Scenes from the Big Apple

Some photos from a trip to New York City, including the sun setting over its fire escape-lined apartment buildings,

Hudson Yards   Sunset Reflection I thumb

the moon rising over a constellation of lights,

Empire State Building   Moon over Manhattan II thumb

and neon colors softly illuminating a city that never sleeps.

Midtown   Madison Square Garden thumb

Leo Triplet

This is the M 66 group, also alled the Leo Triplet, which consists of three galaxies in the Leo constellation: the Hamburger Galaxy (NGC 3628, left), M 65 (right top), and M 66 (right bottom):

M 66 Group   Leo Triplet thumb

Snowy Banff

I made a return trip to Banff this past month, where again I am awed by the majesty of the Canadian Rockies. But where there were verdant greens and aquamarine lakes when I last visited in summer, now there are dramatic snowscapes and waterfalls in suspended animation. Both seasons are beautiful in their own way, but the contrast is striking.

Mount Rundle as seen from downtown Banff in the winter versus the summer:

Banff   Mount Rundle Sunset thumb
Banff   Mt. Rundle at Sunset thumb

Johnston Canyon in the winter versus the summer:

Johnston Canyon   Snowfall and Waterfall thumb
Johnston Canyon   Waterfall II thumb

Lake Louise in the winter versus the summer:

Distant Hotel thumb
Lake Louise   Hotel by the Lake thumb

Skyline Silhouette

A beautiful sunset over the Los Angeles skyline, taken last December:

Jellyfish Nebula

This is the Jellyfish Nebula in SHO narrowband, alongside some neighboring nebulas such as Sh2-249:

IC 443   Jellyfish Nebula in Narrowband thumb