also visible the gravity waves effect. “These waves (internal gravity or buoyancy waves) abound in the stable density layering of the upper atmosphere. Their effects are visibly manifest in the curls of the stratosphere’s nacreous clouds, in the moving skein-like and billow patterns of the mesosphere’s noctilucent clouds and in the slowly shifting bands of the thermosphere’s airglow, as we could see in this picture and in the annotated version of this same image.
Canon 60Da – ISO 1600; 35mm lens at f/2; Exp. 15 secs. Mosaic of 2 images, taken in 15/06/2013 at 04:04 AM
Below is the annotated version of the image:
Alqueva Lake, a natural “Star Seismograph”
This startrail captured in a region of the sky facing south and where is present part of the Milky Way, thus causing a nuance of shades that blend background with well-marked trails of stars in the sky. These tracks, reflected in the lake as if they were “written” by a needle of a seismograph, also due to the effect of polarization, a characteristic effect of the water, allows accentuating the true color of the stars … well reported at the bottom of the image. The hottest stars are blue. The most blue pronounced reflection is caused by the Shaula star, which lies at the tip tail of the Scorpion, as we were able to confirm this “with the natural seismograph” better known as “Great Lake Alqueva” and part of Dark Sky Reserve.
Canon 50D – ISO1600 Exp 15 secs. 24mm f/2.8. Sum of 124 images taken between 03:32 and 15/06/2013 at 4:07 AM
Gas and Dust Up to the Zenith
A view of the Milky Way in a vertical dizzying mosaic up to the Zenith. As a photographer and book author, I’d say: maybe an image in a “tab book format” where we can still see the yellowish effect of ariglow and the area of cloudiness (gas and dust) that make up the Milky Way, with several emission nebulae visible in the image (in violet tone). The picture was taken in a region of the Hermitage of San Pedro, in Mourão. The brightest stars have left his trademark on the calm water, which mirrored again, the beauty of the universe!
Canon 60Da – ISO1600 Exp 15 secs. 35mm f / 2 – Mosaic of 9 images. Taken in 15-06-2013 at 02:51 AM
Smooth zodiacal light in the Lake
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 21h25
Crepuscular Rays in Tomina
Image captured near Convento da Tomina region, a area inside the great Contenda homestead, near Moura and Barrancos, Portugal. In the sky we could see the dramatic effect of the phenomenon known as “Crepuscular rays, in atmospheric optics, are rays of sunlight that appear to radiate from the point in the sky where the sun is located. These rays, which stream through gaps in clouds (particularly stratocumulus) or between other objects, are columns of sunlit air separated by darker cloud-shadowed regions. Despite seeming to converge at a point, the rays are in fact near-parallel shafts of sunlight, and their apparent convergence is a perspective effect (similar, for example, to the way that parallel railway lines seem to converge at a point in the distance).”
“The name comes from their frequent occurrences during crepuscular hours (those around dawn and dusk), when the contrasts between light and dark are the most obvious. Crepuscular comes from the Latin word “crepusculum”, meaning twilight.”
Canon 50D – ISO500, f/13; Exp. 1/320s ; 10mm. 26/04/2013 19h16
Below you will find a resume with all publications – printed and online – related to this particular photograph.
Please refer the i-frame above, generated automatically from the overview page Press.
The Blue Sirius
In this picture captured from the walls of Monsaraz Castle, we can see the entire Canis Major constellation, the star cluster M41, and the brightest star in the celestial sphere, with -1.46 mag. In this image Sirius is shown with unusual strong sparkles, not only produced by a photo star filter attached in the front lens of the camera, but also due to the strong dew which increase the diffusion and saturation effect, showing so, the true blue color of this star, for being at a hot temperature of 25,200K.
Canon 60Da – ISO3200 35mm f/2.8 Exp.13s in 22/12/2012 at 04h18 AM
Below you will find a resume with all publications – printed and online – related to this particular photograph.
Please refer the i-frame above, generated automatically from the overview page Press.
The Moon was not alone
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 – 10mm f/4 30″ ISO1000 taken in 06/10/2012 at 00h26
Lagoa das Sete Cidades at Night – Azores
Lagoa das Sete Cidade (English: Lake of the Seven Cities) is a twin-lake situated in the crater of a massive crater on the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It consists of two ecologically-different small-lakes connected by a narrow passage (and crossed by a bridge), located inside a dormant volcano on the western third of the island of São Miguel. The Lagoa das Sete Cidades part of a natural landscape of communitarian interest: it is the largest body of water in the region and one of the most important freshwater resources in the archipelago. More info click here.
