Date
1 - 8 of 8
What an eclipse!
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jimcoble2000
This was my favorite lunar eclipse. Not the least due to the physical hardship of seeing it after running the telescope at the Chesapeake Planetarium and getting home at 10. Against all weather odds I was able to see the maximum phase starting at 0345, all the way through to the coming out of the earth shadow around 0530. Time line: 0130 got up to rain and complete cloud cover. Things look bad 0200 rain stops but still complete cloud cover. Can't get back to sleep. 0300 if one can't sleep might as well go over and at least try. At three the clouds were moving fast from the north, a totally unexpected direction. I was quite warm wearing winter gear and had brought my reclining chair. I had previously stored my 20x80 astronomical binoculars in the shed out back of Kent' house. I listened to the radio, as is my habit late at night. Some crazy piano player was seeing how fast he could play Bach and get to lunch. Clouds shift eastward at 0340. 0345: Miracle occurs. I noticed a thin crescent moon in the thinning clouds and set up my chair and binocular mount. In a few minutes the sky cleared to an amazing sight. Don't let anyone tell you a 97% eclipse is less of a sight then a total. It is simply better. The moon was a perfect "diamond ring" with a thin margin of the limb bright and the rest of the moon a blood red. It was in short stunning. I have seen total lunar eclipses and they really don't compare to this particular partial one. In the binoculars, the moon was surrounded by stars, being in a busy part of the sky. I can't recall seeing the moon so far to the north in memory. It was quite high so I never felt rushed throughout the eclipse. That dark blue background of stars with the "diamond ring" moon was just simply the best I have seen yet. I had 25 minutes of clear observing before the clouds moved back in around 0410. After that I was able to catch glimpses of the moon through thin parts of the sky until 0430. There were a couple of open holes when there was nothing between the moon and myself during this period. Things closed up again until 0445 when I next saw that the illuminated part was growing and the dark phase was coming to an end. I started packing at 0450 and was able to see the final phases as I drove home. This one was special as now I am 68, which is way too close to 70 for my comfort. It takes real effort now to, in effect, pull an all night watch but the reward was surely there when I saw the diamond ring effect and had 20 minutes of perfect observing. I suspect it will catch up to me in a few hours. I was joined by the cat around 0430, but only momentarily, the cat having other business at places known only to itself. Every time these lunar eclpises happen I say I have seen this before and should get some sleep but once you get going it is all worth the effort to see a three dimensional red orb hanging in space with stars in the background. Who knows how many eclipses are left now that I am a ways down the road and there is no U turn exits. What a great and extraordinary night.
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Roy Diffrient
Nice report Mark - I most liked "0345: Miracle occurs." Hope you
can figure out how you got that to happen just then. Anyway glad
you got to see it. Roy
On 11/19/2021 5:43 AM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
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jimcoble2000
paying for it today
On Friday, November 19, 2021, 06:50:04 AM EST, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:
Nice report Mark - I most liked "0345: Miracle occurs." Hope you
can figure out how you got that to happen just then. Anyway glad
you got to see it. Roy
On 11/19/2021 5:43 AM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
This was my favorite lunar
eclipse. Not the least due to the physical hardship of seeing
it after running the telescope at the Chesapeake Planetarium
and getting home at 10. Against all weather odds I was able to
see the maximum phase starting at 0345, all the way through to
the coming out of the earth shadow around 0530.
Time line:
0130 got up to rain and
complete cloud cover. Things look bad
0200 rain stops but still
complete cloud cover. Can't get back to sleep.
0300 if one can't sleep might
as well go over and at least try.
At three the clouds were
moving fast from the north, a totally unexpected direction. I
was quite warm wearing winter gear and had brought my
reclining chair. I had previously stored my 20x80 astronomical
binoculars in the shed out back of Kent' house. I listened to
the radio, as is my habit late at night. Some crazy piano
player was seeing how fast he could play Bach and get to
lunch. Clouds shift eastward at 0340.
