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View Full Version : The Lunar Eclipse has Begun

TokyoBayer
12-10-2011, 07:00 AM
It's 10:00 pm and The Show has started.

Awesome.
Rick
12-10-2011, 07:04 AM
Same here. Except it is 5AM
teela brown
12-10-2011, 07:31 AM
Bay area of California reporting, drinking espresso and moon-watching. It's the first good lunar eclipse I've ever seen. At 5:30 a.m., there's a huge chunk taken out of the moon.
Rick
12-10-2011, 07:42 AM
As a bonus we had a shooting star a bit ago.
I just wish it wasn't so cloudy. Obscures the view a bit.
TokyoBayer
12-10-2011, 07:47 AM
It was slightly cloudy for a bit, but clear skies now.
Ale
12-10-2011, 08:34 AM
I just watched it from nearly the beginning to complete penumbra; took several dozen photos but I'd be surprised if any comes out borderline decent. I only have a 200mm lens without image stabilization *Canon EF 70-200 USM) and its a windy night here at Koh Sichang, not far from Bangkok.

Besides that, neat, I've never seen a full lunar eclipse before; when it began the sky was partially clouded but as its been progressing there's no clouds any more, excellent visibility.
Taters
12-10-2011, 08:43 AM
We watched it to fullness. Well, we'd come back in for a few minutes and then head out.

It's very cold and clear outside here (30 miles southeast of Seattle, WA), but we saw it. It didn't seem as big or bright as the last lunar eclipse, but it was still pretty cool.
TokyoBayer
12-10-2011, 09:00 AM
It's very cold [. . .] but it was still pretty cool.So which is it? :D

Great show, now time to head off to bed.
Ale
12-10-2011, 09:14 AM
A few minutes ago the Moon started to move out of the shadow, there's a sliver of light on the bottom right now.
jjimm
12-10-2011, 09:23 AM
Stood on a hill for two hours and froze my nuts off but got a couple of absolutely spectacular shots of the red rabbit.
Hokkaido Brit
12-10-2011, 09:32 AM
Came home after a night out with friends to a red moon hanging directly above us in a cloudless, star-filled night. Brilliant.
Paul in Qatar
12-10-2011, 10:00 AM
Saw it about 6PM here. Nice blood-red effect.
N9IWP
12-10-2011, 04:18 PM
Not ideal here -sun came up before totality. But I did see it at ~75% at 7:20am local (CST). But it was very clear.

Brian
Cunctator
12-10-2011, 05:36 PM
We got good views of totality early this morning in Sydney around 1.30am.
jjimm
12-10-2011, 10:01 PM
A couple of pics:

First bite (http://crowaptok.com/images/P1110944.JPG)
Panasonic Lumix G2 f/22 1/20 sec 140mm (305mm @ 35mm equiv)

Red Rabbit (http://crowaptok.com/images/P1120106.JPG)
f/9 4 sec - the wind was howling so the tripod got a bit blown around.
Siam Sam
12-11-2011, 09:31 PM
We watched it from atop our 36-story building. We live in a compound of four 36-story buildings, and besides us there was only one (1) other person. But we did see some fireworks going off in different parts of the city in a traditional attempt to keep Rahu from eating the moon. I can tell you they were probably freaked out big time over in Cambodia; this sort of thing spooks them no end.

A popular local astrologer warned viewing it could bring bad luck. Story here (http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11665.html). Excerpt: "While lunar eclipses are far easier on the eye than their solar counterparts, a famous Thai astrologer is warning people born on Sunday, Monday or Wednesday nights that viewing the celestial phenomenon could bring them bad luck. The warning, issued on Thai TV Channel 5 by Thai astrologer Mor Chang, says women are particularly at risk."

I was born on a Tuesday afternoon but on the other side of the world. Would have been shortly before dawn on a Wednesday morning here. Not sure if I'm in danger or not. The wife was born on a Thursday, so she should be safe, but I'm taking out extra life insurance on her just in case. Better safe than sorry! ;)
Ale
12-13-2011, 08:19 AM
I uploaded a few pictures of the eclipse. Nothing great though.

Here's about halfway through (http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff422/AleBKK/2011%20Lunar%20Eclipse/KohSichang-3238-2.jpg), pretty much all in shadow (http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff422/AleBKK/2011%20Lunar%20Eclipse/KohSichang-3338.jpg) and a bit of a closeup (http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff422/AleBKK/2011%20Lunar%20Eclipse/KohSichang-3326.jpg).

I couldn't get the exposure right for the bright illuminated part and the shadowed area, the difference in lighting was more than the dynamic range of my camera could take.