The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • A Busy Month of Stargazing

    The September Hubble 35th Anniversary Challenge offered a large number of targets, and I was able to capture them all. More information about the Challenge can be found here.

    The targets were a diverse mix of nebulae, star clusters and a galaxy, and the list includes some famous objects. My favorite target this month was the Dumbbell Nebula, Messier 27. I had imaged this object before but thought the one I took in September wasn’t bad for short exposure time. You can clearly see the dumbbell or hourglass shape and the colors.

    The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as the Apple Core Nebula, Messier 27, and NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula (nebulosity surrounding a white dwarf star, not a planet) in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light-years. It was the first such nebula to be discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764. At its brightness of visual magnitude 7.5 and diameter of about 8 arcminutes, it is easily visible in binoculars and is a popular observing target.

    M27, the Dumbbell Nebula

    The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888 or Caldwell 27) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the star when it became a red giant around 250,000 to 400,000 years ago. The nebula is a rather faint visual target, but with a telescope the nebulosity can be seen, and perhaps the rounded E shape that looks like the Euro symbol.

    c27, the Crescent Nebula

    The North America Nebula (NGC 7000 or Caldwell 20) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, close to Deneb (the tail of the swan and its brightest star) in the night sky. It is named because its shape resembles North America. It is a large object and only a portion can be see here. The North America shape is pointed downward toward the right.

    On October 24, 1786, William Herschel noted a “faint milky nebulosity scattered over this space, in some places pretty bright.” The most prominent region was catalogued by his son John Herschel on August 21, 1829. It was listed in the New General Catalogue as NGC 7000, where it is described as a “faint, most extremely large, diffuse nebulosity.”  In 1890, the pioneering German astrophotographer Max Wolf noticed this nebula’s characteristic shape on a long-exposure photograph, and dubbed it the North America Nebula.

    NGC 7000, the North American Nebula

    NGC 6822 (also known as Barnard’s Galaxy, IC 4895, or Caldwell 57) is a barred irregular galaxy approximately 1.6 million light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Part of the Local Group of galaxies, it was discovered by E. E. Barnard in 1884, with a six-inch refractor telescope. It is the closest non-satellite galaxy to the Milky Way, but lies just outside its virial radius. It is similar in structure and composition to the Small Magellanic Cloud. It is about 7,000 light-years in diameter. The irregular shape can be seen in this photograph, albeit as a faint smudge.

    C57, Barnard’s Galaxy

    We now move on to a series of star clusters. The very pretty Messier 55 (also known as NGC 6809 or the Specter Cluster) is a globular cluster in the south of the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752 while observing from what today is South Africa. Starting in 1754, Charles Messier made several attempts to find this object from Paris but its low declination meant from there it rises daily very little above the horizon, hampering observation. He observed and catalogued it in 1778. The cluster can be seen with 50 mm binoculars; resolving individual stars needs a medium-sized telescope.

    It is about 17,600 light-years away from Earth.

    M55

    Messier 71 (also known as NGC 6838 or the Angelfish Cluster) is a globular cluster in the small constellation Sagitta. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of non-comet-like objects in 1780. It was also noted by Koehler at Dresden around 1775. This star cluster is about 13,000 light years away from Earth and spans 27 light-years (8 pc). The irregular variable star Z Sagittae is a member. It was once thought to be a densely packed open cluster, but modern photometry has revealed characteristics of a globular cluster. It is considered a loosely concentrated globular cluster, like M68 in Hydra.

    M71

    Messier 75 or M75 (also known as NGC 6864) is a globular cluster of stars in the southern constellation Sagittarius.It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and included in Charles Messier’s catalog of comet-like objects that same year. M75 is about 67,500 light years away from Earth . Its apparent size on the sky translates to a true radius of 67 light years. M75 is classified as class I, meaning it is one of the more densely concentrated globular clusters known.

    M75

    Messier 15 or M15 (also designated NGC 7078 and known as the Great Pegasus Cluster) is a globular cluster in the constellation Pegasus. It was discovered by Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746 and included in Charles Messier’s catalogue of comet-like objects in 1764.At an estimated 12.5±1.3 billion years old, it is one of the oldest known globular clusters. M 15 is about 35,700 light-years from Earth, and 175 light-years in diameter. It has an absolute magnitude of −9.2, which translates to a total luminosity of 360,000 times that of the Sun. Messier 15 is one of the most densely packed globulars known in the Milky Way galaxy.

    M15

    Finally, we have two more planetary nebula. Unlike the Dumbbell, these are more typical in that they appear very small. They are the bright objects in the center of the frame with a faint colored glow around them,.

