Tag Archives: Venus

Blue Moon

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Walking home last night, as the planetary parade was taking place. It was a clear night, the very tail-end of Blue Hour, most of the sky dark save a fading, blue glow in the west, and above the tenements running parallel to the Union Canal, Venus shining diamond bright. I didn’t have the tripod with me, so I set the timer and sat the camera on the stone ledge by the bridge over the canal to steady it for a long exposure and crossed my fingers:

Venus Shining Down

Then this evening, the 1st of March, walking home, same spot over the Union Canal, Venus in a clear, dusk sky, but this time joined by a gorgeous, large, crescent Moon over the old tenements, so I improvised again, resting the camera on the stone ledge of the bridge to get a long exposure:

Blue Moon, You Saw Me Standing Alone 01

“Blue moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will hold
I heard somebody whisper, “Please adore me”
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold
Blue moon
Now I’m no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own”

Blue Moon, You Saw Me Standing Alone 02

The Moon and Venus, Dancing in the Heavens

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Walking home from my first day of work of 2025, frigid but beautiful winter’s night, amazingly clear skies, even over the city. Above the Union Canal, which was rapidly icing up, a large, bright, crescent Moon, with an incredibly bright Venus shining right next to it.

The Moon And Venus Danced Among The Heavens 01

As I was coming from work, I didn’t have my tripod with me, so I improvised, setting the timer on the camera, then resting it on the edge of the old, stone bridge over the canal to steady it for a longer exposure, and crossed my fingers. And while it isn’t as good as with the tripod, given it is a makeshift night shot, it’s not too bad:

The Moon And Venus Danced Among The Heavens 02

And this was the view looking east – you can just see Jupiter in the sky above the buildings at the end of the canal in this one, just right of centre:

Union Canal, Winter's Night 01

And a wee zoom in closer to the old Leamington Lift Bridge, and the cold waters starting to freeze over:

Union Canal, Winter's Night 03

As ever, click on the links to see the full-sized versions on the Woolamaloo Flickr stream (now north of 28, 000 photos on there!)

The Planets Shone on Edinburgh

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Walking home from a friend’s theatre event earlier this week, turned the corner on the Mound, to find this fabulous visa: the Church of Scotland Assembly Buildings, Edinburgh Castle, and above them, mighty Jupiter, king of planets, and below it, Venus, shining incredibly brightly over these historic landmarks.

The Planets Shine On Edinburgh

Sadly coming from the theatre, I wasn’t carrying my tripod – I braced the camera against a post to try and steady it for this rough and ready night shot, just to try and capture that incredible moment. You can also see Jupiter and Venus in this quick shot taken a few moments earlier on the Royal Mile (again bracing camera against a post, so not as good as if I had the tripod with me, but needs must…) – on the far left of the picture, you can see them clearly, shining above the ancient buildings of the Royal Mile.

Royal Mile After Dark

I do love living here, I love the incredible sights the city often offers up, by light of day or by the night, winter or summer, but even after all these years living in Edinburgh, this grand, old dame can still surprise me with a sudden, magical sight that just makes you stop, takes the breath away, leaving you forgetting about the world and worries for a moment to just drink in a wonderful visual feast.