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How to Observe - Light

12/27/2017

Image from the website SunCalc.net A really neat resource to see the sun movement and sunlight phases during a specified day at specified location.

Observing Light Patterns

Sunlight is the most important factor to our existence, without the sun we could never be. It is just the right temperature for creatures like us, it nourishes plants - as well as us (vitamin D), it evaporates water from our oceans allowing rain and snow to shower down, without it our planet would be a lifeless ball of ice-coated rock.
This past year, with the eclipse crossing the US many people took the time to observe the sun and the interesting patterns it cast on the ground during the eclipse, and it was awesome, but what about the other times of the year? We assume the sun doesn’t change too much, its timing may differ but it rises every morning, sets every night, life goes on and you don’t need to be too concerned about the sun. That being said, it is interesting to observe, and there is a lot more to observe than you may think…

Light Patterns - Consider how you see the light throughout the day, when do you notice it most? What about it makes you aware of it?
- Times of Day - there are 4 main easily definable times of day that we’re all familiar with, but did you know there are 3 others that play an important role too!
  - Sunrise - Easily one of the most beautiful times of the day. It takes the sun approximately 3 minutes to rise.
    - Notice the color of the light, are there any clouds that are reflecting the color of the light? Is the sunrise bright and colorful or is it pretty mild? As the sun gets higher and the air gets warmer you’ll find that the wind has a tendency to pick up - this is why you’ll find many photographers prefer to take sunrise photos over sunset photos, especially when attempting to shoot still bodies of water.
  - Daylight - Daylight is so often taken for granted, even when obscured by clouds it diligently illuminates our world. Take a day and look at where the light casts shadows at different times, you’ll notice just how fast the light can change - anyone who has attempted to sunbathe near trees can tell you this!
  - Sunset - As with sunrise, a truly beautiful 3 minutes of every day. Most of the qualities of sunrise are the same as sunset, however, after a day of a stirred up atmosphere, dust, and pollutants, sunsets can show a larger area of colors. “At dawn, clearer skies enable more brilliant reds and oranges to make their way through the atmosphere to your eyes, whereas thicker atmospheres at dusk tend to dull these colors, leading to more washed-out sunsets. On the other hand, more dust and smog (at sunset) can have the effect of scattering light across a greater region of the sky, creating a larger drape of colors, whereas sunrise colors tend to be more focused around the sun. Whichever you prefer, you can frequently tell a sunrise from a sunset by the fact that the latter appears more chaotic, and the former, tidier.” https://www.livescience.com/34065-sunrise-sunset.html
  - Night - Obviously the light is very different at night, it is a time for sleep for some and a time for awakening of our nocturnal friends.
  - Other interesting times of day that you may not be aware of.
    - Astronomical Twilight - the first stage moving from night to sunrise (or the last stage from sunset to night) “…occurs when the Sun is between 12 degrees and 18 degrees below the horizon.”
    - Nautical Twilight - “occurs when the geometrical center of the Sun is between 6 degrees and 12 degrees below the horizon. This twilight period is less bright than civil twilight and artificial light is generally required for outdoor activities.”
    - Civil Twilight - the last stage from night to sunrise (or the first stage from sunset to night). “…occurs when the Sun is less than 6 degrees below the horizon. In the morning, civil twilight begins when the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon and ends at sunrise. In the evening, it begins at sunset and ends when the Sun reaches 6 degrees below the horizon.””Civil twilight is the brightest form of twilight. There is enough natural sunlight during this period that artificial light may not be required to carry out outdoor activities. Only the brightest celestial objects can be observed by the naked eye during this time.”

Times of Year - As the earth tilts on its axis, we get longer days in the summer and shorter days in the winter, the pinnacle of these times are the solstices. At the time of writing this it’s late December, notice how even at noon the sun sits low in the south casting long shadows, revisit this observation in the summer and you’ll find very little shadow at noontime.
- Summer Solstice - The time when the sun reaches its highest altitude of the year, the “longest day of the year” meaning most daylight (still 24hrs in a day).
- Winter Solstice - Just happened less than a week ago on Dec 21st, when the sun’s maximum elevation in the sky is at its lowest causing the “shortest day of the year” - least amount of sunlight in a day. This time of year you’ll be able to notice how trees seem to always be casting long shadows.
Weather - Even when the weather changes, you can always tell daylight from night (okay, except in very extreme cases). Rainy, snowy, and overcast days provide an interesting chance to observe how clouds diffuse the light, notice how soft shadows become in comparison to how sharp they appear in direct sunlight, does the light differ between snowfall and rain?
Light Color - Simplified, there are “cool colors” (colors that appear blueish white), there are "warm colors” (colors that appear yellow or orange), and all the colors in-between. The sun is generally between 5000K (“warmer” (yellower) horizon daylight) and 15000K (“cooler” clear bright blue poleward sky).
An easy way to observe light color is to look out at the snow. Notice where the sunlight shines directly on the snow, then look to where the snow is in a shadow, you’ll see how the snow in the sun is a whiter color where as the snow in the shadow, by comparison is bluer! The color differences can be very apparent when fluorescent or incandescent or even candle lights are mixed or mixed with daylight - consider the warm glow of candle light even when house lamps are on.
- Kelvin scale is the method in which light color (light temperature) is measured - 1700k = match flame is a very warm color, 27000k = clear blue sky is a very cool color. This is important to know for many reasons - in photography, to assure accuracy of an image you need to match the Kelvin color in camera (white balance) to the color of the scene - in raising fish or plants without natural light they need a very specific k-color to imitate natural light to grow.

