shot the dish (Lake Travers)

Armed with the gate code, we headed over to the ARO antenna. Katrina, Bill, Steve, Phil, and myself. Would have been nice to have clear skies but, well, ya take what ya get.

Noticed the reflective markers on the dish as we drove along the lane but did not know what they were at the time... Initially, I thought they were lights. Parked near the old 11 metre dish antenna and the old microwave horn.

All photos with a Canon 40D, 18-55mm lens, manually focused, daylight white balance, tripod mounted.

8:56 PM. 15 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600. The clouds behind, the deep blue, I thought made for a dramatic image.

9:10. 120 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600. It was curious to me how the antenna looked quite flat from this angle. Probably an effect of the dual red lights.

Briefly we spotted the Moon through the clouds.

9:17. 58 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600. I wanted to get behind the dish.

9:27. 180 seconds, f/3.5, ISO 800. I like how the stars are moving.

9:32. 141 seconds, f/4, ISO 1600. Caught an Iridium (perhaps)! Lucky. Saw it naked eye and felt it would be in the frame. Aborted the exposure to check. Yes. [ed: Not an Iridium... Maybe it was the ALOS from Japan. Comet Jacques is in this shot too!]

9:37. 300 seconds, f/4, ISO 800. Not real happy with this shot but it was the best I could do with the lens. I didn't think, at the time, to go to the north side. From the south, I had run out of space... Still, I love the colour of the Garnet Star.

The 46 metre diameter antenna. The largest radio telescope in Canada. One of the largest in the world. I've stood under it, in awe. Done!

A very cool experience. We were very happy to have some clear skies, briefly. Worth the drive to Achray.

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Wikipedia link: Algonquin Radio Observatory.