This place have a peculiar weather and we could see in this image taken at a deep night with a long exposure, a strange cloud formation that is around the volcano crater as well as all the light pollution reflected in the clouds, from the small village that exists in the center of the crater. The air planes normally avoid to fly above it.
Canon 50D – ISO800 F/4 180sec. 10mm in 4/12/2011 at 02h40 | Panoramic picture, composed by 3 images taken at deep night around 02h40, in a long exposure of 3 minutes for each photo.
Lightning Storm over Lisbon
Tempestade de Relâmpagos sobre Lisboa vista de Almada. Foram registados 21 relâmpagos em cerca de 22 minutos, entre as 21h18 e as 21h40. Soma total de 21 imagens.
Canon 50D- Exp.15″ F/10 ISO125 a 20mm 16-05-11
Panoramic Full Moon
Panoramic Full Moon image when was at perigee, or closest orbital zone of planet Earth. This was the biggest full moon of the last 20 years, 14% bigger and 30% brighter. The images were obtained at Cape Espichel, Sesimbra, on 19-03-2011.Canon 50D – ISO800 15mm F/6.3 Exp. 25″ às 20:07
Canon 50D – ISO800 15mm F/6.3 Exp. 25″ às 20:07
Sun Pillar
Imagem do fenómeno atmosférico conhecido por Sun Pillar.
“They are narrow columns of light apparently beaming directly up and sometimes downwards from the sun. They can be 5 -10º tall and occasionally even higher.Pillars are not actually vertical rays, they are instead the collective glints of millions of ice crystals. Leia mais sobre isto aqui:
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/pillalt1.htm
Canon 50D – ISO640 20mm F/14 Exp. 1/100s 26-04-10 às 20:19.
Starry Lagoon
Imagem do movimento das estrelas registado ao longo da noite no dia 12 de Março de 2010 entre as 22h26 e as 23h56. Para o resultado final foi feita uma soma manual de 159 imagens no CS3 cada uma de 30 segundos, totalizando uma integração de 80 minutos, com uma Canon 50D a uma abertura F-4 a ISO 1000, com uma Lente Sigma HSM EX a 10mm. Imagem obtida na Lagoa de Albufeira
Halo-Win Moon – Halo Lunar difuso
Halo-Win Moon – Imagem de um halo lunar provocado devido à presença de cristais de gelo na atmosfera, que refractam a luz da Lua. Imagem obtida na noite de Halloween. Canon 400D – ISO400 70mm F/4.5 Exp. 1/4 em 31-10-09 às 20:10 + ISO400 70mm F/22 Exp. 1/10 em 31-10-09 às 20:13.
Ponte 25 de Abril sobre intenso nevoeiro
Ponte 25 de Abril sobre intenso nevoeiro. Canon 400D – ISO 100 F-8 – Exp: 1/200 – 18mm às 16h13 em 21-09-08
Raios Crepusculares
Raios Crepusculares – Imagem panorâmica obtida nos Capuchos após o Pôr do Sol. Canon 400D – ISO 200 F-7.1 1/20s a 31mm em: 20-09-09 às 19:56
Halo Solar parcial e núvens Iridiscentes
Halo Solar de 22º, halo parcial e núvens Iridiscentes. Canon 400D – ISO 400 F-11 Exp. 1/1000seg. -18mm às 16h07. Sequência obtida em Almada a 19-04-09
Raios Solares entre as nuvens
Raios Solares – Imagem obtida em Vila Boim – Alentejo. Canon 400D + Filtro Polarizador Circular- ISO 100 F-8 – Exp: 1/200 – 18mm às 17h35 em 15-07-08
Fenómeno “Halo Solar” e a silhueta do Cristo Rei
Nesta imagem o autor conseguiu captar o fenómeno “Ice Halo”, que se deve ao facto de existirem pequenos cristais de gelo na atmosfera, nos quais a luz se refracta, formando um halo parecido a um arco-iris em torno do sol, normalmente de 22º e por vezes circunscrito.
Imagem obtida em 26-04-08 às 13h00 com Canon Powershot A550 – ISO 80 F-7.1 , 1/640s
