15 June 2011
- Total Lunar Eclipse
A deep eclipse by Lorenzo Comolli
From
Cogliate
(MB),
Po Valley, Italy - 45.640947 N, 9.063833
E, height 200 m
This was a very interesting eclipse,
with a very pronounced depth. Unfortunately for me, living in Northern
Italy, the eclipse was very low on the horizon (totality entrance at
19.02 UT was only 2° on the horizon!). Moreover the weather during
the eclipse was quite bad, with such a strong haze that ruined the
photos and visual observations, so that the eclipse was visibile only
from 20.30 UT (after the maximum, at 20.13 UT), and about 10° above
horizon. Nevertheless the show was very interesting, and I've obtained
some images and videos, that I show here below.
Video with wide field and long focal length
Time-Lapses
Video including many time-lapses
and images (formats: Youtube - AVI):
Wide-field: Canon 5D mod, 50 mm f/2.8, time interval 15 s,
auto exposure, 400 ISO.
Same as above, but with star-trails (moon-trail)
Long focal length: Canon 350D, Newton 200 mm telescope
(f/6, 1260 mm f.l.), 800 ISO.
Some of the images shown in this page.
A series of images at 5 min time intervals,
from 20.35 UT to 10.20 UT, from the second half of totality to half of
penumbral phase. Technical data: Newton 200 mm f/6 (1260 f.l.), Canon
350D, 800 ISO, exposures: upper part 4 s, lower part 1/500 s. Totality at 20.52 UT, about 10 min before
totality ends. Before this time, the haze was so thick that the images
were very dark and unusable. This elaboration is obtained from an
average of 13 shots, for a total of 104 s exposure. Technical
data: Newton 200 mm f/6 (1260 f.l.), Canon 350D, 800 ISO, 13 shots each
with 8 s exposure. HDR composite of partiality at 21.20 UT.
This image shows at the same time the bright illuminated side and the
eclipsed side. A series of 10 exposures were composited, with exposures
from 4 s to 1/125 s, with 1 stop interval. Technical
data: Newton 200 mm f/6 (1260 f.l.), Canon 350D, 800 ISO. Sequence at 3 min intervals, from 20.19 UT
to 22.28 UT. From the time-lapse frames, I've obtained a by-product by
using images separated with 3 min time intervals. Technical
data: Canon 5D mod, 50 mm f/2.8, 400 ISO, auto exposure. Star-trails and Moon-trail, from 20.19 UT
to 22.30 UT.
From the time-lapse frames, I've obtained another by-product by using
all the images, and composing with a maximum luminance technique.
Technical
data: Canon 5D mod, 50 mm f/2.8, 400 ISO, auto exposure. A single frame from the time-lapse shows
the eclipsed Moon a few minutes after the maximum. This shot was taken
at 20.18 UT, when the Moon was not yet visible at naked eye.
Interesting to note, the deep eclipse produced a nearly round red
anulus, with a black center. The sky was still bright due to sunset and
with a strong haze in the direction of the Moon. Technical
data:
Canon 5D mod, 50 mm f/2.8, 400 ISO, 2.5 s exp. A schematics of the eclipse as seen from my
observing location. Produced from a Perseus simulation.
