Good news! I have my camera back, and it was a relatively inexpensive repair ($125 for a clean and a new LCD screen). Very happy to have my camera back! I also have a new astro-lens to play with - Rokinon 24mm F1.4 Wide Angle Lens. This is a huge aperture that brings in a ton of light for the night photography. 

In part to play with my new lens and partly as an excuse to get out of the 100 degree weather in Phoenix this weekend we headed up north to the Mogollon Rim and Woods Canyon Lake. You will notice it was slightly cloudy along the horizon. But I loved the view and the clarity of the stars. 

Cloudy at the Rim

We moved over to the Woods Canyon Lake area to see if I could get anything with the reflection of the stars in the lake. We were so surprised when halfway through one of my shots of the lake, there goes a shooting star! It was even in the right area to be part of my photo! If you look in the upper left you can see it. What a rush! This really made my night since the last time we were out here for the Lyrid meteor shower I didn't even catch a thing!

Shooting Star over Lake

Already a great night, but here is one more shot that I was very pleased with. Again, a lot of clouds so you can't see a lot of the stars. But the overall effect of the shot was something I really liked. 

Cloudy Sky at Lake

Happy to be out taking photos again, and looking forward to my California trip with my parents and little brother next week. Hopefully I can get some cool shots while I am there!