Starship Asterisk*

September's Harvest Moon

Explanation: A Full Moon rising can be a dramatic celestial sight, and Full Moons can have many names. For example, Monday's Full Moon was the one nearest this year's autumnal equinox for the northern hemisphere, traditionally called the Harvest Moon. According to lore the name is a fitting one because farmers could work late into the night at the end of the growing season harvesting crops by moonlight. This serene telephoto image captures this September's harvest moonrise from Turin, Italy. In silhouette against an orange lunar disk is Turin's hilltop Basilica of Superga.

<< Previous APOD

Discuss Any APOD

Next APOD >>

[/b]

How much of this photograph do you think was luck? Obviously the bird was luck, but there seems to be an element of careful planning. This photographer is quite a ways away and the Basilica is perfectly centered in the moon. Do you think he/she calculated this position in advance? If so, I say "nice work!"

Yes, I think this was a carefully planned shot, and kudos to the photographer for it! It's a lovely image and makes a fabulous APOD.

Whether it was planned on not; it is a fantastic photo! many kudos to the Photographer.

i think this bird is an owl

The bird looks like a well fed pigeon. I'm not very familiar with owls, but I've noticed that pigeons don't mind gliding with lots of dihedral in their wing positions. They can permit themselves a noisy ascent when desired, but an owl, being a bird of stealth, would naturally opt for a more efficient flight behaviour, in my totally amateur opinion.

I'm guessing the bird in the photo is a seagull.

Dear all,

many thanks for you comments!
Yes I confirm that I planned the shot in advance, also visiting the shooting site a couple of days before. Of course I did not plan the bird, even if I must say that it is not the first time that one of my Moon/Basilica pictures is blessed by the entrance of such a special guest
Maybe this can help in guessing what kind of bird is

Thanks again

Stefano

OWL nice shot

Very nice shot Stefano, your planning was totally worth it!

Luis

Very beautiful photo. I am torn on the avian so I won't hazard a guess. But I would very much like to know.

It must be an owl. It's large bodied, and it's flying at night.

I am going to guess the the bird is a Tern, correct?

Stefano De Rosa, your APOD is very beautiful. I think that the image that you posted in this thread is even more beautiful.

Ann

The photo is in Italy....it is a dove.
But, I think that the name of the church is wrong. The beautiful church in Turim is the Duomo della Sacra Sidone.

rachel heininger wrote:
The photo is in Italy....it is a dove.
But, I think that the name of the church is wrong.
The beautiful church in Turim is the Duomo della Sacra Sidone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Superga
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turin_Cathedral

Ann wrote:Stefano De Rosa, your APOD is very beautiful. I think that the image that you posted in this thread is even more beautiful.

Ann

Thank you Ann !

Fistcar wrote:
I am going to guess the the bird is a Tern, correct?

A seagull, I believe. It looks too big to be a pigeon.

Mike Sheffield wrote:A seagull, I believe. It looks too big to be a pigeon.

Personally I agree with you Mike: it is probably a seagull

Stefano

Great shot.Looks like a Owl to me!

neufer wrote:

Fistcar wrote:
I am going to guess the the bird is a Tern, correct?

Click to play embedded YouTube video.

S-l-o-w-l-y i listened. Word by word. As i almost laughed my head off

As to the bird in the moon, the wings don't seem to be an owl's wings, and the body seems to be a bit too big and rounded for a sea gull.

I saw this just a few days ago. We had a spate of good weather here in the northwest with clear skies and you could not miss it. I have seen the moon lined up with the tip of Mr Rainier years ago as if sitting on it. But I did not have the camera. Lucky shot ? only lucky you have the camera handy and set up, with really good charged up batteries. I always have one in my car. If it wasn't for that giant cloud, I would have caught that meteor that flashed over Oregon a few months ago. I was taking movies of the AMTRAK train coming from that direction at that exact time. But alas, I get to sit down, have a cool one and not be famous....sigh

I was very afortunate to swim at 02:00 in the shallow beach of Tulùm, Mexican Mayan Riviera, The full moon was a spectacular beacon that allowed us to swim in turquoise waters and white sand beach in the middle of the night.