Weather-Hardened Crocus

A crocus shoot peeks above ground

that less than 12 hours earlier was

covered with 1-2 inches of snow. Even

more striking was the fact that at 7:00 AM

on the previous day temperatures had

bottomed out to a frigid 10 degrees F.

This photo was taken from our backyard

in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at 5:00 PM,

Tuesday, March 6, 2012. It was at this time

that temps peaked at 69 degrees F, just

shy of a record high. The balmy conditions

melted virtually all the snow that had been on

the ground in the morning, summoning the

welcomed arrival of these colorful and

hardy wild flowers.

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Spotlight On Mars

The planet Mars (left), shining at magnitude -1.21--the brightest and largest its been since February, 2010--does not lose its brilliance even in the wash of a nearly full moon. This image, a 9-second exposure at f/5.6, 250 ISO, 45mm focal length looks east over the roof of our house on Brentwood Drive NE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa around 8:08 PM, Tuesday, March 6, 2012. Two +3 magnitude stars in the constellation Leo on either side of Mars are barely visible in the glare. Temperature at this hour was a balmy 62 degrees F.

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Powerful Planetary Pair

The -2.16 magnitude planet Jupiter (upper) and -4.22 magnitude Venus (lower, in trees) make a magnificent pair as they set in the west sky as seen here from Bowman Woods Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa just after 9:00 PM, Saturday, March 3, 2012. This is a ten second exposure at f/6.3, 800 ISO and 45mm focal length. At lower left and upper right are fast moving clouds.

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Mighty Mars

The planet Mars, the bright object seen here at center and rising in the east, shone the brightest (magnitude -1.23) and appeared the largest than at any time since February, 2010. This image was photographed around 9:03 PM, Saturday, March 3, 2012, and was a 20 second exposure at f/6.3, 800 ISO and 18mm focal length. The location was Bowman Woods Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The smudges at right are fast moving clouds that were moving east (from top to bottom in image). Air temperature at this time was 28 degrees F. Mars is situated in the constellation Leo, and the brighter star above and right of Mars is the 1.34 magnitude Regulus.

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Flocked February

A heavy flocking of snow clings to all outdoor surfaces as seen from the eastern border of Bowman Woods Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa around 6:56 AM, Friday February 24, 2012. A wet three inches of snow fell through the night converting shrubs and trees into this fantasyland look.

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Three Planets and a Moon

Three planets were visible in the west

sky just after 7:00PM, February 25,

2012, as seen from grounds just west

of Christ Community United Methodist

Church in Marion, Iowa. Joining the

parade was a waxing crescent moon,

seen here above and right of Venus (center).

Jupiter is located at top left and Mercury,

in the process of setting at bottom right.

This image is a ten second exposure at

f/6.3, 800 ISO and 18mm focal length.

The view looks toward the city of

Cedar Rapids as seen from neighboring

Marion.

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Winter Park

The season of winter was still very evident in this snowy scene looking east across Bowman Woods Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa around 8:17 AM, Sunday, February 26, 2012. This view was imaged from Bowman Woods Elementary School. Thinly veiling the rising sun are altocumulus undulatus clouds. By the end of the day, with temperatures peaking at 51 degrees F, the snow was all gone.

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