    The Saturn Nebula (also known as NGC 7009 or Caldwell 55) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius. It appears as a greenish-yellowish hue in a small amateur telescope. It was discovered by William Herschel on September 7, 1782, using a telescope of his own design in the garden at his home in Datchet, England, and was one of his earliest discoveries in his sky survey. The nebula was originally a low-mass star that ejected its layers into space, forming the nebula. The central star is now a bright white dwarf star of apparent magnitude 11.5. The Saturn Nebula gets its name from its superficial resemblance to the planet Saturn with its rings nearly edge-on to the observer. It was so named by Lord Rosse in the 1840s, when telescopes had improved to the point that its Saturn-like shape could be discerned. William Henry Smyth said that the Saturn Nebula was one of Struve’s nine “Rare Celestial Objects”.

    C55

    NGC 6826 (also known as Caldwell 15) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. It is commonly referred to as the “Blinking Planetary”, although many other nebulae exhibit such “blinking”. When viewed through a small telescope, the brightness of the central star overwhelms the eye when viewed directly, obscuring the surrounding nebula. However, it can be viewed well using averted vision, which causes it to “blink” in and out of view as the observer’s eye wanders.

    C15

  • The Paper Mill Museum and Bartrams Covered Bridge

    The Paper Mill Museum is a historic three story stone building along Darby Creek in Newtown Township, Delaware County that contains an 1850’s era general store, and three levels of a local history museum containing artifacts representing the history of Newtown Township. The original building was constructed in 1828 to house four families that worked at the local mills along the Darby Creek. An addition was built in 1845 to contain a general store that served the community that grew up around the mills. In the immediate area of the site were the William Crosley Woolen Mill (1828-1861) and Casper S. Garrett’s Union Paper Mill (1869-1889). The building overlooks the creek and a stone bridge that carries St. David’s Road over the creek. A modern wooden pedestrian bridge over the creek connects the building to the parking area for the site.

    Along the creek in the area are archeological remains of both old mills, including building foundations, the millrace, and other traces of the mill activity. The site was recognized as historically significant in 2002 when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The structure stood in ruins in the early 1980’s, without a roof, without a use, and destined for demolition. However, the history of the building and the site was recognized by a small handful of civic minded Newtown residents, and through their efforts and those of many other volunteers, the building was acquired by the Township, and then enclosed to protect it from the elements. Over the last 25 years, the Building has been restored, inside and out, and now houses a recreated general store from the mid-19th century, and a museum containing artifacts collected and donated by Newtown residents that represent some of the history of the Township and its people.

    Here are some views of the exterior and the grounds:

    Not far away sits Bartram’s Covered Bridge, which spans the county line between Delaware and Chester Counties over Crum Creek in Newtown Square. As such, it is the last covered bridge remaining in Delaware County, a county which once had over 30 covered bridges. The bridge has unique slanted plank portals, the only bridge in Pennsylvania with this unusual design.

    Built in 1860 by Ferdinand Wood, who designed the portals to be “Hi and Wide as a Load of Hay,” the bridge is 80 feet long by 13 feet wide. The original cost of $1,133 to build the bridge was shared by Delaware and Chester Counties. It is named for Mordecai Bartram, an adjacent landowner. The bridge design, pioneered by Theodore Burr, features the Burr Truss, commonly found in Pennsylvania covered bridges of the time. At one time, the words “LINCOLN, Save Union and Congress” were still visibly painted inside the bridge. The last traces of this old graffiti from 1860 are believed to have been lost during the last restoration of the bridge in 1995.

    The bridge closed to traffic in 1941. The bridge was first rehabilitated in the 1960’s (at the time by the Marple Newtown Historical Society). After years of neglect, the bridge was restored in 1995, funded by a combination of donations, grants and fundraising. The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The bridge appears to have had some additional work since I last visited. There is now a gravel parking area on the west side of the bridge, in addition to on street parking on a side street to the east.

  • Some Local Gems Preserved

    Rushton Woods Preserve is an 86-acre owned by the Willistown Conservation Trust. The preserve has an impressive complex of meadows, wetlands, and mature woodland for visitors to explore. You can hike trails through the upland forest of beech, maple, oak, and tulip poplars, and then follow the trails down to Okehocking Run.

    The property is a popular spot for birding, and the scrub shrub demonstration area is a favorite stopover for migrating songbirds including warblers and chats. Rushton Woods Preserve is also home to Rushton Farm and the Rushton Conservation Center, Rushton Farm CSA and the location of a variety of WCT community and educational events.

