Mercury transit

mercury transit1

Yesterday’s transit of Mercury across the Sun taken during a late afternoon break in the clouds here at Le Gupole. Mercury is the smaller dot to the left; the other mark is a sunspot.

Canon EOS40D with Canon EF 70-200mm lens at 176mm with 3.0 1000x ND filter ISO100 1/8000 at f/18. Handheld shot with the diaphragm  button depressed to reduce the sun’s intensity on my eye!

Timing 2.56 p.m. CEST (UTC+2). Location ~43N 12E

Chinese lantern

chinese lantern3

This flower from one of many Chinese lantern plants (Physalis alkekengi) in our garden manage to survive the wet winter without disintegrating entirely, remaining quietly beautiful in its weathered state.

Canon G3X ISO200 1/125 at f/7.1