Monday, December 20, 2010
Lunar Eclipse and the Solstice
Photo: Martin Pugh
This generation has witnessed many historical occurrences. From the "brightest moon" to the devastating hurricanes and the most recent oil spill, Photojournalists have given us stories that seem to be out of the next Hollywood film. Tonight, it continues with a total Lunar Eclipse. What makes this particular occurrence a once in a lifetime event is that it will occur during a solstice. The last time this happened was in 1638, over 350 years ago.
The eclipse will be visible from 1:33 to 5:01 a.m. EST Tuesday, with the total eclipse starting at about 2:41 a.m. This is also the darkest night of the year for those in the Northern Hemisphere so expect to see some very vivid red and purple tones. North America, Greenland and Iceland will have front row seats, while Europe and Asia will catch glimpses at the beginning and ending stages. If your batteries aren't charged, charge them now, you don't want to miss this!
TIPS:
*Don't slow the shutter down too much, remember the Earth is spinning and can create blur.
*Try not to shoot wide open apertures. Often a couple stops down will yield a sweet spot in the lens delivering a crisper image.
*Use at least a 200mm lens. The closer you can get, the larger your subject will be and you will easily pick up detail the eye can not see.
Links:
NASA eclipse guide (Eastern Time Zone)
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