Star Trail

25 Minutes, tweaked in Gimp!

Shibden Hall, Halifax

Looks better upside down

Only Slightly Amusing

So, of course it was slightly amusing to return from travels in Xinjiang in the far West of China to see this clip of a video by The Killers, where it looked like they filmed exactly where these ancient city ruins lay.

Top- The Killers "Human", filmed in some desert.
Bottom- Gaochang Ruins, 1 BC oasis city in the Taklamakan desert on the Silk Road.

A story from Kashgar Old Town

Taken in Old Town in Kashgar, we stopped as I noticed fire reflecting off the panels in a dark alleyway and peered in. Looking up, he grinned and gestured for us to enter. At first glance we saw a young man cooking something over a fire. At second glance, we saw a pile of white goat skulls in one corner and a pile of charred goat skulls in another.

Goat Head Soup is sold throughout Xinjiang, but why char them over a fire first?

Catching the Great Bear

A few nights ago before forecasts of strong winds and heavy snow showers, there was a very clear night.


This picture was taken for 120 seconds, resulting in a discernible streak of stars. Cloud cover prevented very long exposures, but I do intend for a longer star trail one night.


The Great Bear, the Plough or Ursa Major is one of the easiest constellations to spot. The bit I recognise looking into the night sky is highlighted in pink. Everything else is drawn using Google Sky.

The Meat Locker