Lunar eclipses
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Much of the purpose for promoting good lighting standards is to preserve the night sky for aesthetic reasons as well as scientific research. Astronomy appeals to both or sense of art and beauty and our scientific curiousity, and best of all, it's free. Objects of interest pass overhead every night and special events like eclipses occur often. |
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Lunar Eclipse Photos
Wednesday, 20 February, over 100 people visited the lunar eclipse star party hosted by the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve and the Temecula Valley Astonomers.
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15-second exposure taken on Aug 28, 2007.
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Rainbow photographed on the morning of the Feb 20 eclipse -- not exactly an eclipse photo, but note that with our climate we can get rainbows in the morning and ice-crystal formed lunar arcs in the evening. Below is the partly eclipsed moon with a barely detectable arc. |
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Below, two images of the lunar eclipse demonstrate a lesson about night lighting. When the moon is partly eclipsed (right) and still showing a bright white half, your eye does not see what is in the shadow. When the bright area is totally eclipsed (left), your eye can adjust to the shadow. Brighter is not always better for seeing at night.
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7-second exposure, 200 mm focal length, ISO 100, taken 20 Feb. 08 |
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Full Eclipse on Aug 28, 2007. The difference between this photo and the above is 1) better weather conditions, 2) better optics --420 mm focal length APO refracting telescope vs 200 mm zoom lens, 3) longer exposure (30 seconds), and 4) a genuine difference in color, which has been noticed by observers from different time zones.
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