0345: Miracle occurs. I
noticed a thin crescent moon in the thinning clouds and set up
my chair and binocular mount. In a few minutes the sky cleared
to an amazing sight. Don't let anyone tell you a 97% eclipse
is less of a sight then a total. It is simply better. The moon
was a perfect "diamond ring" with a thin margin of the limb
bright and the rest of the moon a blood red. It was in short
stunning. I have seen total lunar eclipses and they really
don't compare to this particular partial one. In the
binoculars, the moon was surrounded by stars, being in a busy
part of the sky. I can't recall seeing the moon so far to the
north in memory. It was quite high so I never felt rushed
throughout the eclipse. That dark blue background of stars
with the "diamond ring" moon was just simply the best I have
seen yet. I had 25 minutes of clear observing before the
clouds moved back in around 0410. After that I was able to
catch glimpses of the moon through thin parts of the sky until
0430. There were a couple of open holes when there was nothing
between the moon and myself during this period. Things closed
up again until 0445 when I next saw that the illuminated part
was growing and the dark phase was coming to an end. I started
packing at 0450 and was able to see the final phases as I
drove home.
This one was special as now I
am 68, which is way too close to 70 for my comfort. It takes
real effort now to, in effect, pull an all night watch but the
reward was surely there when I saw the diamond ring effect and
had 20 minutes of perfect observing. I suspect it will catch
up to me in a few hours. I was joined by the cat around 0430,
but only momentarily, the cat having other business at places
known only to itself.
Every time these lunar
eclpises happen I say I have seen this before and should get
some sleep but once you get going it is all worth the effort
to see a three dimensional red orb hanging in space with stars
in the background. Who knows how many eclipses are left now
that I am a ways down the road and there is no U turn exits.
What a great and extraordinary night.
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George Reynolds
Good eclipse report, Mark. Mel Spruill and I went to Chippokes Plantation State Park to see it, and I'm glad we did. I got there at 2340, and Mel arrived half an hour later, at 0010 . . . and he brought the rain with him. It started as a sprinkle, then an intermittent rain, then a brief downpour ... and then it quit! We got out of our cars shortly after 0100 to see the first "bite" being taken out of the Moon. The dark clouds were considerable, but fast-moving, and "sucker holes" abounded. Mel set up his camera to try to picture the eclipse. I sat in my zero-gravity chair, bundled up against the cold that the rain had brought in with the front, and gazed with my one bespectacled eye at the Moon peeking in and out of the clouds. (Since I had cataract surgery on my left eye, I couldn't use my glasses in that eye, so I had that lens covered, and viewed through my glasses with my right eye.) It was a wonderful sight, as stunning as Mark described it. About 0200 the clouds started clearing, and by 0230 or 0300 we had a totally clear sky to enjoy. The stars were bright and clear -- Orion and Canis Major to the west of the Moon, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, and Ursa Major to the east, and the Pleiades just above and to the right (east) of Luna -- a marvelous sight to see! I set up a small folding table and we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies to warm us up. We saw the eclipse go to its maximum (about 98%) around 0400, and then start to brighten again as Earth's shadow retreated. Mel and I packed up after that, not waiting for the final results. I left the park at 0430, and was home by 0545. I went to bed at 0600, and slept until almost noon! Being somewhat to the northwest of Tidewater, I think we saw the retreat of the clouds and rain sooner than those near the beach towns. It was a fairly ambitious trip (and a challenge driving those dark roads at night with just one eye), but I'm glad we did it. George George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org
On Friday, November 19, 2021, 05:43:48 AM EST, jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
This was my favorite lunar eclipse. Not the least due to the physical hardship of seeing it after running the telescope at the Chesapeake Planetarium and getting home at 10. Against all weather odds I was able to see the maximum phase starting at 0345, all the way through to the coming out of the earth shadow around 0530. Time line: 0130 got up to rain and complete cloud cover. Things look bad 0200 rain stops but still complete cloud cover. Can't get back to sleep. 0300 if one can't sleep might as well go over and at least try. At three the clouds were moving fast from the north, a totally unexpected direction. I was quite warm wearing winter gear and had brought my reclining chair. I had previously stored my 20x80 astronomical binoculars in the shed out back of Kent' house. I listened to the radio, as is my habit late at night. Some crazy piano player was seeing how fast he could play Bach and get to lunch. Clouds shift eastward at 0340. 0345: Miracle occurs. I noticed a thin crescent moon in the thinning clouds and set up my chair and binocular mount. In a few minutes the sky cleared to an amazing sight. Don't let anyone tell you a 97% eclipse is less of a sight then a total. It is simply better. The moon was a perfect "diamond ring" with a thin margin of the limb bright and the rest of the moon a blood red. It was in short stunning. I have seen total lunar eclipses and they really don't compare to this particular partial one. In the binoculars, the moon was surrounded by stars, being in a busy part of the sky. I can't recall seeing the moon so far to the north in memory. It was quite high so I never felt rushed throughout the eclipse. That dark blue background of stars with the "diamond ring" moon was just simply the best I have seen yet. I had 25 minutes of clear observing before the clouds moved back in around 0410. After that I was able to catch glimpses of the moon through thin parts of the sky until 0430. There were a couple of open holes when there was nothing between the moon and myself during this period. Things closed up again until 0445 when I next saw that the illuminated part was growing and the dark phase was coming to an end. I started packing at 0450 and was able to see the final phases as I drove home. This one was special as now I am 68, which is way too close to 70 for my comfort. It takes real effort now to, in effect, pull an all night watch but the reward was surely there when I saw the diamond ring effect and had 20 minutes of perfect observing. I suspect it will catch up to me in a few hours. I was joined by the cat around 0430, but only momentarily, the cat having other business at places known only to itself. Every time these lunar eclpises happen I say I have seen this before and should get some sleep but once you get going it is all worth the effort to see a three dimensional red orb hanging in space with stars in the background. Who knows how many eclipses are left now that I am a ways down the road and there is no U turn exits. What a great and extraordinary night.
