Total lunar eclipse

goosey · #1 (**permalink**) 20-12-2010, 08:44 AM

This will be of no interest to Paul at all given the time of day it will be happening

but......
I hear there is going to be a total lunar eclipse low in the North West sky tomorrow morning (21st December) just before sunrise. I am hoping I will remember to keep an eye out and for a clear sky.
If you are around take some piccies for the gallery - I really would like to see them.
What makes this eclipse even more special is that is occuring the day of winter solstice and only the second that has happened in the last 2000 years!

basquesteve · #2 (**permalink**) 20-12-2010, 02:45 PM

Hi
Its only just the Winter Equinox is 23.38 GMT 21 Dec

goosey · #3 (**permalink**) 20-12-2010, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basquesteve

Hi
Its only just the Winter Equinox is 23.38 GMT 21 Dec

That's just being picky!

.

basquesteve · #4 (**permalink**) 20-12-2010, 03:09 PM

Watch out for the partial Solar eclipse 4 Jan 2011

goosey · #5 (**permalink**) 21-12-2010, 07:44 AM

Well I don't know if any of you were luckier but I didn't see it al all - it was much too cloudy

.

I wouldn't have minded quite so much if it had been like that last night but it was so clear, and the moon was magnificent with a what appeared to be a red-ish rim which was out lined by a blue hue -very disappointing.

black · #6 (**permalink**) 21-12-2010, 07:58 AM

No luck with lunar viewings in Liverpool either. It was cloudy here as well.
But you might find these quirky 'moon games' photos amusing

People play with the moon in pictures by Laurent Laveder - Telegraph

basquesteve · #7 (**permalink**) 21-12-2010, 09:50 AM

No too cloudy but in any case my view of the Western horizon is blocked by a hill nice 7 degrees here

paul m · #8 (**permalink**) 21-12-2010, 10:49 AM

Yes, there were, reportedly, good views in South Yorkshire. Unfortunately, I missed it - maybe next time .....

Lunar eclipse delight for skygazers - PHOTO - The Star

goosey · #9 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basquesteve

Watch out for the partial Solar eclipse 4 Jan 2011

Amazing - I saw it!!!!! (a typical goosey story coming up...)

I nearly didn't though, what a dipstick, I first looked an hour too early and was dismayed as it was too cloudy

.
Anyway an hour later I was in the bedroom and realised it was bright and sunny and was feeling a bit hard done by it all, and I saw the chunk out of the sun

, I ran and got the camera not having a clue how to take a picture by not looking at what I was taking or what setting I should actully use but I took 90 shots on different settings all rubbish even when the sun was in the shot it was just a round blur. Then I realise some how in 4 pictures there is a reverse image of the eclipse

, above the sun itself - weird or what but who cares

.

basquesteve · #10 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 12:48 PM

Changed my avatar me this morning in French official eclipse glasses free a few years back

Very very cloudy, clouds obscured moon on the left

http://

Steve

goosey · #11 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 12:55 PM

Oh that is good Steve, perhaps I would have fared better with a bit of cloud.
Well done!

Ratatoskr · #12 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 01:08 PM

I missed this too.
I looked too late, 2 hours in, and I don't have equipment to look at the bright sun here at my vacation spot.
FYI, astronomy is one of my passions. I got some University studies in astronomy.
Since I'm quite new to you all I just wanted you to know, that way you can always contact me when you hear something that might interest me

I have Google Sky on my Android, but if any of you have a better app on Android, do tell me.

goosey · #13 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratatoskr

I missed this too.
I looked too late, 2 hours in, and I don't have equipment to look at the bright sun here at my vacation spot.
FYI, astronomy is one of my passions. I got some University studies in astronomy.
Since I'm quite new to you all I just wanted you to know, that way you can always contact me when you hear something that might interest me

I have Google Sky on my Android, but if any of you have a better app on Android, do tell me.

On a clear night I just like ot look at the skies with binoculars, apart from a few planets and constellations know very little. If I hear about an eclipse, meteor showers (I think we should be able to see some very late at night or early in the morning over the next few nights) or the passing of the space station (I have never seen this) I will check them out if the hours and weather conditions are favourable. Even living in a town luckily views are not too disturbed by light polution, probably because we are near the coast and thats the direction I tend to look.

It must be great to be as far north as you, have you ever seen aurora borealis? Do you have photo´s of it or of planets, I would love to see them

. I try myself but am hopeless.

Ratatoskr · #14 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goosey

It must be great to be as far north as you, have you ever seen aurora borealis? Do you have photo´s of it or of planets, I would love to see them

. I try myself but am hopeless.

I've never seen it. I'm too far south in Sweden (Stockholm). I would love to see it too, but I hope I don't get to see it in Stockholm cause that would mean (I guess) a major coronal discharge from the Sun :P

I have no photos of any planets as all I have is a dSLR camera and no telescope. I'm saving up to get a telescope in the range of 6" to 8" but working for an NGO it takes time to get together such money and my main priority atm is to replace my kind of crappy dSLR (D200) for an FF. I'm waiting for a replacement to the Nikon D700.

I do have some photos of the moon though (surprise :P) taken with my almost 1100mm 35mm equivalent lens system.
Here is one:
The Moon in southern Spain | Flickr - Photo Sharing!