Health - You can even observe how sunlight affects your health.
- Daylight exposure is vital to maintaining a regular circadian rhythm which works with your body’s chemistry to provide you a better night’s sleep!
- It can also increases the serotonin levels in your body making you more active and alert.
- Studies have shown that exposure to UV rays releases nitric oxide that lowers blood pressure.
- The most notable benefit is sunlight’s ability to boost your body’s vitamin D supply. A healthy supply of vitamin D promotes bone growth and prevents illnesses such as breast and colon cancer, inflammation, MS, seasonal disorders, and depression!

Yes, the sun does more than create beautiful light and shadow patterns, today go out with a renewed sense of all the factors that play into our existence thanks to that bright star in the sky!

References/links for more info:
Different types of twilight -
   https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/different-types-twilight.html
Differences of Sunrise and Sunset -
   https://www.livescience.com/34065-sunrise-sunset.html
Atmospheric Optics -
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_optics
The Sun and Us -
   https://history.nasa.gov/EP-177/ch3-1.html
Health benefits of sun exposure -
   http://www.medicaldaily.com/sun-exposure-vitamin-d-and-other-health-benefits-sunlight-246487
Color Temperature -
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature
Sun Calculator -
   http://suncalc.net/

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How to Observe - Lawns

12/23/2017

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This is my actual lawn in the springtime!

Observing lawns... first let’s define what a lawn is. I’ll admit I have used lawn and yard interchangeably but for this post I wanted to find and define the proper term. It turns out a yard is all of the green-space around your property, this includes flowerbeds, gardens, hedgerows; the lawn is the open space that the grass is allowed to grow but is mowed, trimmed, and manicured to allow room for play, picnics, and other activities. Cool! I’m not going to get into how bad it is to spray chemicals on your lawn to attempt to get the perfect - lush - grass only - growing at 2.5inches high - carpet of a lawn, I’m only going to say you’ll have a much more diverse array of wildlife visit your lawn if you don’t.
Okay! How do we go about observing a lawn? The easiest way is to grab a blanket and go out in the middle of the lawn and sit down. If we get the snow they’re calling for today you might need a lawn chair to sit but yes, you can observe your lawn even with snow cover!

Find a nice spot and sit on the lawn
- Look around and observe any different types of growth
- Notice how the lawn is made up of a diverse group of completely different plants
  - On my lawn (we’ll say 2ft x2ft box) besides the standard grass you’d expect, I was able to find Creeping Charlie, Wood Sorell, Sweet Clover, Purslane, Violets, Dandelion, Spring Beauties, Crab Grass, Plantain, and a few others I’m not yet familiar with.
- Spring - You may not be able to identify the leaves right away but monitor the area through the year, as spring comes and the flowers begin to bloom, allow your lawn to grow a little shaggy and notice the blanket of flowers that will bloom if allowed.
- Summer - Once summer comes around, sit in the same area and observe the different insects that wander through the grasses, some eating the leaves, some enjoying the nectar, others are just trotting along on their way.
- Winter - Even if your lawn is covered in snow there is much to observe.
  - Notice the snow itself, is it falling in large clusters or as tiny ice pellets from the sky? Can you observe individual flakes and the unique patterns within?
  - As the snow falls heavier notice if it clings to certain things more than others - we were out hiking and it began to snow and we noticed the snow began to accumulate on the tree roots (and where the tree roots lay just under the trail) before anywhere else.
  - If there is a wind, does it create snowdrifts?
  - After the snow, once the sun comes out, watch as it melts certain areas while the shadows stay snowy.
  - With a flat even snowfall you’ll be able to notice any rolling (I don’t want to say hills) on the lawn that you may not have noticed before.
  - It is also a great time to get an idea of what animals come visit by observing tracks in the snow.
    - Although at different times of year different animals will be more active, if you allow the lawn to grow naturally you’ll be providing the food sources for many animals in the area.
    - Throughout the year we get squirrels, birds (song and raptors), skunk, opossum, rabbits, groundhogs, chipmunks, stray cats, deer, moles, and those are the ones we know about!