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jimcoble2000
Oh how did your surgery go? Not hard at all was it? I was able to use both eyes even when they were unmatched. I am glad you had a good experience. I though maybe it might be better to the west and so it seems. It will be nice when your eyes are matched a a couple of weeks or so. I was using the zero gravity chair with my 20x80 binoculars. A lot of people hung in there ad were rewarded for their persistence. It was memorable and an adventure! Take care and good luck with the second eye.
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, 09:00:40 AM EST, George Reynolds via groups.io <pathfinder027@...> wrote:
Good eclipse report, Mark. Mel Spruill and I went to Chippokes Plantation State Park to see it, and I'm glad we did. I got there at 2340, and Mel arrived half an hour later, at 0010 . . . and he brought the rain with him. It started as a sprinkle, then an intermittent rain, then a brief downpour ... and then it quit! We got out of our cars shortly after 0100 to see the first "bite" being taken out of the Moon. The dark clouds were considerable, but fast-moving, and "sucker holes" abounded. Mel set up his camera to try to picture the eclipse. I sat in my zero-gravity chair, bundled up against the cold that the rain had brought in with the front, and gazed with my one bespectacled eye at the Moon peeking in and out of the clouds. (Since I had cataract surgery on my left eye, I couldn't use my glasses in that eye, so I had that lens covered, and viewed through my glasses with my right eye.) It was a wonderful sight, as stunning as Mark described it. About 0200 the clouds started clearing, and by 0230 or 0300 we had a totally clear sky to enjoy. The stars were bright and clear -- Orion and Canis Major to the west of the Moon, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, and Ursa Major to the east, and the Pleiades just above and to the right (east) of Luna -- a marvelous sight to see! I set up a small folding table and we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies to warm us up. We saw the eclipse go to its maximum (about 98%) around 0400, and then start to brighten again as Earth's shadow retreated. Mel and I packed up after that, not waiting for the final results. I left the park at 0430, and was home by 0545. I went to bed at 0600, and slept until almost noon! Being somewhat to the northwest of Tidewater, I think we saw the retreat of the clouds and rain sooner than those near the beach towns. It was a fairly ambitious trip (and a challenge driving those dark roads at night with just one eye), but I'm glad we did it. George George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org
On Friday, November 19, 2021, 05:43:48 AM EST, jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
This was my favorite lunar eclipse. Not the least due to the physical hardship of seeing it after running the telescope at the Chesapeake Planetarium and getting home at 10. Against all weather odds I was able to see the maximum phase starting at 0345, all the way through to the coming out of the earth shadow around 0530. Time line: 0130 got up to rain and complete cloud cover. Things look bad 0200 rain stops but still complete cloud cover. Can't get back to sleep. 0300 if one can't sleep might as well go over and at least try. At three the clouds were moving fast from the north, a totally unexpected direction. I was quite warm wearing winter gear and had brought my reclining chair. I had previously stored my 20x80 astronomical binoculars in the shed out back of Kent' house. I listened to the radio, as is my habit late at night. Some crazy piano player was seeing how fast he could play Bach and get to lunch. Clouds shift eastward at 0340. 0345: Miracle occurs. I noticed a thin crescent moon in the thinning clouds and set up my chair and binocular mount. In a few minutes the sky cleared to an amazing sight. Don't let anyone tell you a 97% eclipse is less of a sight then a total. It is simply better. The moon was a perfect "diamond ring" with a thin margin of the limb bright and the rest of the moon a blood red. It was in short stunning. I have seen total lunar eclipses and they really don't compare to this particular partial one. In the binoculars, the moon was surrounded by stars, being in a busy part of the sky. I can't recall seeing the moon so far to the north in memory. It was quite high so I never felt rushed throughout the eclipse. That dark blue background of stars with the "diamond ring" moon was just simply the best I have seen yet. I had 25 minutes of clear observing before the clouds moved back in around 0410. After that I was able to catch glimpses of the moon through thin parts of the sky until 0430. There were a couple of open holes when there was nothing between the moon and myself during this period. Things closed up again until 0445 when I next saw that the illuminated part was growing and the dark phase was coming to an end. I started packing at 0450 and was able to see the final phases as I drove home. This one was special as now I am 68, which is way too close to 70 for my comfort. It takes real effort now to, in effect, pull an all night watch but the reward was surely there when I saw the diamond ring effect and had 20 minutes of perfect observing. I suspect it will catch up to me in a few hours. I was joined by the cat around 0430, but only momentarily, the cat having other business at places known only to itself. Every time these lunar eclpises happen I say I have seen this before and should get some sleep but once you get going it is all worth the effort to see a three dimensional red orb hanging in space with stars in the background. Who knows how many eclipses are left now that I am a ways down the road and there is no U turn exits. What a great and extraordinary night.
