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Shawn Rocco, the “Cellphone guy,” in the NYTimes:

Shawn Rocco, 37, is a professional photographer. He shoots a Motorola E815. Yes, that’s a cellphone. Not when he’s actually on assignment for The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., where he has worked full time since 2002, but in those situations when he doesn’t mind ceding some control to a medium that is idiosyncratic — to say the least — in exchange for the happy prize of serendipity; the image that doesn’t quite emerge as he planned and is therefore all that more meaningful.

Shawn’s blog is at “cellular obscura” and has funny commentary along with the photos. In the article he compares cell phones to Polaroids: “Wih Polaroid, it wasn’t a crapshoot, but you left a lot of things in the hands of the chemistry.” As a former Polaroid user myself, I love that. I’m currently using a six year old camera I had formerly given up for dead and it still takes some stunning pictures (I love this spring’s Atsion series).

Public Star Watch at Atsion Field
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Weather permitting, a free public star watch will be presented by the Willingboro Astronomical Society at Atsion Field in Wharton State Forest, NJ, on Saturday, May 30, 2009. Atsion Field is on the east side of Route 206, just north of the lake and Atsion/Quaker Bridge Rds. It is roughly midway between Route 70 (the Red Lion Circle) ten miles to the north and Route 30 (the White Horse Pike in Hammonton) nine miles to the south.

The program starts at 7:30 pm with an open-air, astronomical media presentation followed by an observing session with telescopes on the field until 11:00 pm. Before dark, we’ll have our Kid’s Korner, which features “Cooking up a Comet,” where we make one of our own. After dark, there’ll be a laser-guided Sky Tour of the stars and constellations and a Binocular Beam, where participants will follow the laser beam to find objects in their own binoculars.

This will be a great opportunity to look through a variety of optical instruments from a relatively dark site at many of the incredible and diverse things that fill the nighttime sky. Here are some of the many objects we expect to see:

• Saturn, famous for its rings, which are now in an unusual configuration
• M44, the Beehive, a naked-eye cluster buzzing with stars in Cancer the crab
• The Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, and NGC 5195, joined by a bridge of nebulosity
• Mizar & Alcor, a double star with a surprise in the Big Dipper’s handle
• M104, the Sombrero Galaxy in Corvus the crow
• The Trio in Leo, galaxies M65, M66 and NGC 3628
• M13, the Great Globular Cluster in the Keystone of Hercules the strongman

Come and share our enjoyment of the night sky. Whether you are new to astronomy or have a lifetime interest, this will be an event you won’t want to miss; all ages are welcome. Directions and further information about the Society and its 2009 schedule of Public Star Watches can be found at our web site: www.wasociety.net

For possible weather cancellation, check the WAS web site or call the Atsion Ranger Station at (609) 268-0444 after 3:00 pm on the day of the Star Watch.

Details from PDF on the Willingboro Astronomical Society’s Star Watch schedule.

Charred trees in a flooded area: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Trees throw whichway: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

The boys on the fire trail: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Theo amid the desolation: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Francis ready to go!: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Spring Trail: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

A huge and I mean huge bird: A turkey vulture I think, though I’ve rarely seen one this big. It stirred in the tree branches along the ground near us, then flew with wide wingspan up to this tree. Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Earth, Fire, Water: Remains of Atsion Fire of 10/08, photographed seven months later.

Oddly quiet: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Regeneration: The green in the back is regrowth from a fire about ten years ago. Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Scarred: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Woods, sunset: Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.

Waterfall: A tree branch creates a dam and waterfall. Remains of Atsion Fire, 10/08.