You might not think it, but by learning about your lawn, you learn about a whole other world in your backyard!

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How to Observe - Trees

12/15/2017

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Trees, they’re everywhere. We see them in parks, yards, cities. I think all of us feel pretty confident that we could draw a tree if we were asked to. The casual familiarity with trees can leave us blind to actually seeing them. Think back to the last time you drove down the street, I’m sure you saw trees, but how many different kinds of trees did you see? Were they growing in unique ways? Were they there naturally or have they been planted intentionally?

To begin to understand trees, let’s start in our own yards. I recommend using a notebook to record observations, but it’s not necessary.

Pick one tree to observe

Observe it from afar
- What does its overall shape look like?
- Do the branches grow up, out, or down?
- Are there any leaves left on the tree?
- Can you see any nests among the branches?
- What does the bark look like from afar?
- Are any animals using the tree?
- Does the tree lean in one direction?
- When a breeze picks up, how does it respond? Do the leaves rattle? Does the tree sway or stand still?
- What kind of shadow does it cast?
- Does anything collect underneath?
- Does it protect anything underneath?
- Note any other unique observations.
Observe it near
- Is there a scent from the tree? Could be from the leaves, pine needles, bark, etc.
- What does the bark look like? Is it smooth, rough, patterned, flaking, peeling?
- What does the bark feel like?
- Are there any holes/bare spots/unique blemishes/fungi/lichen?
- Do any outside vines grow up the tree? If so, and if fuzzy, it’s likely poison ivy - do not touch, even in the winter - but do observe.
- Look down, what shape is the base of the tree?
- Are the roots visible?
- Look up, can you see through the branches to the top?
- Notice how the branches grow.
- Are there any unique splits in the branches?
- Do you see any nests now that you didn’t see before?
- If there are leaves, notice the shape, are they all similar or do they vary? What color are they?
- Are there any seedpods/nuts? How are they encased? How do they open?
- Are there any berries? What color? Any spots or patterns? Do they grow in clusters or individually?
- Are there pinecones? How do they grow? Are they large or small? Do they grow upward or downward? Do they come apart easily or are they tightly contained?
- Note any other observations

Check on the same tree regularly, once a week, month, or season and go over your observation checklist, note how it goes through various stages of growth and shedding.

After you note these observations you may find it’s much easier to spot other trees of the same kind now. Being able to observe the finer details of trees, plants, or anything else will make it much easier to make proper identifications as well as gain a greater appreciation for the unique qualities of the plants, trees, animals, and even people, around you.

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The Backyard Naturalist

12/9/2017

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You don’t need to travel far to observe nature (although it can be fun). In your own back yard there’s an entire community waiting to be discovered, seriously, whether you live in the country, in town, in the ‘burbs, or even if your backyard is only a balcony. Through mindful observation, you’ll be able to see an entire new world in your own back yard!

Throughout this month I’ll be posting a series of “How to Observe _____” with a variety of exercises to get those observation muscles working!

I was inspired after making myself go for a walk around my neighborhood, I have been spending so much time on the computer editing various photo projects that a lack of connection with the great outdoors had started to set in. So I bundled up and headed out the door. At first I noticed the sharp chill air, followed by the stream of traffic (I live in town on a rather busy street), soon though, those faded into the background and I began noticing the great variety of leaves on the sidewalk and started to count and identify as many different ones as I could - red & white oak, Japanese maple, sweet gum… I turned down a side street and watched the squirrels run, as they climbed the old oak I noticed their nest, just outside the nest there was an old gray squirrel peeking out watching me. We watched each other for a few beats until another squirrel arrived with leaves and twigs to add to the nest, then they got to work arranging. Further along I noticed a forsythia bush had started to bloom during last week’s warm spell. As I turned the corner I hear a gravely rough call from a tree, I look up and a crow is hopping from branch to branch creeping closer and closer to a squirrel nest. If you’ve never heard the range of sounds crows make I highly recommended scoping them out and watching, I’ve observed some that I could swear were talking! The crow fluttered off and I continued walking noticing a brilliant purple rhododendron that also though spring had arrived, the flowers caught mid open. Then I was home again, with a renewed sense of wonder.

We’ll be learning how to observe…
Trees, lawns, birds & animals, light patterns, the sky, and a variety of other subjects all from the comfort of your backyard!
Stay tuned!