Eclipse watching from the astronomer's bench.

It was a cool evening with a just enough breeze to make the nearby trees gently sing with songs of the autumn leaves. 

The sky was clear of cloud, the moonlight was soft, the sleepy village was at rest....such a  night was made for lunar eclipses.

Since living at our present address I have photographed three lunar eclipses, at each event the  camera and telescope were my prime concerns. 

Tonight I decided to take only a few simple shots of the eclipse, the rest of the time I simply sat on the astronomer's bench in the garden with my lovely wife. 

We both sat in the darkness, soaked up the starlight and absorbed the fading moonlight.

In the words of Helen.........

What a magical night. We took some photos, then sat gazing. 

There was so much to see....the eclipse, obviously, many meteors, one which zipped through the V of Taurus. 

Orion showed off his belt and wide shoulders, Betelgeuse flashing red to compete with the Blood Moon. 

This is the third total lunar eclipse we have seen from this house, and it was the first time without street lights. What a difference it made. 

The Astronomer asked me how many stars I could count inside the square of Pegasus....  I could count ten. In previous years, none could be seen due to the light pollution. 

We finally gave in to tired eyes and went to bed at 4.30...just as Luna was loosing her blush.

Sat on the astronomer's bench, 
writing up thoughts of the eclipse, by candlelight.

We watched in silence as the Moon sunk deeper and deeper into the shadows of our planet.

Through the binoculars the Moon took on a slight pinkish/red hue, not the predicted blood red of the tabloids. 

Tonight's eclipse was not as red tinged as the two previous I witnessed. The eclipse of March 2007 being especially "blood" in colour.  

March 3rd 2007

Who can remember the total eclipse of December 9th 1992?  now that was a "blood" moon... still vividly red in my memory... 

Haiku Moon

Haiku poetry and Moon watching go together, here's a recent haiku I wrote about that eclipse of March 2007.

Hope you managed to see the Total Eclipse...... 

Next one July 27th 2018 .... 

See you there..

Clear Lunar Skies