Total Lunar Eclipse 15/06/2011 20:12 UTC

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Yen, Jun 15, 2011.

  1. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    #1 Yen, Jun 15, 2011
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2011
    I know it's a bit late.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2011_lunar_eclipse

    It will be visible completely over Africa, and Central Asia, visible rising over South America, western Africa, and Europe, and setting over eastern Asia. In western Asia, Australia and the Philippines, the lunar eclipse will be visible just before sunrise.


    If you have the chance to take a good shot, post it here.
    I myself don't know it's cloudy here....
     
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  2. Niekess

    Niekess MDL Addicted

    Mar 31, 2011
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    Pretty cloudy here too, and not home at the time I think so can't take a shot.
    If I can then I will try.
     
  3. Yen, 100% cloudy here too, but i
    Watch today’s the Lunar Eclipse live on YouTube
    [​IMG]
     
  4. half Man Half Biscuit

    half Man Half Biscuit MDL Addicted

    Jun 1, 2011
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    Me too,it´s to cloudy outside.

    Would like to see it with my own eyes
     
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  5. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

    Feb 13, 2011
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    :DThat's the whole point seeing it live.
     
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  6. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    Very cloudy here... :(
     
  7. 60cent

    60cent MDL Senior Member

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    R29k always knows things better:tounge5:

    the point is the beauty of the colors,how the moon looks
     
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  8. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Hi,
    I just came home from my photo session. The clouds went away later and I could shot these:

    Total eclipse right after the clouds went away. The blur comes from the moon's movement and long exposure, too bad it took effect especially at the bottom left edge of the moon (The moon's direction / movement was to the top right):

    [​IMG]


    Then I could increase the shutter speed right after the total eclipse since the moon was much brighter then (this is a good shot):

    [​IMG]

    and later:

    [​IMG]

    Shot with Nikon D90, tripod, out of cam. No photoshopping, except to cut the moon. :D
     
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  9. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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    +1 , the middle pic is top :eek:
     
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  10. 60cent

    60cent MDL Senior Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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  11. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Thanks.
    Last night when I came home and have uploaded the pictures I was tired already.

    I want to tell about how it was..probably interesting for other hobby photographers.
    It was difficult to locate the moon at all. In Europe the moon has been in full eclipse state as it rises.
    I only knew somewhere at south eastern direction.
    So I went to a hill at 19:30 UTC. (My cam time was set to UTC+2).

    Then I've installed my tripod with cam, south east direction. (Determined by my senses, lol)

    Then the waiting began. Sunset was over already..still waiting. Where is that da*n moon???? Calling a friend and asking..he didn't know either..loool.
    Suddenly I had doubts about where is south eastern direction???
    I started to walk, leaving my cam alone back. Hmmmm..no moon.
    It already has been 'full eclipse time' UTC 20:12.....

    I started to think...hmm full eclipse, does one see the moon at all then??? I guess no.....
    I did a few shots of the sky to adjust the settings of the cam.

    I decided to use manual mode, fixed ISO200, wide open aperture (the lens only has aperture F/5.6@450 mm).
    To adjust exposure I have decided to use the shutter speed and if needed the aperture as well.
    I knew full moon is at best at ISO200 when used aperture F/7.1 and 1/500 shutter speed.
    At this time I didn't know that an eclipsed moon is very dark!


    Then suddenly I have noticed about a dark red shadow..a shadow only...was it the moon???

    [​IMG]

    Yes, but 2.5 seconds shutter speed wasn't enough. Time 20:56:40 UTC late already.
    I needed to slow down shutter speed to get more light.....I didn't know this time that I would run into 'trouble' due to the long exposure time.

    Second shot: 21:02:51 UTC, shutter speed 10 seconds...blurry, due to mist????

    [​IMG]

    No it's motion blur and changing of the amount of light, mist also, but 10 seconds shutter speed isn't optimal.
    This I didn't recognize at that moment: I simply should have had changed to an higher ISO.
    Moon is already leaving total eclipse state......21:07:41

    [​IMG]

    Light became more I could increase shutter speed to 2.5 seconds, no more blur, time 21:11:05. my shot no 2 from my first post.

    Then all went OK. 21:11:45 I even could go for 1.3 seconds shutter speed.

    [​IMG]


    Then I did shot 3 from my first post.

    What have I learned?

    - A eclipsed moon is dark! Lol!
    - The moon moves and the light conditions are changing vastly in 10 seconds when leaving full eclipsed state. (Interesting state). To avoid blur use high ISO 1000 and up to allow fast(er) shutter speeds. Never use speeds above 2.5 seconds!

    - It is hard to determine the position of a raising fully eclipsed moon.

    - Finally never give up and wait until the moon is fully lighted again. (I have decided to go for it even though it has been cloudy).

    I hope it helps at next eclipse, lol.
    It was a lot of fun...
     
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  12. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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    :D Funny that you don't know where South East is and you have an Android Phone, you should get compass App.:p
     
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  13. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    #13 Yen, Jun 16, 2011
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2011
    (OP)
    +1!

    When time is running out you suddenly doubt anything. Samsung galaxy S's compass is inaccurate, I even didn't try it last night. But the GPS navi would have been helpful, lol...to find my car more quickly when it was dark already..lol..I have been too excited to use it though. :D
     
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  14. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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    :p I think you were more in a panic :D
     
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  15. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Not when I went back to my car, but I guess you are right when I saw the moon and I've noticed about that the total eclipse state is almost over and I only had taken motion-blurred shots so far...:D.
    It has been a nice experience, when changed some settings at the cam's menu I was dazzled by the bright letters and when looking through the viewfinder again it took seconds until I noticed that the moon went out of focus already. Panic yes...:biggrin:..next time I'll go for ISO1000 ab initio!
     
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  16. Spider-Vice

    Spider-Vice MDL Member

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    Haha I saw this but unfortunately couldn't take any photos, my camera isn't the best but eyes are best. Wish eyes could take photos :D
     
  17. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    It would be great if one could project everything seen already on a screen, or any images from the mind also...making accessible to everyone. :D
    I have a very creative mind, but I always fail when realizing.
    You need to master the 'interface', no matter what it is. (At music, it's the musical instrument or the sequencer program. At images it's to paint, to use photoshop.....)
    I sometimes have great images in my mind, great music and melodies also. (Self creation)

    Well, I do not fail completely, but it limits my result a lot.....a direct interface from the mind to PC would be great. :D

    Anyway regarding to shoot the moon. The lens / cam can something your eyes cannot: To zoom in, also to overexpose, contol exposure.

    The image of the moon is bigger than it really was.
     
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  18. Niekess

    Niekess MDL Addicted

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    I want lessons from you on making these photos!
    They are very nice. :)

    Which camera you using?
     
  19. Happpy

    Happpy MDL Senior Member

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    At 3:00AM, the fully circular shape visible Moon was totally disappeared here in Pakistan.