Don Davis
@ddavisspaceart.bsky.social
Space Artist, sky observer and photographer. Processor of space images. Interested in Astronomy, Planetary Geology, history and in what the future may bring.
All last night the sky was covered with high clouds that drifted in a ghostly procession over the Moon. They at times became broad parallel strips which acted as a 'screen' for a Lunar halo surrounding the gibbous Moon. I obtained some all sky sequences as the clouds developed and passed by.
November 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
All last night the sky was covered with high clouds that drifted in a ghostly procession over the Moon. They at times became broad parallel strips which acted as a 'screen' for a Lunar halo surrounding the gibbous Moon. I obtained some all sky sequences as the clouds developed and passed by.
Intriguing. I captured this apparent airglow color banding the morning of Oct 27th looking North from Joshua Tree, at 34 deg. N. The entire sky visually appeared to have an added faint luminosity as if there was an even thin cloud layer.
October 28, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Intriguing. I captured this apparent airglow color banding the morning of Oct 27th looking North from Joshua Tree, at 34 deg. N. The entire sky visually appeared to have an added faint luminosity as if there was an even thin cloud layer.
October 27, 2025 ended with twilight adorned by luminous colorful brush strokes due to an earlier launch from Vandenberg. The plume was invisible until the darkening sky above the twilight revealed it as as a pale white wisp. Later, as Earth's shadow climbed up the plume, sunset colors appeared.
October 28, 2025 at 7:11 AM
October 27, 2025 ended with twilight adorned by luminous colorful brush strokes due to an earlier launch from Vandenberg. The plume was invisible until the darkening sky above the twilight revealed it as as a pale white wisp. Later, as Earth's shadow climbed up the plume, sunset colors appeared.
Just after midnight this morning an unexpected intense lightning storm passed over the High Desert. I went outside with my tripod and took time exposures to capture the nearby lightning strikes. This one is the closest bolt I have ever photographed, a mile or so away based on the sound delay.
October 23, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Just after midnight this morning an unexpected intense lightning storm passed over the High Desert. I went outside with my tripod and took time exposures to capture the nearby lightning strikes. This one is the closest bolt I have ever photographed, a mile or so away based on the sound delay.
Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon now shines in the evening skies, although the better photos I have seen of this one are either from farther North or made using telescopes. Last night, the 20th, it briefly appeared as the twilight faded before it lowered too much, its modest tail extending away from the Sun.
October 22, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon now shines in the evening skies, although the better photos I have seen of this one are either from farther North or made using telescopes. Last night, the 20th, it briefly appeared as the twilight faded before it lowered too much, its modest tail extending away from the Sun.
The comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) grew more prominent in the morning skies as the Moon's phase waned and its tail brightened. Here is a series of photos showing this modest comet's tail emerging as the skies darkened. The comet was not visible to my eyes.
October 20, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) grew more prominent in the morning skies as the Moon's phase waned and its tail brightened. Here is a series of photos showing this modest comet's tail emerging as the skies darkened. The comet was not visible to my eyes.
The High Desert had another striking sunset the evening of October 10, 2025. The falling rain was lit here and there in the sky, with a rainbow briefly adorning the East. The reddening rays then highlighted the Western clouds as shadowed masses churned in slow motion overhead.
October 11, 2025 at 2:13 PM
The High Desert had another striking sunset the evening of October 10, 2025. The falling rain was lit here and there in the sky, with a rainbow briefly adorning the East. The reddening rays then highlighted the Western clouds as shadowed masses churned in slow motion overhead.
The thin Martian atmosphere extends higher than does Earths due to the lower gravity. Various spacecraft have photographed high thin layers of clouds particularly over the wintertime poles. Here is an example from the European Mars Express orbiter.
September 29, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The thin Martian atmosphere extends higher than does Earths due to the lower gravity. Various spacecraft have photographed high thin layers of clouds particularly over the wintertime poles. Here is an example from the European Mars Express orbiter.