    Looks like some old beehives.

    Nearby one finds Kirkwood Preserve, where warm and cool season grasses comprise the majority of this 102-acre Preserve, providing important nesting and foraging habitat for grassland birds. The Preserve features over 4 miles of pedestrian and equestrian trails, a half-mile stretch of Crum Creek, and 8 acres of upland and riparian woodland. Kirkwood Preserve is part of an Audubon-designated Important Bird Area (IBA), a global network of sites recognized for their outstanding value to bird conservation.

    The preserve is popular with walkers, hikers and birders.
    Some of the nearby farms.

  • Horses and Cows and Farms, Oh My!: Octoraro Edition

    Today’s post takes us back to the area of the Octoraro watershed in southern Chester and Lancaster counties, with a focus on some of the farms and animals of the area.

  • A Park and a Historic Church

    The Willows Park Preserve in northwestern Delaware Country has been a popular spot for birding, fishing, picnicking and walking for decades. Built in 1910, the Willows Mansion is surrounded by 47.5 acres of public park with water, meadow, woodland and garden views. Closed for nearly a decade, the deteriorating mansion sits idle while park life carries on. However, efforts to restore the Mansion are ongoing. It was once a very popular wedding reception venue.

    The pond, fed by Little Darby Creek, is popular with fisherman. The stream is stocked.
    Who you looking at?
    Some interesting tiles on the bridge over Little Darby.
    He’s behind me, right? Parent Robin pursued by begging fledgling.
    A good look at a fledgling robin.
    Looks like a female red-winged blackbird.

    I made another stop that day at St. Davids Church, which lies mostly within Radnor Township, Delaware County. The parish is more than 300 years old. Toward the close of the seventeenth century, a hardy group of Welsh colonists settled in an area which became known as Radnor. In 1704, a 100-signature petition for Welsh prayer books and a Bible, but more particularly for a Welsh-speaking missionary, was dispatched to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in London. Ten years later, in return for this long-awaited recognition, the settlers “heartily engaged themselves to build a handsome stone church,” to be named after the Patron Saint of Wales. The cornerstone was laid on May 9, 1715.

    With the coming of the Revolution in the colonies, a rapidly swelling wave of resentment against the Church of England arose among the patriots of the congregation. A leader of this opposition was Anthony Wayne, later appointed major general of the American forces, who is buried in St. David’s historic churchyard. The church building provided shelter for soldiers of both sides.

    A view of the original church.
    The churchyard is a tranquil place.
    Some lovely color on these trees in late Spring.
    As an old church, there are some interesting mausoleums.

  • Photography Close to Home

    So do these photos look unusable to you? (rhetorical question) I recently got a mirror lens – the Tamron 55BB 500mm F8 – to be exact. Many dislike mirror lenses because they can be finicky to work with due to the fixed F8 focal ratio, shallow depth of field, and long focal length. All of which makes getting focus and capturing sharp images challenging. These lenses also have very distinctive bokeh due to the obstruction from the secondary mirror. Can you see the “donuts” in these photos.

    Here are some photos of the local goldfinches.
    A female house sparrow for good measure.

    I quite like these photos. They remind me of old film photographs. As you can probably tell from this blog, I am not one who is too fussed about “tack sharp” as a photographer. If a photo is acceptably in focus, I’m good. I do have to say that this lens does really need daylight. Low light would require a tripod and long exposure times to compensate for the F8 aperture.

  • Amish Buggies and Scenery

    The area around the Octoraro Reservoir and watershed in southern Lancaster and Chester Counties is particularly scenic. The buggies were out in force one Saturday in May.

    I don’t have much to say about these photos, and I will let them speak for themeselves.

  • A Stop for Some Culture

    The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art has a branch in Ligonier. The grounds feature some beautiful statuary while indoors the featured exhibit focused on the nearby Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, Fallingwater, at the time of my visit. The museum is free, but donations are appreciated.

    I like the whimsy in the sculptures, which also feel very organic.

    A sampling of pieces featuring Fallingwater and a collection of glass paperweights.

  • The August Hubble 35th Anniversary Challenge – The Nebulas Return

    After a few months filled with globular clusters, large, colorful nebulas are returning to the night sky. This month’s targets for the Hubble 35th Anniversary Challenge (see The Night Sky page for more information) are a good representation of these objects.

