The North Shore, BWCA, Superior National Forest and points beyond…
February Full Moon Rise and Other Winter Delights
The rising moon over Lake Superior is one of, if not the best sights The Lake has to offer. I always try to catch the rising moon over Superior when it is full or near full. While it is spectacular after it has risen high in the sky, shining it’s path on the water of The Lake, it’s the moments it first appears that really grab me. The moon will take on deep orange, red and yellow colors due to atmospheric distortion. It will also distort and waver as we view it through many layers of Earth’s atmosphere. When the moon is high in the sky, we aren’t viewing it through near as many layers as when it is low on the horizon, so it glows a steady white/yellow and the shape is clearly defined. When photographing or viewing from shore level, we are looking at an angle through a lot more atmosphere, so the light of the moon is “filtered” through the atmosphere. I use a phone app called The Photographers Ephemeris to calculate where and when the moon will rise from wherever I am. I use a tripod and a remote shutter release when photographing the moon. This is a series of photos from the recent Full Snow Moon rising from Tofte, Minnesota on the shore of Lake Superior.
The first moment the moon appears on the Lake Superior horizon Ice on Lake Superior and the rising Full Snow Moon in the background…The rising full moon forming an “Omega Mirage” as it crests the horizon through atmospheric distortion. The Omega Mirage is named so because of the similar appearance to the letter of the Greek alphabet with the same name.
The moment before separation…The rising moon and a mirage of a second moon as the full moon rises over Lake Superior. Still viewing through many atmospheric layers, the moon has a distorted shape and filtered, deep color. Full Snow Moon – February 2019 The moon begins to show reflection on the water and ice after it rises high enough in the sky. The moonlight won’t reflect off the water in the first moments of moon rise. It must be higher in the sky before that happens. Moonlight reflections on Lake Superior ice both near, and far on the horizon.
This November, 2016 video shows the moon rising in real time with atmospheric distortion.
And here is a bit of video from the recent February Full Snow Moon
February Wildlife
February has been a fun month for wildlife, too! The moose have been elusive, but I have had numerous other notable encounters and sightings. Pine marten and lynx have been actively controlling our snowshoe hare population. I have observed a lot of tracks from the marten and lynx. The common denominator has been the presence of snowshoe hare tracks. I think the marten and lynx have been eating well this winter.
An American pine marten sizes me up. They are a fierce little predator. Don’t let the friendly appearance fool you! The marten will hunt for hare, squirrel, mice, birds and anything else it can catch up to in the winter months. FRESH tracks from a Canada Lynx in Superior National Forest. So fresh, I was able to find it! A gorgeous wildcat, the Canada lynx, eyeing me up through the woods. Spruce grouse covey up in a tree. This is three of eleven that were together in one tree. Winter coveys of the spruce grouse can be common in my area.Male spruce grouse – February 2019 Female spruce grouse – February 2019
And don’t forget the deer. A nice group at Temperance River State Park this month.
Lake Superior Ice
The ice has been fantastic this year on Lake Superior. Though never completely safe, the ice can be fun to explore. Here are a few photos from recent weeks.
Big Lake ice piles. Enjoying the sunset view from Temperance River State ParkSnow and ice pile on Lake Superior.
Thomas J. Spence Images 
Your photography in my mind is the best. I can hardly wait to get organized so I can purchase some