First snows of the year in Madeira

Three days ago, on the highest peak of Madeira, this was the landscape...

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Pictures taken with Huawei P20Lite.

Pico Ruívo trig point lit by the waxing crescent moon

Pico Ruívo trig point (1862 meters above sea level), lit by the waxing crescent Moon, and Milky Way, yesterday around 1930 LT.

Picture taken, as usual, with Nikon D610 and Vivitar 24mm f/2.8. Manfrotto tripod and ballhead.

Milky Way above Pico Ruívo Hut

 

The Milky Way and meteor traces, photographed, a couple of nights ago, on the Pico Ruívo mountain hut.

Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction

In this photo, framed to NW, taken yesterday, on a moonless night, near Encumeada Alta, we can see simultaneously the Milky Way and Jupiter and Saturn nearly in conjunction above the highest peak in Madeira island, Pico Ruívo.

The conjunction of these two planets happens once every twenty years. However astronomers say that the present one will be the closest one since 1623 and the closest observable since 1226. So we are in the presence of a major astronomical event.

If you have some evening time to spare during these upcoming days, pick up a telescope or a spyglass (if you possess neither, a pair of binoculars will do), dress warm, fill up a thermos with hot tea or coffee and head on to the highest spot above sea level available nearby. Seat down, relax and wait for the night sky to appear and work its magic.

The most dramatic moment of this conjunction, according to the calculations, will happen on the coming 21st of December (the Winter Solstice), when both planets will be only 0.1 degree apart.

It surely will be a sight worth seeing.

Nikon D610 and cheap manual-focus Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 AI lens, open at f/4. Manfrotto tripod and ballhead. 

Pico do Arieiro and Pico das Torres

 

Pico do Arieiro radar station with Pico das Torres on the foreground, as seen from the Pico Ruívo trail, yesterday, around 1900.

Picture taken with Nikon D610 and Nikkor 200mm f4 AI-s lens. Manfrotto tripod and ballhead.

Moonshine

Pico Ruivo mountain hut lit by the moonlight, yesterday around 7 PM. These past days have been an absolute heaven during night time on the high peaks of Madeira. Clear blue skies above cloud line, no wind and intense light from the Earth's satellite, all combining to give the landscape an otherworldy atmosphere.

Picture taken with Nikon D610 and cheap Vivitar 24mm f2.8 manual focus lens. Manfrotto tripod and ballhead. ISO 3200 f/4 20"

Tree heather and the Seven Sisters

The Pleiades Star Cluster rises high above the Encumeada Alta ridge; both framed by an old, burnt, tree heather on the foreground, lit by the waxing crescent moon. Yesterday, around 8 PM.

Picture taken with Nikon D610 and cheap Vivitar 24mm f2.8 manual focus lens. Manfrotto tripod and ballhead. ISO 3200 f/4 30"