    The Lagoon Nebula (catalogued as Messier 8, M8 or NGC 6523) is a giant emission nebula with an H II region located in the constellation Sagittarius. Discovered by Giovanni Hodierna in 1654, it is one of only two star-forming nebulae faintly visible to the naked eye from mid-northern latitudes (the other being the Orion Nebula). It is a popular photographic targets and can be combined in mosaic images with other nearby nebulae and clusters. Located approximately 4,000–6,000 light-years from Earth, the nebula spans 110 by 50 light-years.. While appearing pink in long-exposure photographs, it typically appears gray when viewed through binoculars or telescopes due to the human eye’s limited color sensitivity in low-light conditions.

    M8

    The Eagle (or Star Queen) Nebula (Messier 16, M16 or NGC 6611) is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745–46. Both the “Eagle” and the “Star Queen” refer to visual impressions of the dark silhouette near the center of the nebula. This area was made famous as the “Pillars of Creation” image by the Hubble Space Telescope. The nebula contains several active star-forming gas and dust regions, including the aforementioned Pillars of Creation. You can see this area as a small v-shaped dark area in center of the nebula image below. The Eagle Nebula lies in the Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way.

    M16

    The colorful Trifid Nebula (Messier 20, M20 or NGC 6514) is another H II region in the north-west of Sagittarius in a star-forming region in the Milky Way’s Scutum–Centaurus Arm. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. Its name means ‘three-lobe’. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emission nebula (the relatively dense, reddish-pink portion), a reflection nebula (the mainly NNE blue portion), and a dark nebula (the apparent ‘gaps’ in the former that cause the trifurcated appearance, also designated Barnard 85). Viewed through a small telescope, the Trifid Nebula is a bright and peculiar object, and is a favorite of amateur astronomers. I was pleased to be able to pick up some of the bluish color in my photo below.

    M20

    The famous Ring Nebula (Messier 57, M57 or NGC 6720) is a planetary nebula in my favorite constellation, Lyra. A “planetary” nebula has nothing to do with planets. Such a nebula is formed when a star, during the last stages of its evolution before becoming a white dwarf, expels a vast luminous envelope of ionized gas into the surrounding interstellar space. This nebula was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier while searching for comets in late January 1779. Messier’s report of his independent discovery of Comet Bode reached fellow French astronomer Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix two weeks later, who then independently rediscovered the nebula while following the comet.

    The Ring Nebula is a small, but exquisite, object. You can see some of the concentric color circles in this image.

    M57

    We coudln’t leave Spring behind without two more globular clusters. Although I have stated that these can be easier to image, these objects proved challenging due to a low position in the sky and nearly full moon when they were shot.

    The interestingly named Wild Duck Cluster (Messier 11, M11 or NGC 6705) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Scutum (the Shield). It was discovered by Gottfried Kirch in 1681. Charles Messier included it in his catalogue of diffuse objects in 1764. Its popular name derives from the brighter stars forming a triangle which could resemble a flying flock of ducks (or, from other angles, one swimming duck). The cluster is located just to the east of the Scutum Star Cloud midpoint.The Wild Duck Cluster is one of the richest and most compact of the known open clusters. It is one of the most massive open clusters known, and it has been extensively studied. Its age has been estimated to about 316 million years.

    M11

    Messier 22 or M22 (also known as NGC 6656 or the Great Sagittarius Cluster) is an elliptical globular cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius, near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars visible in the night sky. The brightest stars are 11th magnitude, with hundreds of stars bright enough to resolve with an 8″ telescope. It is just south of the sun’s position in mid-December, and northeast of Lambda Sagittarii (Kaus Borealis), the northernmost star of the “Teapot” asterism.

    M22 was one of the first globulars to be discovered, in 1665 by Abraham Ihle, and it was included in Charles Messier’s catalog of comet-like objects in 1764. It was one of the first globular clusters to be carefully studied – first by Harlow Shapley in 1930. It is one of the closest globular clusters to Earth.

    M22

  • It’s a Wilder Life

    Powdermill Nature Reserve is an environmental research center that is operated by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
    Established in 1956, Powdermill serves as a field station for long-term studies of natural populations, and now forms the core of the museum’s Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. The reserve encompasses 928.17 hectares, which includes forests, fields, developed land, and ponds and streams.

    It is located in the Laurel Highlands, near Rector, Pennsylvania and is well known for its avian research. The Center is one of the longest continually-running bird banding stations in the United States. I had visited on a previous trip, which you can read about here.

    Outside the Nature Center.
    There are lots of interesting exhibits inside. Check out this bluegill.
    Looks like a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk.
    A Ruffed Grouse, the state bird.
    This corn snake is another resident.

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