This must be the Rocky Balboa of butterflies. Ouch... It looks like a bird tried to have it for breakfast. There will be no modeling contracts or beauty pageants in its future, but I think it will survive to the ripe old age of whatever it is that they usually live to be.
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The butterfly remained stoic during the portrait sitting, acting as if it didn't even notice me. I said something about how it is a brave little survivor, and then, as I began humming the Rocky theme song, it cracked a smile and flew away..
No, I don't have any witnesses that saw it smile. You'll just have to trust me on that..
Here below is another attempt at photographing the stars. It was a small cluster that I zoomed into. I have no idea what constellation it is a part of. (I misplaced my star chart.) Look closely, and you will see the oblong effect from the earth's rotation. They make a device that attaches to a tripod to match the earth's spin for taking clearer photos... I don't have one yet. (sigh) Maybe some day..
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Addendum: Thanks Shoe and Fishing Guy! You're right. That star cluster is known as the Pleiades, a.k.a. Seven Sisters.
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23 comments:
That tattered ond torn butterfly is a survivor for sure, and I believe you about the smile.
I think the constellation is what I know as The Plough but in N America it's more likely known as The Big Dipper.
(laughing) It was not the big dipper. If you held your arm out full-length, this cluster would be no bigger than a thumbnail.
The problem I have now, is that if I were to try to get a larger formation, like the big dipper, I couldn't zoom to the max, like I did for this shot, and the tiny, tiny stars, wouldn't even show up in the photograph. Does that make sense?
Rocky Bal-butterfly?
Could I hire you to write my post titles and intros?
Does that just come naturally or do you sit and think awhile! :)
He's a grand ole' butterfly!
He'd smiled at you I'm sure - I'm smiling at you too!
Another nice shot of the stars!
Very nice, Craver.
Craver-
Looks like what I call the seven sisters constellation. Just a very small grouping of 7 stars. One of my favorite things to do is to sit on my roof and look at the stars. Quite a feat, given that I live in a suburb of Baltimore and DC
Shoe
Craver: I love the tattered butterfly, maybe after the photo session you should of attached it to your hook to get a bite. LOL
If the stars were that close a constellation it might be the Seven Sisters. Those are close enough to capture.
cool butterfly shot
Love butterflies, and am always torn (no pun intended) when I see one that is tattered like that. Do I have the right to euthanize it? Generally, I decide that I'm not God, so long as the butterfly can actually fly, etc.
Nice shot.
"it cracked a smile and flew away. " You made me smile. :)
Love the shot, probably it was waiting for you to give a perfect pose in spite of that loss. Knew someone is there to see its state.
And the other picture is just too good, I have been unsuccessful till now. :)
Too kind, Carletta. Sometimes I sits and I thinks, but sometimes I forgets.
Just Journaling, I'm still wondering if I should know you from somewhere. Thanks for the encouranging words.
Shoe! No, not "shoo;" Come back here. You're exactly right. I googled "seven sisters" and the picture matched.
You need to get way out, and use a red filter over your flashlight. It's amazing how many stars you will see on a clear night with no "light pollution."
Fishing Guy, I don't know why I do so poorly at fishing. I probably have adequate gear... maybe I should look at other peoples' technique. But I wouldn't have the heart to hook this butterfly after awarding him with personification.
Thanks NaNcY. All the other butterflies were too snobby for me though. This one is the only one who hung around for his picture.
Oi Suldog! Good to see you, Sir! This a pun-friendly zone, so let 'em rip!
My son was with me, and if he attempted to stomp on it, I would have prevented it. The way I saw it, this bug victoriously struggled to survive. I would feel bad about snuffing it that way. But if a bird swooped down and gobbled it for dinner, then it's death would serve a higher purpose.
Keep trying, Cuckoo. Tripod, long exposure, and timer. I use the timer so that I don't shake the camera during the shutter exposure. Keep smiling!
Taking a picture of the stars or the moons gives you a real sense of how far away they are. They show up as tiny dots in our photos. :)
Craver: I would have said Pleiades, which I knew, but could have never spelled it right. I went to the Kent State Observatory with my grand son and saw this through their big telescope. The young student running the place said he really could only see six stars in the cluster. We were the only people there so the student spent a hour going around the sky for us. The skies amazing with that much magnification.
Not again Craver! We've been through this before, remember?
smiling butterfly's hey? you have lost the plot my friend!
Yes, that constellation is known as the starry stuff over here in little England.
that is one tattered and battered looking moth! are you sure it was a smile he gave and not a grimace?
my dau si so smart HAH! She has been seeing 7 sisiter sll her life, My dad used to gaze at stars!
Poor butterfly is pretty though
I bet my model at my blog was a better poser than your butterfly.It never moved even a fraction of a nano inch! & I assure you it is alive!
And I have a PROOF that mine was smiling ( so I'm one up here) ;)
Just because we've been through this before Just Journaling, doesn't mean that it has been resolved. You never even gave me a hint. :-(
But if you check my profile, you'll see my email address and you can send me a note. I'll be happy, and keep your identity a secret. I'm good at keeping all kinds of secrets. Like the one about Martin being abducted by UFO's, or Eve's morbid fear of clowns, Lime is a clepto, Ex-Shammickite likes to start bar-room brawls and Fishing Guy fishes... with dynamite. I've kept all their secrets, so why can't you trust me with yours?
Lime, I had to think about this, because Mr. Scrappy wasn't near flowers, looking like a real butterfly. Our subject is resting with wings open, like a moth. But it is gathering food during the day, like a butterfly.
So which is it? I believe this is the Painted Lady... a butterfly. The feature I usually go by to distinguish them is the antennae. Moths have shorter fuzzy ones, and butterflies have the long, thin ones.
And don't worry, Mommanator. I won't tell anyone that you're a ninja. Or that Mona is in real-life a blonde, surfer girl, born and raised in California.
Mum's the word. All your secrets are safe with me!
OK OK I know nothing!
I think it is very cool that you can take photos of the stars. As for that butterfly, I for one am convinced that it smiled at you. Great photos!
If you said it smiled then I believe it!
I have never tried to photograph the stars. I love this one. Maybe I'll try it someday!
p.s. I'm catching up on your blog now, so I'll be commenting hopefully several at a time so as to not totally bombard you!
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