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George Reynolds
Addendum to eclipse report: As a bonus, we also saw two bright meteors during the night, one to the right (east) of the Moon and later, one to the left (west), between the Moon and Orion. George George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, 09:00:39 AM EST, George Reynolds via groups.io <pathfinder027@...> wrote:
Good eclipse report, Mark. Mel Spruill and I went to Chippokes Plantation State Park to see it, and I'm glad we did. I got there at 2340, and Mel arrived half an hour later, at 0010 . . . and he brought the rain with him. It started as a sprinkle, then an intermittent rain, then a brief downpour ... and then it quit! We got out of our cars shortly after 0100 to see the first "bite" being taken out of the Moon. The dark clouds were considerable, but fast-moving, and "sucker holes" abounded. Mel set up his camera to try to picture the eclipse. I sat in my zero-gravity chair, bundled up against the cold that the rain had brought in with the front, and gazed with my one bespectacled eye at the Moon peeking in and out of the clouds. (Since I had cataract surgery on my left eye, I couldn't use my glasses in that eye, so I had that lens covered, and viewed through my glasses with my right eye.) It was a wonderful sight, as stunning as Mark described it. About 0200 the clouds started clearing, and by 0230 or 0300 we had a totally clear sky to enjoy. The stars were bright and clear -- Orion and Canis Major to the west of the Moon, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, and Ursa Major to the east, and the Pleiades just above and to the right (east) of Luna -- a marvelous sight to see! I set up a small folding table and we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies to warm us up. We saw the eclipse go to its maximum (about 98%) around 0400, and then start to brighten again as Earth's shadow retreated. Mel and I packed up after that, not waiting for the final results. I left the park at 0430, and was home by 0545. I went to bed at 0600, and slept until almost noon! Being somewhat to the northwest of Tidewater, I think we saw the retreat of the clouds and rain sooner than those near the beach towns. It was a fairly ambitious trip (and a challenge driving those dark roads at night with just one eye), but I'm glad we did it. George George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org
On Friday, November 19, 2021, 05:43:48 AM EST, jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
This was my favorite lunar eclipse. Not the least due to the physical hardship of seeing it after running the telescope at the Chesapeake Planetarium and getting home at 10. Against all weather odds I was able to see the maximum phase starting at 0345, all the way through to the coming out of the earth shadow around 0530. Time line: 0130 got up to rain and complete cloud cover. Things look bad 0200 rain stops but still complete cloud cover. Can't get back to sleep. 0300 if one can't sleep might as well go over and at least try. At three the clouds were moving fast from the north, a totally unexpected direction. I was quite warm wearing winter gear and had brought my reclining chair. I had previously stored my 20x80 astronomical binoculars in the shed out back of Kent' house. I listened to the radio, as is my habit late at night. Some crazy piano player was seeing how fast he could play Bach and get to lunch. Clouds shift eastward at 0340. 0345: Miracle occurs. I noticed a thin crescent moon in the thinning clouds and set up my chair and binocular mount. In a few minutes the sky cleared to an amazing sight. Don't let anyone tell you a 97% eclipse is less of a sight then a total. It is simply better. The moon was a perfect "diamond ring" with a thin margin of the limb bright and the rest of the moon a blood red. It was in short stunning. I have seen total lunar eclipses and they really don't compare to this particular partial one. In the binoculars, the moon was surrounded by stars, being in a busy part of the sky. I can't recall seeing the moon so far to the north in memory. It was quite high so I never felt rushed throughout the eclipse. That dark blue background of stars with the "diamond ring" moon was just simply the best I have seen yet. I had 25 minutes of clear observing before the clouds moved back in around 0410. After that I was able to catch glimpses of the moon