My September 2026 definitely didn’t open with a bang, and the subject matter of this shot reflects that. But the cool blue, plus the generally laid-back clouds and the moon — and who doesn’t like the moon? — together they make for as good a representation of the day as I otherwise managed to achieve with the camera.
Prior to this evening, this blog had featured two solar eclipses: one annular, witnessed in Laura, Queensland, in May 2013, and the total one seen from Ullin, Illinois, in August 2017. Both of those I had travelled specifically to see. This partial eclipse, however, came to me (and the rest of the UK) rather than the other way around. I did get a photo of it through the eclipse glasses but not a particularly sharp one, so let’s document it this way.
This was, more or less, the peak — I was in Leeds, and it peaked there at about 91% totality — and while it was definitely a noticeable dimming of the light there is still plenty of sunshine coming through and the moon is not at all visible without the eclipse glasses. Going on what the media, particularly social media, was touting to those who had never seen such an event before (and the UK’s last really significant one was in 1999), many people seemed to assume things would be getting pitch black. So, welcome to the difference between hype and reality. Eclipses are still pretty cool though: as I say on one of the other two pages, the fact that the apparent sizes of the Moon and Sun are so nearly the same is a massive cosmic coincidence: we may be one of the few planets in the galaxy that can possibly experience such an event.
I was in Tromsø at this time of the year in 2017, so well north of the Arctic Circle this close to the summer solstice. But it was cloudy for that entire trip — as you can see from the linked picture — so I never saw the actual shining Midnight Sun (capital M, capital S) back then. But tonight — here you are. It’s still getting low, but it is, defiantly, not setting. We have several days of perpetual daylight to come.
Of course it could be a much better picture but then again, surely that is true of all shots where one points a basically inadequate camera at a big ball of flaming helium, however far away it is. Comfortably the latest picture in any given day to appear of all the 5,411 so far, and it may well retain that record until the day I die. ‘Cos when I am normally up at this time? Not often.
Who knows how long The Child will stay in Dundee but for now the place is coming to feel familiar enough. I have developed a habit of ascending Dundee Law each time I come to the city. The view is excellent and the massive memorial on the summit certainly does its job. Making it up to the top from Joe’s flat, without a break, has become a good marker of whether I’m still fit enough for satisfaction.
On the basis that no fewer than 23 people (because you do need a referee) can be gathered in each area of space that comprises a Saturday afternoon football match, then there must have been at least a quarter of a million people in the UK doing what this guy was doing at the same point in time, 3.20pm. That’s just the people on the pitches, too. At least 30 other people, including substitutes, coaches and slighly weird people (like me) were also persuaded that watching Sheffield Union v Thornbridge Villa in the 12th tier of English football was the best way they had of spending Saturday afternoon. So add another million or two for all of them…. it can’t be completely wasted collective effort, can it? At this level it’s certainly not about making any money.
The ‘treetop’ houses on Heptonstall Road have featured before, I am sure, but forgive me if I don’t dig out the hyperlink right now. But once again, you were getting something that could be seen from my place. At least, after today, my marking duties are over for a while.
Don’t expect to see much over the next few days, one way or another. It is, definitely, Marking Season, and I need to save money anyway (doesn’t everyone at this point in the year?). The skies are moody and so pointing the camera up at the skyline to the south of town seemed the best option today, but we’ll see how the rest of the week goes. This is one of those shots where I really haven’t changed the setting to monochrome, but can’t prove it.
Boxing Day was spent walking in the Ochil Hills. Grey skies above us were contrasted with the sight of sun shining on hills to the south. This shot, from the summit of Innerdouny Hill, was taken with a very long zoom, and I am prepared to state that what is seen here is Culter Fell, the 2,454-feet high summit of South Lanarkshire — it’s in the right direction, and it certainly looks like it (see the second image down on the page as linked). Which means that here we have a view of just under 50 miles. That’s impressive — but in the end, I pick the shot because of also capturing the aeroplane, which is just cute. (More pictures from the walk will appear on my other blog in due course….)
Scene, today, of one of those ‘ghost buses’ — it appears on all the information boards, Google Maps tells us that it is merrily trundling in our direction, on schedule — but no bus appears and we get to sit around another half hour or so for the next one. I realise this is not an injustice akin to, say, slavery, or Trumpism, but nevertheless. At least the forced sojourn did leave some time for photography.
God, look at the time. If this looks like it is taken over some misty marshland somewhere, it’s an illusion — instead it was captured from the 3rd floor of the Ellen Wilkinson Building, as I made my leisurely way to my 4pm class, which doesn’t even manage to start before sunset at this time of year. And still ten days to go until the solstice.
Being 42 