A beautiful launch from Vandenberg at twilight. As the sunlit expanding plume headed Southward it passed near the crescent Moon from my perspective. Such sights make me wonder about what incredible comets there might have been that looked like this, seen and unseen, over the ages in Earth's skies.
September 29, 2025 at 5:38 AM
A beautiful launch from Vandenberg at twilight. As the sunlit expanding plume headed Southward it passed near the crescent Moon from my perspective. Such sights make me wonder about what incredible comets there might have been that looked like this, seen and unseen, over the ages in Earth's skies.
A recent vista from Mars obtained by the Perseverance Rover on its 1635th Martian day, or 'Sol', Clouds far above the eternal dust pall are unusually well shown in this afternoon view. This is a mosaic of two wide angle color Navcam images.
September 29, 2025 at 12:10 AM
A recent vista from Mars obtained by the Perseverance Rover on its 1635th Martian day, or 'Sol', Clouds far above the eternal dust pall are unusually well shown in this afternoon view. This is a mosaic of two wide angle color Navcam images.
Clouds are by far my favorite photographic subject. On Saturday September 27, 2025 a storm passed across the High Desert bringing thunder and rain. For a time cumulus clouds rolled over the region, some catching the sunlight and other closer shaded clouds being indirectly lit by them.
September 28, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Clouds are by far my favorite photographic subject. On Saturday September 27, 2025 a storm passed across the High Desert bringing thunder and rain. For a time cumulus clouds rolled over the region, some catching the sunlight and other closer shaded clouds being indirectly lit by them.
Here is the waning stages of the visible highly reddened sunlight shining on the distant clouds. While a reasonable approximation, the actual color perceived at the central furthest clouds is elusive to capture with any camera.
September 22, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Here is the waning stages of the visible highly reddened sunlight shining on the distant clouds. While a reasonable approximation, the actual color perceived at the central furthest clouds is elusive to capture with any camera.
The Sunset of September 21, 2025 was a fitting curtain call to Summer. This Sunset benefited from the remaining presence of clouds overhead with a gap along the Western horizon. The remaining shreds of rain and broad cloud layers all caught the reddened sunlight shining through that distant gap.
September 22, 2025 at 7:21 AM
The Sunset of September 21, 2025 was a fitting curtain call to Summer. This Sunset benefited from the remaining presence of clouds overhead with a gap along the Western horizon. The remaining shreds of rain and broad cloud layers all caught the reddened sunlight shining through that distant gap.
During the sunrise this morning, September 21 2025, the undersides of the clouds were briefly lit by the early Sun rays reddened from passing through perhaps hundreds of miles of storm cleaned air. Hints of dynamic forces distorting and rending the delicate cloud patches overhead could be seen.
September 22, 2025 at 6:17 AM
During the sunrise this morning, September 21 2025, the undersides of the clouds were briefly lit by the early Sun rays reddened from passing through perhaps hundreds of miles of storm cleaned air. Hints of dynamic forces distorting and rending the delicate cloud patches overhead could be seen.
This morning the Moon, Venus and the bright star Regulus rose as a tight grouping before dawn. It was a striking sight in the clear pre dawn skies, with the air having been cleaned by a thunderstorm that had passed through the area last night.
September 19, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This morning the Moon, Venus and the bright star Regulus rose as a tight grouping before dawn. It was a striking sight in the clear pre dawn skies, with the air having been cleaned by a thunderstorm that had passed through the area last night.
A view of the recent lightning, not with any bolts but nicely showing the inner glow of lightning illuminating regions within the thunderhead. The lightning was nearly continuous for a time, with every 2.5 second exposure having some. If there's lightning in the area I'm out there with my camera.
September 5, 2025 at 8:08 PM
A view of the recent lightning, not with any bolts but nicely showing the inner glow of lightning illuminating regions within the thunderhead. The lightning was nearly continuous for a time, with every 2.5 second exposure having some. If there's lightning in the area I'm out there with my camera.
The third Viking painting for NASA HQ was an overview of the intended landing site as the mortar in the top of the aeroshell fires to release the parachute. The topographic details were from Mariner 9 photos of the landing site at the USGS. They ended up landing well beyond the bottom of the frame.