through thin parts of the sky until 0430. There were a couple of open holes when there was nothing between the moon and myself during this period. Things closed up again until 0445 when I next saw that the illuminated part was growing and the dark phase was coming to an end. I started packing at 0450 and was able to see the final phases as I drove home. This one was special as now I am 68, which is way too close to 70 for my comfort. It takes real effort now to, in effect, pull an all night watch but the reward was surely there when I saw the diamond ring effect and had 20 minutes of perfect observing. I suspect it will catch up to me in a few hours. I was joined by the cat around 0430, but only momentarily, the cat having other business at places known only to itself. Every time these lunar eclpises happen I say I have seen this before and should get some sleep but once you get going it is all worth the effort to see a three dimensional red orb hanging in space with stars in the background. Who knows how many eclipses are left now that I am a ways down the road and there is no U turn exits. What a great and extraordinary night.
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George Reynolds
George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org Mark, thanks for asking. Oh, my! I didn't realize how bad my eye was until I got the new lens inserted by my doctor! I am still nearsighted, but with the left eye I can now READ and use the computer at normal reading distance, and it's not totally blurry! And colors are brighter and more vibrant in that eye. When I blink-compare the two eyes, the white tile in my bathroom now appears bright white, while it appears yellowish or off-white with my right eye. I'll get the right eye fixed on December 1, a week after Thanksgiving, and about three weeks after that, I can get a new prescription for my glasses so I can see distance (and get my astigmatism corrected). Right now I can go around the house without glasses, but I have to wear the glasses to drive. Since I can't take the lens out of my rimless glasses, I had to cover the left lens with dark paper. I look like a pirate with an eye patch. AAARRGH! Avast, matey! George
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, 10:05:02 AM EST, jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
Oh, how did your surgery go? Not hard at all was it? I was able to use both eyes even when they were unmatched. I am glad you had a good experience. I thought maybe it might be better to the west and so it seems. It will be nice when your eyes are matched a couple of weeks or so. /snip/
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jimcoble2000
Good for you George. You don't realize how bad you are until you get right! I has mine fixed for distance so I don't need glasses to drive or do most things. I wear a pair of reading glasses (20.00) when I need to read or the computer. I have found the best thing is to get 2x thin reading glasses and wear then down on my nose so I don't lose them. But sometimes I just take them off totally and just carry them in a case. I like being 20/20 for distance. There are a few people who can do fine with one eye fixed for distant and the other eye fixed for short.The brain can sort it out. I would have been one of those who can do it but both mine are fixed for distance. They don't advise different eyes unless you are sure you can do it. I was fine with only one eye fixed between the second eye surgery but as I said now no need for glasses driving and most things.
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, 03:55:09 PM EST, George Reynolds via groups.io <pathfinder027@...> wrote:
George Reynolds "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) http://www.backbayastro.org Mark, thanks for asking. Oh, my! I didn't realize how bad my eye was until I got the new lens inserted by my doctor! I am still nearsighted, but with the left eye I can now READ and use the computer at normal reading distance, and it's not totally blurry! And colors are brighter and more vibrant in that eye. When I blink-compare the two eyes, the white tile in my bathroom now appears bright white, while it appears yellowish or off-white with my right eye. I'll get the right eye fixed on December 1, a week after Thanksgiving, and about three weeks after that, I can get a new prescription for my glasses so I can see distance (and get my astigmatism corrected). Right now I can go around the house without glasses, but I have to wear the glasses to drive. Since I can't take the lens out of my rimless glasses, I had to cover the left lens with dark paper. I look like a pirate with an eye patch. AAARRGH! Avast, matey! George
On Saturday, November 20, 2021, 10:05:02 AM EST, jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
Oh, how did your surgery go? Not hard at all was it? I was able to use both eyes even when they were unmatched. I am glad you had a good experience. I thought maybe it might be better to the west and so it seems. It will be nice when your eyes are matched a couple of weeks or so. /snip/
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