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A Juxtaposed Tides Aperture Abenteuer Gone Right
There’s something about chasing the moon. That pull, that tug that keeps you looking up at the night sky, yearning for the perfect shot—especially when that shot is against the backdrop of the mighty Pilot Mountain Pinnacle. After months of supermoon hunting, the stars, or rather the moon, finally aligned, and we bagged the shots we’d been chasing.
But let’s backtrack a bit because getting to this point wasn’t without its twists and turns. We’d been after this composition for months, four to be exact, and each supermoon we tried left us a little wiser, a little more attuned to the tools and the terrain. It was October’s Hunter Moon—the last supermoon of the year—that finally gave us what we wanted.
Mapping the Moon’s Path
Our journey started months ago, armed with an arsenal of planning tools that would make even the most seasoned adventurer proud. We leaned heavily on apps like Google Maps, Photopills, and AllTrails to dial in on the best locations. Each month, we plotted out the moon's projected path in relation to Pilot Mountain's famous knob, adjusting and learning from our past attempts.
Photopills, in particular, became our secret weapon. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for photographers, allowing us to pinpoint where the moon would rise in the sky and from which exact angle it would hover over the Pinnacle. Combining that with Google Maps gave us a rough idea of where we needed to set up shop. But, as any adventurer knows, maps can only get you so far—boots on the ground (or wheels on the pavement in our case) were necessary to confirm the magic location.
Scouting the Scene
One week before the big night, I took my bike out for some pre-investigative work. I cruised around the rural back roads west of Pilot Mountain, looking for the perfect vantage point. This wasn't just about finding a spot with a clear view of the mountain; it was about understanding the landscape, the way the knob would appear in contrast to the looming supermoon. After hours of scoping out fields, hills, and knolls, I locked in on a sweet spot. The sightline was perfect, the horizon expansive—this was where we’d plant ourselves for the big night.
The Final Showdown: Hunter’s Moon
Fast forward to the night of October’s Hunter Moon, and we were ready. This was the largest supermoon of the year, and there would be no more after this—our last chance for 2024. As we arrived at our chosen spot, the universe decided to give us a bonus show: the sunset. The sky turned into a full-on 360-degree color explosion—reds, oranges, purples—setting the scene in a way only nature could.
We set up our tripods, fingers crossed that our months of planning were about to pay off. As we waited, the excitement built with each passing minute. The moon was running fashionably late, but when it finally made its grand entrance, it didn’t disappoint. The massive, glowing orb began its slow ascent into the sky, just as Photopills had predicted. However, there was one slight hiccup—our angle was a touch off. The moon was rising farther to the right than we’d anticipated, leaving the knob a bit out of frame.
But here’s the thing about the Hunter Moon—it was so huge and awe-inspiring that even being slightly off didn’t matter. We were captivated, freezing in place as the moon crept higher into the sky. The sheer size of it was mind-blowing, and while the knob wasn’t perfectly centered in those first shots, the moon’s magnitude more than made up for it. We captured shot after shot, switching between video and stills, trying to immortalize the moment.
The Perfect Alignment
As the moon rose into the purplish-red hues of the night, we weren’t ready to quit. We hopped back into the car and drove further up the winding backroads, eager to catch the moon and the Pinnacle in perfect alignment. Finally, we found it. The great moon now hung beside the iconic knob, and this time, it was exactly what we’d been after all these months. Camera shutters clicked, our breath caught in the cool night air. It was as though the universe had rewarded our persistence.
The Takeaway: Patience & Planning
Months of moon chasing, mapping, scouting, and studying the skies had finally paid off. The last supermoon of the year, and we had the shot we’d dreamed of. But what we learned along the way was invaluable—how to read the moon’s path, how to trust the tools at our disposal, and, most importantly, how to adapt when the universe decides to throw a curveball. Patience and practice, it turns out, really are virtues.
So here’s to the next celestial event. Because if this adventure taught us anything, it’s that there’s always another shot to chase, and with the right mix of tools and tenacity, you just might catch it.
Until the next Aperture Abenteuer, happy shooting from Juxtaposed Tides.
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