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Full Lunar Eclipse for the Americas on Wednesday
KingArthur10 writes "It will be the last lunar eclipse until December 2010, and it should be spectacular. Shades of turquoise and red will pour over the moon's surface as it moves into the Earth's shadow around 8:43pm EST. As NASA reports: 'Transiting the shadow's core takes about an hour. The first hints of red appear around 10 pm EST (7 pm PST), heralding a profusion of coppery hues that roll across the Moon's surface enveloping every crater, mountain and moon rock, only to fade away again after 11 pm EST (8 pm PST). No special filter or telescope is required to see this spectacular event. It is a bright and leisurely display visible from cities and countryside alike. While you're watching, be alert for another color: turquoise. Observers of several recent lunar eclipses have reported a flash of turquoise bracketing the red of totality ... The source of the turquoise is ozone.' So, all of you amateur astronomers need to get out there and take pictures. It might be worthwhile sharing them on sites like SpaceWeather or Flickr so that our Asian, European, African, and Australian brethren can witness the sight as well."
I witnessed a total eclipse in 2007, but noticed no turquoise. I'm pretty sure I know why though, living as I do in New Zealand...
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
The moon is dying!
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
Yikes, that snuck up on me. I'd better start collecting them now if I want to have 100 virgins ready for the sacrifice.
for those of us in the Northeast it will be raining
... as the it moves into the Earth's shadow...
/. editor's who don't bother proofreading.
Oh no! The IT has returned! It shall be moving into earth's shadow and then consume us all!!! First to go will be
Try not to fsck it up, noob! Okay?
It says the eclipse starts at 8:43 Est, lasts an hour, but the first hints of red don't appear till 10 Est? Something screwy there.
Nessun maggior dolore, Che ricordarsi del tempo felice Nella miseria. -Dante
-r
"News flash! The world's population is getting dumber! Details when the big hand is on the 12..."
It'll just a bit later in the night here.
For us nerds who aren't well versed in astronomic happenings, the Wikipedia article is a good read.
I was confused about why a full lunar eclipse would turn the moon red and not darken it out completely. Also some neat stuff on diffraction and the umbra shadows.
> Editor's note: This story is written for an American audience, but not only
> Americans can see the eclipse. People in Europe and western Africa are also
> favored. International maps and timetables may be found here.
If the answer is war, you are asking the wrong question
NASA has the scoop on everything, including pretty pictures and charts of when you can see what based on timezone :)
It could be that the only purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others.
Plenty of eclipses before 2010, just not total ones.
The weather forecast doesn't look good where I am... or anywhere within hundreds of miles... sigh...
Each year many people go blind while masterbating to lunar eclipses.
Subject says it all.
Will we see the dark side of the moon?
ROMANES EUNT DOMUS
Use a long lens. A telescope is handy; 300mm will be about right to shoot the Moon rising through the trees or other scenery, as it will be doing here during the eclipse. Real closeups will need 1000 to 2000mm focal length.
Bracket heavily. During the last good eclipse I shot from 1/2 to 10 seconds during totality at f/8.
Enjoy. The weather forecast here (Vancouver) is not favourable. The eclipse last August was almost completely clouded out too. Sigh.
...laura
For a lucky few of us, it won't matter if it's cloudy then or not. I'll be flying between ALT and CHI then. :)
84.9 million disagree.
i too shot the last eclipse, and just wanted to add my thoughts (this was my first time shooting an eclipse). I shot ASA100, F4 (wide open on my longest lens, around 350mm). During the beginning of the eclipse (the first faint sliver of black appearing) I was shooting 1/320th. During the "red" period (where the moon was totally eclipsed) I was shooting as long as 8 second exposures. I was less than pleased with the resulting sharpness. My offhand guess is that anything over 1-2seconds is too long to get a sharp image, given the rotation of the earth, etc. This would be exacerbated by even longer focal lengths. In retrospect, I wish I'd shot ASA400 or 800 to ensure I could expose for 1 second or less. Ideally i'd like to expose for no more than 1/30th.. but that is.. idealistic. Also, keep in mind the earth is rotating, and if you're using a standard tripod (and not special rotatonal compensating astology type of tripod), you'll need to reframe several times, unless you frame the scene VERY wide. Also, I was shooting in suburban Los Angeles.. which was clear sky, but of course the worst possible Bortle rating for sky brightness. I am tempted to try and shoot this one with a longer lens (800mm) at ASA400 from the desert in Heseperia or somewhere similarly brighter. But.. with traffic being what it is in LA, I don't think this is worth a 3-4hr (each way!) drive, nor the hour (or more) hike into the desert.
It's a time machine!
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
My brother got a snickers bar in Basic.
Says it's the best thing he's ever eaten.
Crap. What did the new CSS do with the "Post anonymously" option??
Flying into Chicago O'Hare (ORD) huh? That's what they all say. I've got news for you - a plane's never landed at that airport - it's too crowded.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
...ah, we had our own lunar eclipse last year thanks. America is only just catching up ;)
I've seen this before!
Malachi 1:8
And if ye offer the blind [wearing glassses] for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick [3P's - pasty, pimply, pudgy], is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor [or elected official of one's choice]; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
Gotta be a fulfilled prophecy if I've ever seen one.