September 5, 2025 at 7:14 AM
The third Viking painting for NASA HQ was an overview of the intended landing site as the mortar in the top of the aeroshell fires to release the parachute. The topographic details were from Mariner 9 photos of the landing site at the USGS. They ended up landing well beyond the bottom of the frame.
This was an 'anomoly', someone more or less made a crude variation of my work! I remember seeing this reproduced somewhere many years ago. Here is the second painting, of the Viking lander touching down. I didn't have the last version of the lander config when I did this so the fuel tanks are bare.
September 5, 2025 at 7:08 AM
This was an 'anomoly', someone more or less made a crude variation of my work! I remember seeing this reproduced somewhere many years ago. Here is the second painting, of the Viking lander touching down. I didn't have the last version of the lander config when I did this so the fuel tanks are bare.
A nice thunderstorm passed by to my Northeast as twilight deepened, just close enough to hear the sustained faint rumble from the nearly continuous lightning within it.
September 5, 2025 at 6:54 AM
A nice thunderstorm passed by to my Northeast as twilight deepened, just close enough to hear the sustained faint rumble from the nearly continuous lightning within it.
Early in the morning of Tuesday September 2 rain and lightning swept across the High Desert. By afternoon the weather had moved on and the roads in Joshua Tree National Park were cleared. The dampness and clear air gave a clean 'fresh' look, and the afternoon Sun was beginning to light the scenery.
September 4, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Early in the morning of Tuesday September 2 rain and lightning swept across the High Desert. By afternoon the weather had moved on and the roads in Joshua Tree National Park were cleared. The dampness and clear air gave a clean 'fresh' look, and the afternoon Sun was beginning to light the scenery.
A mural I painted, in oils on canvas, on the walls and ceiling of the entry way of a 3 story mansion I lived and painted in for 9 years starting 1973. when one stood at the second floor the ocean horizon was at eye level and the real columns merged with the painted ones.
September 1, 2025 at 11:23 PM
A mural I painted, in oils on canvas, on the walls and ceiling of the entry way of a 3 story mansion I lived and painted in for 9 years starting 1973. when one stood at the second floor the ocean horizon was at eye level and the real columns merged with the painted ones.
A bit of rain this afternoon dampened the High Desert and brought a nice show as the last rays of the Sun passed through a gap in the clouds and caused a nice partial rainbow.
August 29, 2025 at 5:01 AM
A bit of rain this afternoon dampened the High Desert and brought a nice show as the last rays of the Sun passed through a gap in the clouds and caused a nice partial rainbow.
More cool weather passing over the Joshua Tree region, bringing rain here and there. To my North I saw this interesting cloud/rain formation, which reminded me of something John Martin might have painted.
August 26, 2025 at 12:13 AM
More cool weather passing over the Joshua Tree region, bringing rain here and there. To my North I saw this interesting cloud/rain formation, which reminded me of something John Martin might have painted.
I'm working on an animation of a Lunar crater forming. First I did the crater, finding a suitable small example from a Lunar Recon Orbiter photo. Next step is making a digital elevation map by hand drawing it in Photoshop. Here is a render showing the results, with the photo used as a luminous map.
August 25, 2025 at 9:06 PM
I'm working on an animation of a Lunar crater forming. First I did the crater, finding a suitable small example from a Lunar Recon Orbiter photo. Next step is making a digital elevation map by hand drawing it in Photoshop. Here is a render showing the results, with the photo used as a luminous map.
On Saturday some different weather finally occurred in Joshua Tree, a brief spotty monsoon with a nice active region appearing in the neighborhood, along with even a few drops of rain. Here is the view overhead as a weather cell passed by, suggesting the complex dynamics taking place above.
August 25, 2025 at 8:26 AM
On Saturday some different weather finally occurred in Joshua Tree, a brief spotty monsoon with a nice active region appearing in the neighborhood, along with even a few drops of rain. Here is the view overhead as a weather cell passed by, suggesting the complex dynamics taking place above.