Tail and Anti-Tail!

The fog in SF lifted right at sunset and C/2023 A3 was easily naked eye visible. Best comet I have seen to date! You can see an Anit-tail and Venus reflected in a tide pool. 

The sun set wasn't half bad either. If you look close you can see some sunspots mixed in with some birds.

The tail was so long it barely fit in the 70mm view (well more like 100mm on my crop sensor). I kept thinking the anti-tail was an artifact like a lens flare or reflection but then found out what an anti-tail is and that it's just how it looks from the earth's current perspective.

It's a little hard to tell but you can see it reflecting in the water just a little.

It started looking a little red as it was setting and getting into the thick atmosphere and low haze.

 

Little Bird

Saw this (Anna's) hummingbird on a walk to Safeway in Golden Gate Park.

It's pretty amazing how much the colors of the feathers can change with just a little movement. I feel like it wasn't as colorful as it could be because it was very overcast and in the lower shaded branches of the tree. But they are some of the better hummingbird pictures I have managed to get. Maybe the best? Humming birds are a PITA to get capture because they don't like to hold still for very long.

Farallon Surprise!

 Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS over the Farallon Islands.

We had just clear enough skies in SF that I was able to see the comet just after sunset. It was just on the edge of naked eye visible. Fingers crossed for clear skies tonight (Oct 12th) when it should be at it's brightest.

shadowy alter ego -:]

It seems my car has a shadowy alter ego -:]

 

Two Hawks Just Hanging Out

Saw these two (red-tailed?) hawks hanging out on my way home from surfing this morning.

I often see one or two lone hawks in our neighborhood but this is the first time I've seen two together. Not sure if one or both might be juveniles?

This is the one on the left in the previous images flying off.
 

Moon and Venus Sunset in the Sunset

Sunset with the Moon and Venus was pretty amazing tonight! The weather was perfect and the sky was nice and clear.

Love that I caught a surfer walking back.

Some random person having a drink while some pelicans fly by.

 

Our local star a month ago and this afternoon

An image of our local star rise from 2024/09/03

Our local star this afternoon (2024/10/04)

 

Best comet in years!

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) rising over SF.

Best comet in years. Fingers crossed it comes back around the sun and becomes (easily) naked eye visible starting around Oct 10th or 11th.