Lunar Eclipse, as seen from Portishead

- from 22:30hrs on the 3rd of March 2007

Well I conveniently had the night off, so spent some time in my garden taking these pictures.  These are the first of the batch of over 200 pictures that I took during the eclipse (yes I did get carried away) and which I am now processing.

Technical info: For those who are interested I used my Canon eos 300D (great camera for night sky pictures)

with the Sigma 50-500 lens.  The full moon pictures were taken with ISO 100- speed 350 at F 4.4.  By totality I used the infra red shutter release, ISO 200 with 12-15 second shutter speed.  Oh yes and I did use a very sturdy tripod!

The evening was warm with a slight south-westerly breeze and zero cloud cover (very unusual for the UK - especially when there's an eclipse!!!!).  To make the evening complete I was also provided with a bottle of Barn Owl Beer from my old friends at Cotleigh Brewery.

  

Full moon prior to eclipse              First shadow of Earth appearing

Quarter gone ...

 

Half gone...

Last ray of sunshine on the edge of the Moon ...

        Lunar Eclipse in full - note how the stars surrounding the moon suddenly appear, as if by magic!

All images copyright of Chris Sperring MBE - as always use as you want,

but please credit the pictures as taken by me, that's all I ask.  

 

                      

                   Constellation = Canis Major Sirus is the brightest star

                   

                  Light polloution looking from Mendip towards Bridgewater

                     

                                        Canis Major-Orion and Taurus