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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The Great Chicago Lunar Eclipse of October 27th 2004

Wow...What a great night for a lunar eclipse!

I checked the weather conditions at t-10 hours...and it looked promising. The sun was out all day, but Chicago has very bad luck for fall evening observation sessions. I kept checking throughout the day and the Chicago clear sky clock promised good conditions with minimal cloud cover. I was optimistic and prepared my equipment for the session.

I arrived at the Adler Planetarium later than I expected, but was in time to sit in on the planning session for all Telescope Interpreters for the evenings action plan. I brought my own scope, (didn't utilize an Adler scope), and we set up by the south lawn of the Planetarium ready to observe and serve. Along with the Chicago Astronomers, were members of the Adler to share views with the public with Adler scopes or scopes of their own.

Old Chicago Astronomer members and friends started to trickle on by: Keith, Doug, Sarwat & Nancy joined in on the session. Great to have the the group together again since the last time we assembled on the October 9th Star Party in Woodstock.

The Chicago Astronomers set up and grouped together and we waited for the show to begin. The weather was a bit cool, and we had high thin clouds, but fine for an eclipse. Doug's familiar go-to drive hum was comforting and Sarwat brought his binocular stand set-up with comfortable chair.

I had playing a compilation of classical tunes while people peered thru my eyepiece. I received many compliments on my choice of tunes ranging from Mozart, Beethoven to Rachmaninoff and Bach. Many felt it set the mood and enhanced the experience...and I thought so as well. Television cameras from various stations swarmed the astronomers and their telescopes.Many were captured on camera for comment or static shots...including myself.

I was the first to noticed that the western limb of the moon was starting to get a bit darker and anticipated totality. People swamped all of our scopes, but there were plenty around to service all requests and the views thru different scopes made it quite interesting. Questions from the public were plentiful, varied and all answered with finesse from our group. Sarwat always amazes me with his great knowledge and the enthusiasm of all present was making this a great event!

As the moon entered totality, I had expected a much more colorful event, but as it turned out...it became rather dim and dark - without the great color that we expect from an eclipse. The wispy clouds and heavy dew didn't help either. But we continued our observations and sharing views with the public. I obtained more emails from interested people for the Chicago Astronomer newsletter and Forum, and I assisted this very nice family with their 60mm refractor that they just got. (I think that a 60mm refracting telescope is a fine entry scope, as it will show one great sites and build experience.)

Food products were for sale at the site such as Eclipse gum, Milky Way bars and Moonpies....and later on...I got a whole box of free Moon pies! Yay!

In the first image is Chicago Astronomer Newsletter Reader Mirta, Chicago Astronomers Nancy, Joe and Keith, (Kinda), and Adler Planetarium Volunteer Coordinator Alisun.

In the second Image are some of the Telescope Interpreters of the Adler Planetarium:

Micheal, Joe, Adler Astronomer Larry, Steve, Luca and Oscar.

As the eclipse passed it's height, people started to depart, but hardcore astronomers that we are - stayed to marvel at the event, and as we won't see another one till 2007, we had to make this one last.

Backs, legs and feet started to ache and the dew started to get really bad, as some of the Cassagrains there started to fog up, and my own eyepiece suffered a bit of fogging if long stretches of observation time was had. But overall, my trusty 4.5" scope dealt with the conditions quite well. My paperwork was damp, but not my spirits.

All those who set up scopes packed up and left, but the truly hardcore astronomers...Doug and myself stayed till around 11:30 pm.

It was indeed a great night of moon watching, seeing old friends and meeting new people. I had great conversations and so happy that the skies graced Chicago with clear enough skies to view this celestial event. Everyone had a good time, as this was a great gift of a lunar eclipse for us all.

Ain't being an Astronomer so cool? ;D

[timothy]

Hi All
Although I had to work tonight I was still able to follow along with the eclipse. I brought my binoculars and tripod along and a 35mm camera. At lunch I set up and took some pictures afocal, hand held. Time will tell how those turned out. I can anly hope for the best. I also took some pictures with the zoom, but not through the binoculars. So at least I'll have something.
I got a time schedule of what time the different phases started so I was out to watch with my binoculars when the moon first touched the umbra. This was very exciting since this is the first time I have followed an eclipse along and known what was going on. It was just a black spot, but Hey it's a black spot I never saw before. Then I would look out from time to time and watch the shadow growing bigger and bigger untill finally the deep reddish glow began. When the moon was about 80% eclipsed, I read yesterday on the internet, is a phase known as the japanese lantern. I was'nt sure what that meant untill I saw it. About half the moon was lit by the soft, deep, reddish hue and the rest had a soft kind of vannila glow to it . It made me think of a hollowed out cue ball being lit from the inside
I was happy to be able to point out the eclipse to others that had heard something about it, and be able to answer there questions, as best I could.

Tim

[Al Degutis]

Throughout the day yesterday, I'd check the Clear Sky Clock and the National Weather Service forecasts and viewed satellite visibility images. The forecasts all showed overcast skies while the satellite images of the cloud movement in northern Illinois showed promise. Once I got home the forecasts and the satellite images told the same story as earlier. So, starting at 5:30pm (CDT), I just went outside every so often (20 minutes or so). My wife said I was acting like an expentant parent. The skies were overcast and the moon was still below our perimeter trees. At 7:30pm we went to the drug store to pick up a prescription and the brightness of the full Moon shown through a veil of clouds that thinned and thickened. I figured when I get home, I'd observe it as best as the clouds allowed.

I was out around 8pm (no watch to track the time). The clouds started clearing up as the Earth's shadow starting taking larger bites out of the Moon. As it reached about 50% totality, the heavy clouds were gone but a haze, in the sky and near the ground, remained. As it went from 75% to 100% totality, an orangish tint was finally starting to show as was more and more stars. Just before it reached 100%, as reported many times before I'm sure, it looked like an oversized view of Mars with a white polar cap. While in 100% totality, I looked at Cygnus in the west behind me and it appeared that the dust lanes of the Milky Way were faintly visible. Then again, it may have been more clouds rolling in. Around 9:45pm the clouds did roll in and blanketed the sky completely. I gave it another 15 minutes and then called it a night.

I did snap some picture with my Canon 300D Digital SLR using my 75-300mm lense, but haven't had a chance to review any of the images. With the clouds and haze, I doubt I got any great shots.

A more detailed report can be found at my forum:
www.skyinsight.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=98

I did miss sharing the event with the group! Sounds like it was a good time. Maybe in 2007 I'll meet you all at Adler.

[Al Degutis]

I took a quick look through all 200+ photos of the eclipse and wasn't impressed. Due to the fog/haze and the user (me ) I didn't get any sharp images. But I'm happy that I captured the event with images to help me remember the experience.

Here's a sampling of some of the better photos:
www.skyinsight.net/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=TheMoon&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

The last one is not a mistake but a long exposure experiment.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Al,

On the contrary, I think the images of the eclipsed Moon are of Astronomy magazine standards.

I like this one a bunch...

Here the last vestiges of unobscured lunar reflectivity slowly disappears as the coppery glow engulfs the sphere. In Chicago, we didn't get this level of color, and it also appeared darker here than your images or that of others I have seen in other parts of the world.

If you don't mind, I will include this shot in the next newsletter, with proper credit...of course.

Good shots.

[Al Degutis]

Thanks Joe.

Being a perfectionist, I would like them to be focused sharper.

As I mentioned, I took over 200 shots and that was only the first half of the eclipse. I kept firing off 6-10 shots in a row at different f-stops. Some of the exposures make the Moon look like an asteroid. As for the color, it wasn't as strong to the naked eye but the camera picked it up. I did not do any photo processing other than resizing them down from 3072x2048. Actually the first posted image (Lunar Eclipse Oct 27 2004 20:45 CDT) slipped through at full resolution so if you look at that one you'll see the soft focus.

You can use any of my images in the newsletter or here. One request: please have the copyright say skyinsight.net. Thanks.

Also, I think I may have fallen off the newsletter list. I haven't see one since July and I check my spam folder closely. Could you check that out please?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Al,

Check and double check on the points. I don't know how the newsletters ceased, but the next one will certainly have your name on it. I think the next one will be sent out this afternoon.

I would like to view even the poorly exposed ones that you took. I need to get me a fancy digital camera, as I really no longer use my 35mm for astrophotography...too expensive and results are unsure until the final print. I should have done a multiple exposure for the eclipse...

I used to use a bellows camera in the early '70's for astro work, still have it, and it looks like the camera icon on the "Photo Galleries" Board here. I used it because of the time exposure option and it just looked cool to use. It uses the old fashioned roll type of film, and don't even know if they still make it.

Thanks for your moon shots.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

This submission of the Eclipse from Douglas (Starstuff):

"I got out of work at 4:30 and the sky was clear. By the time I got home at 5:30 it was overcast so I didn't prepare. At 7:00 I noticed a clear
but hazy sky so I grabbed my scope and eyepieces and headed to the Cernan Center, set up, put on WDRV FM 97.1, turned up the volume, put the windows down and listened to the eclipse program which featured astronomy related songs. The first of which was Dark Side of the Moon.

