I got a couple of good nights for astrophotography but the days are so long, the nights so short! It is nearly 11 PM before it gets completely dark. I think I will give up on astro until the nights get longer. My trail cams have been picking up elk, red squirrels, cottontails, and one coyote, but no more mountain lions. It has been pretty hot, into the low 90’s yesterday. I went to Newcastle for groceries yesterday, it was 99 F. there.
The Crescent Nebula with the C8. I’d like to add a lot more exposure to this but it will have to wait. The Fireworks Galaxy in Cepheus. This galaxy is somewhat obscured by interstellar dust that makes it faint and gives a more reddish color. Juniper Hairstreaks are emerging now, fresh adults are quite common. This one is nectaring on Butte Candle, Cryptantha celosioides. There have been some thunderstorms. One evening I watched this dark cloud go racing and swirling under some mammatus clouds. It was pretty impressive, I took this photo but a video would have been better.
