Lunar Eclipse

[Gatorboy]

Not sure everyone knows, but tonight there will be a lunar eclipse. It begins at 9:14p EDT. The total eclipse occurs at 10:23p and continues until 11:45p and the final partial eclipse ends at 12:54a.

Right now, the sky here is clear -- hopefully it will remain that way for the next hour plus.

University of Maryland Observatory

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Here is a schedule:

 

[RobS]

We've got a rare clear sky and should stay that way. Just started seeing some shading on the moon. I've got my 35mm on the tripod on the front porch but probably won't stay up late enough to see it all. Sure is cool /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[SteveH_CT]

It's very clear and bright here tonight... the eclipse is beautiful.

 

[rdln]

it is totally eclipsed here now, very thin clouds covering it up but worth the look.

 

[GerardC]

Almost 100% right now. What an awesome sight. Gerard

 

[Tractors4u]

Thanks for reminding me Dave. I took a few pictures and I will run them through my software on my computer at work tomorrow and then post them.

 

[Golfgar4]

Brent,

The pics would be most appreciated, as some of us were unable to observe the event. Seems that our local weather guessers "guessed" wrong, and all we had was overcast skies last night. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> The pics would be most appreciated, as some of us were unable to observe the event. Seems that our local weather guessers "guessed" wrong, and all we had was overcast skies last night. </font>


Garry, not sure that you missed too much. The lovely Mrs_Bob & I woke up our daughter, popped some popcorn and sat on the porch looking at the sky. There was a dark spot where the moon used to be. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif While we tried to explain the science of all of it all, how the orbits of the planets and the separate orbits of their moons only come into alignment every few years our daughter yawned and I got the impression that she would have compared the excitement of the event to a "no hitter" in baseball . . . and then suggested the game would have been better if someone actually hit the ball! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

But at least she enjoyed the popcorn, even if she found the show to be less than entrancing.

 

[Golfgar4]

That's funny Bob! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I guess I was most disappointed about not seeing the eclipse because it seems that most of the really neat celestial events occur at like 2:30 in the morning. Here was one that I actually would have been able to see without giving up my beauty sleep! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oh well, I didn't see the Red Sox win either! Guess it just wasn't my night! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[mwechtal]

Bob,
Blood Moon? Sheesh, it can be anywhere from yellowish through orange, and sometimes even blood red.

Our area was totally clouded over until at least 10:30, at which point I had to get to bed. I heard that it cleared some just in time for totality, especially to the east of us.

The last time around was nice and clear though (and more orange than red). I belong to an Astronomy club, and we had an open house for the event, with probably 300 visitors.

If anyone gets the chance to look at the moon with a telescope, or even binoculars, take a look near the edge of the shadow. This is called the terminator (not to be confused with Arnold), and is the are where the sun's light hits the moon at the most glancing angle. This leaves longer shadows, and gives the impression that you're seeing a 3d image. This works during an eclipse, or any time the moon is up, but not full.

Mike

 

[Tractors4u]

OK Gary here they are. No Pulitzer prize winners or anything but pictures none the less. These were taken with a Canon Rebel Digital and an 18 to 55mm lens. I have to enlarge and crop a lot!

 

[Tractors4u]

Another

 

[Tractors4u]

I liked this one best.

 

[RobS]

Nice pics Brent. Hope my film shots turn out as well. How do you like that camera? A friend of mine was looking at one to take advantage of existing Rebel lenses.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Tractors4u]

I'm really liking it so far. The first week I had it I used it at a race at Talladega with a borrowed 300mm lens. It worked great. I have been shooting at the highest resolution it will shoot. I need to sit down and read the manual for it. Of course I need to read the manual for the tractor that I have had for year too. I had used a 1987 model Minolta Maxxum 7000 until now for my serious photography. I think the Maxxum may be retired. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[RobS]

Interesting. My film camera is a Minolta X700. If Minolta came out with a digital body that would take my lenses I'd be all over it. Do you have any other lenses for your Rebel?

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Tractors4u]

I just have the one the 18 to 55mm lens that came with it. I am looking for deals on a 300mm lens now.

 

[Boondox]

Our local news TV just showed a picture of the eclipse taken by a 12 year old boy...showing a V of geese silhouetted against the moon! What a fantastic shot! I'll try to convince them to post it on their Webpage. Pete

 

[Golfgar4]

That would be cool, Pete. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'm betting our local TV stations won't have any shots of it. At least none that were taken locally. My brother-in-law has a nice telescope, and he was going to try to take pictures with that. But I haven't heard from him yet, so I'm thinkingh he didn't get any either. He does live about 40 miles east of me, so I suppose there's a chance they had a break in the cloud cover. We'll see. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif