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Lunar eclipse tonight (3rd March)

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 17:55
by VS045
Apparently we should be able to see it (in the UK) from around 10 to 12 tonight.

VS.

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 18:41
by Pete
Assuming it's not cloudy!

As a lot of you realise, I'm a bit of an eclipse geek, so here's a bit a a background on tonight's Total Lunar.

It will be visible from Greenland to Dubai, with the "main event" between 22:44 to 23:58 GMT. During a total lunar eclipse, expect the moon to go deep-red. If it is clear out there tonight, it should be a good one.

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 20:23
by Pete
Well, the weather looks promising around the Reading area. Just did a test shot, and looking very clear tonight.

[img]/eclipse/moon720.jpg[/img]

Pete

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 20:56
by tallprawn
Great image Pete, keep them coming as the night goes on if possible.

It's cloudy with me so wouldn't mind seeing how the eclipse develops over the course of the evening....:D

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 20:58
by VS045
Clear where I am so fingers crossed that it'll stay like that:)

VS.

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 21:02
by preiffer
Pete - what settings/lens did you use for that?

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 21:07
by Pete
Paul, it's a 70-200L lens at (nearly) max throw, combined with the Canon 2X extender. The EXIF data shows it at 376mm. Aperture is f8, shutter 1/250 at ISO 100. I suspect that I'll probably need to slow down that shutter as the light starts to dim!

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 21:10
by preiffer
Crikey - is that a lens in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me? [:p]


A friend of mine has the 400mm L one for taking photos of him windsurfing from afar, and that's a bitch unless on a tripod or at VERY high speed. Good luck...

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 22:34
by slinky09
Well at 2133 and in SW London the cheese is being eaten!

Hope it's great.

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 22:41
by Pete
Here's a shot as it's really starting to get going properly, taken about 21:35.

[img]/eclipse/moonFirstContact.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 22:47
by slinky09
That's great Pete. Bring em on

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 23:05
by maz

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 23:09
by Danno
WOW!

Scratch that! Just read the rest of the post about the lens (do tell)..

Dann[:0]

Originally posted by pixuk
Well, the weather looks promising around the Reading area. Just did a test shot, and looking very clear tonight.

[img]/eclipse/moon720.jpg[/img]

Pete

PostPosted: 03 Mar 2007, 23:45
by Pete
Getting more difficult to keep it sharp, given the length of exposure and the rotation of the Earth (as seen by the small star trail in the bottom right).. but this is just before totality.

[img]/eclipse/preTotal.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:00
by Pete
Now into totality, and I'm fiddling with ISO & shutter speeds to try and reduce the blurring. Unforunately there's a lot more grain, but you can definately see the red hue now.

[img]/eclipse/totality.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:08
by Pete
And with a slightly higher ISO to pull out the redness of the moon

[img]/eclipse/totality2.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:20
by Pete
And now I'm just snapping away for the hell of it...

[img]/eclipse/totality3.jpg[/img]
[img]/eclipse/totality4.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:33
by The_Banking_Scot
Hi,

It is a beautiful sight from up here in Scotland ( clear sky also). I can see it from my bedroom window but also going out into the garden.

Regards

TBS

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:39
by G-VROY
what flights will have the advantage of being 40,000ft closer than us tonight? Great photos by the way![^]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:48
by Pete
And now... just 'cos I like to be arty, here's a composite of tonights total lunar eclipse with last year's total solar, which I photographed from Turkey.

[img]/eclipse/solar-lunar.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:57
by honey lamb
Looked out just before the eclipse was due to start and there's a big silver moon looking down at me. Got side-tracked with one or two things and remembered just as it was nearing totality. Looked out and it was just as it was in Pete's photo but could not see the redness and at that moment....

.....the clouds rushed in [:(!]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 00:58
by preiffer
Pete - that's cheating beyond belief! [:0]

But still, looks cool [y]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 01:08
by The_Banking_Scot
Hi,

Great pictures pete.

Now coming out of totality with just a sliver of the bright moon visible.

Regards

TBS

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 01:14
by Pete
And, in the words of the great Nina Simone ;) Here Comes The Sun

[img]/eclipse/p2.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: 04 Mar 2007, 07:54
by slinky09
Thanks Pete, great snaps.