Total Lunar Eclipse 2008
Last night (February 20, 2008) played host to a total lunar eclipse. The last one, in fact, until December 2010. I was on my way home and completly forgot about the event, that is until I saw the moon rising over the horizon. Full, clear and bright yellow. I went home, dumped my cameras, telescope, tripod and other gear into my car, drove over to E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park and set up. It was roughly 20 degrees, so setup took some time, with frozen fingers the result. However, everything was set up and tested about 20 minutes before the eclipse started.
I was set up to take photos through my telescope. The three images that follow are the results of the limited cropping time I have had since. The show the moon with a jet and its contrails cutting straight across the disk, the full moon just before the umbra phase and the moon during totality. I have a series of full to totality shots that need to be lined up correctly (I was not tracking at the time...) and I will post them up when I get the chance. Keep in mind, these are large images.
I was set up to take photos through my telescope. The three images that follow are the results of the limited cropping time I have had since. The show the moon with a jet and its contrails cutting straight across the disk, the full moon just before the umbra phase and the moon during totality. I have a series of full to totality shots that need to be lined up correctly (I was not tracking at the time...) and I will post them up when I get the chance. Keep in mind, these are large images.