Topic: A Month to Prepare for a Total Lunar Eclipse

[astrobeck]

Just a very early heads up for the Total Lunar Eclipse this time next month.

Western Europe and most of the US of A are well placed for some nice pix.


I'll post more time details later. 

astrobeck....with new telescope on the deck!   
Wheee!

[LT]

thanks becky ... I look forward to the updates.

[seekingfocus]

Was out under the moon with the cameras last night. Such beautiful night out in New Orleans... temperate, clear skies, lovely soft clouds, great light. Hoping to get out the next couple of nights as well!

-Jason

[cwilk]

Have you got any more details on this?

[astrobeck]

Here's something to get you started as far as exposures go....

<http://www.mreclipse.com/LEphoto/LEphoto.html>


more of my own info will be forthcoming...I'm slammed with work right now.
 
Becky

[cwilk]

Good site, thanks.

[astrobeck]

Feb. 20, the day of the Lunar Eclipse for the Americas, 
is also Ansel Adams Birthday.

I'm going to Hernandez, New Mexico (site of Adam's "Moonrise") to photograph the Eclipse

Maybe not the x-act same spot, but one near it since the area has really grown up since his photo was made.

More info to come.

[astrobeck]

Just bumping this back up since the eclipse is a little over a week away.

There's more info about making photos of a Total Lunar Eclipse at
<http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/eclipses/3304036.html>

Something not mentioned in the article is using one side of binoculars to shoot through.
You can hold a camera up to one side of them and get a fairly decent sized Moon on the frame.
It's crude, but as the article says, film is cheap so why not!?

I'm still planning on going to Hernandez, just hope the weather is reasonable.

[LT]

good luck with it becky - I'm looking forward to the pictures

[MarkBurley]

All the best for some great images - I'll be with you in spirit...

Mark

[cwilk]

It's going to be 3.30 am in the UK when the eclispe is at its maximum so I may not be able to view this one all the way.   The UK weather makes it a bit of a gamble as well.

[astrobeck]

If I were in the UK, I would probably just set my alarm and only watch/photograph mid eclipse  3:01-3:51 and not bother with the partial phases.

A word of caution****** if you do decide to wake and watch only the total part and not track it beforehand****

Make sure you know where the Moon will be.  Lots of folks have "lost" the Moon or can't find it when it is in the core of the Earths' shadow.

This sounds impossible, like how could a person NOT find the Moon, but seriously, if the eclipse turns out to be a really dark one, the shadowed Moon can be very elusive at first and precious time will be wasted.
This is especailly true if the sky is partly cloudy. 


good luck to all.

Becky