Lunar eclipse peeks through passing clouds | Looking Up
Did you get to see it?
On May 15, there was a total lunar eclipse. The full moon slid through the Earth's long shadow, darkening the starry sky like we had no moon at all.
From where I watched in Wayne County, it was a pleasant surprise to see it, since the forecast hadn't looked promising. Even when that's the case before a special astronomic event such as an eclipse or a meteor shower, it's always worth checking the sky in case there are cloud breaks.
Slowly moving clouds with clear breaks and patches thin enough to let the moon shine through made a dramatic effect during the partial eclipse phase. As the moon slowly entered the earth's dark umbral shadow, it looked like a bite had been taken out of its bright, round face. With binoculars I could see the deep orange hue in the bite as the shadow advanced. Then the moon looked more and more like a crescent, oriented toward the upper right rather its normally lower right or left position.
From White Mills, Pa. I managed to see the first half hour of totality. The moon became dim and peach-colored. The stars came out in full, no longer hidden by the moonlight. Around midnight, fog rolled in and I rolled to bed.
Shooting an eclipse
Brian Salak of Vandling, Pa. and Tom Gracey who lives south of Harrisburg, sent me photographs they took of the eclipse when clouds cooperated. Gracey was able to catch the partial phases before totality and totality itself. Salak captured the partial phase in reverse as the Moon exited the shadow.
Tom used a Nikon Coolpix L830 camera with a 30 mm zoom. Brian used a Canon Powershot SX50HS, and both produced excellent images.
Even with a phone you can take good photos of the moon or even of the stars. You have to keep the phone rock steady, such as on a tripod. Smartphone brackets are available to position it over a telescope eyepiece. There are apps available so you can set your camera for capturing stars.
NASA was able to capture the eclipse from 64 million miles away, with a time-lapse series of images from the Lucy spacecraft being sent to study asteroids that share the orbit with Jupiter. The craft was passing by Earth to receive gravity-assist to boost Lucy's speed. In the images, Earth and Moon appear from the side; the Moon fades from view as it disappears in the shadow.
The next lunar eclipse visible from the Americas is on Tuesday morning November 8, 2022. Totality begins at around 5:16 a.m. EST. From Wayne County, Pa. moonset is at 5:39 a.m. Mid-eclipse is at 5:59 a.m. with the Moon low in the western sky. Since you will be up that early to see the eclipse, catch the sunrise at 6:41 a.m. (time varies with location) and be first in line to vote when polls open for Election Day at 7 a.m.
What to see this week
This week, be sure to see the planets in the pre-dawn sky. On the morning of May 29, Jupiter is very close to Mars, only 0.6 degree apart (the apparent width of the full Moon is 0.5 degree). Take a look about 45 minutes before sunrise low in the east-southeast. Jupiter is much brighter and white; red Mars is right below it. Binoculars will help you pick them out in the brightening dawn.
If you have a telescope, look at them using your low power eyepiece; both planets should be able to be seen in the same view. Patiently keep them in your eyepiece view by slowly and carefully nudging your telescope until after sunrise. Then you can be one of the few to be able to say you saw the planets in the daytime. Note: Never point the telescope at the Sun without a properly fitted solar filter in front of the telescope.
Saturn is about 40 degrees to the upper right of Jupiter.
There might be a strong outburst of the Tau Herculid meteor shower on the night of May 30-31, reports Bill Cook, who heads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. There is much uncertainty in the calculations, based on observations of the comet which ejects the meteoroid fragments. Read more on Nasa's blog.
This weekend and over the next few nights take advantage of virtually moonless skies to see the parade of springtime evening stars, some of which are bright, and many more viewed well only in darker conditions. Trace the patterns of spring evening constellations, such as the kite-shaped Bootes the Herdsman; Leo the Lion; Virgo the Virgin and perhaps lesser-known star patterns like Coma Berenices (Queen Berenice's Hair), Hydra the very long Water Snake; and the full extent of Ursa Major the Big Bear, the famed Big Dipper only part of its story.
Leading up to the first-quarter Moon on June 7, enjoy the beautiful evening crescent in the western sky.
Keep looking up at the stars!
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Lunar eclipse peeks between clouds, reports from Wayne County, PA area