Other songs were Moon Shadow, Rocket Man, Ground Control to Major Tom, Astronomy Domini and the highlight at mid totality was Voodoo Child
(on the night I was born the moon turned a fire red). I e-mailed the station a month ago and was thanked for the idea. I expected the moon to be a
uniform hue as it was much closer to the center of the shadow than the previous eclipse that rode the edge of the umbra. I suppose it has to pass directly through the ecliptic to be a uniform hue".

That was quite an excellent idea about the songs played on the radio. I had thought about a similar venue, but went along with the classical route.

Yes, although it was a "total" eclipse, the moon did not pass dead center of the umbra this time, but rather skimmed the darkest part of the shadow. But regardless, it was a cool event!

Thanks for sharing your report.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

This submission from Tom (manofthesea),

"Hi Joe,

I'm attaching a composite photo of last Thursday night's Lunar eclipse. The forecast out in the Fox Valley was pretty dismal, but I spotted the Moon shining through the breaking clouds about 7:40 p.m., and ran for my
little Meade ETX70AT and Canon A-1 film camera. There just wasn't enough time to set up the larger Meade LX-90, ToUcam and computer for photography.

Details are on the photo, but I'll repeat them here: 70mm Meade ETX70AT, Canon A-1 with Kodak 400 ASA, aperture priority at f/5. Exposures ranged from 0.5 to :06 seconds. Images were equalized in Paint Shop Pro and composed in PhotoImpression 2000.

Your site is booming! Congratulations."

Tom Korzeniowski

(Click on the pic for a larger image)

Tom, what an excellent montage and a last moment effort to boot! I had always wanted to accomplish a shot like this, but have yet to man the camera with the patience of Jobe. Too busy running around!

Thanks a bunch for this nice image, and will include it in the next newsletter.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Here are some more images of Eclipse Central last Wednesday...

A great time all around...astronomer or visitor.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

This submission from Edward (Katodog),

All of the pictures were taken with a 6" Newtonian reflector with a 25mm eyepiece and a Fuji S5000 Digital SLR camera. Some of the pictures may have been altered, but I usually don't do anything but resize and crop. I don't like to alter the pictures because to me it seems fake to do it like that.

I originally didn't expect to see anything since it was so cloudy all day, so I didn't bother setting up anything. I noticed around 7:30 that it was almost clear, so I set up last minute. I should have connected the camera to the scope, since I have the equipment to do it, but I opted to just hold the camera up to the eyepiece and snap continuous shots. From my front door, I have an unobstructed view from East to West, and almost a complete view horizon to horizon. If I go out on the driveway, I am almost completely unobstructed in all directions. I get awesome views, except for the damn light wash. I want to get out to my fiancé's mom's house just outside Galena, because I know it's black as coal out there and the night sky is the best I've ever seen anywhere. The only problem is when she goes out there, I have to stay back for work. But, anyway, I took about 300-350 pictures, and knocked it down to 70 of the best shots. I took shots from before the start of the eclipse to totality.

I personally was not as happy as I usually am with my pics, but like I said, I didn't bother to connect to the scope. I'm sure everyone will like the pics, anyway.

Thanks for your time!!

_______________

What a cool sequence from just holding the camera up to the eyepiece. I hope I got them in proper sequence, as I collected all you sent me of the eclipse, and merged them into one montage. Easier download that way.

I especially like the last one, where the shadow of the Earth is leaving the surface of the Moon, but an eerie orange glow maintains a ghostly hold in the darkness.

I had planned to take some digital photos myself, in the same manner you did, but my camera doesn't seem to be very light sensitive, and shots taken did not materialize. I am glad our members took good memorable shots of the event.

Too Cool!

Thanks for the submission!

[Al Degutis]

Very nice photos of the eclipse, Tom and Edward!

I'm glad I wasn't the only one tricked into unpreparedness by the weather. Although with the heavy haze/fog that I had I doubt I would have gotten a better/sharper focus through the telescope. Maybe even worse or at least more disappointing to me.

Anyway, I've put together an animation of some of the stages of the eclipse from my photos:

skyinsight.net/r/index.php?a=eclipanim

and here is a shorter link to all the photos I've uploaded:
skyinsight.net/r/index.php?a=AlMoon

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Al,

What a great ani of the eclipse! I recommend all to visit your eclipse page to take a look. What I'll do as well, is mention it in the next newsletter.

We certainly have knowledgable and skilled Chicago Astronomer members here.

Thanks for sharing with us all.

[Centaur]

Joe, this thread may have become a little too stale to remain pinned at the top of the forum with no stated year in the headline, especially since another lunar eclipse is due on 2005 OCT 17. Remember the undated Mars e-mail campaign?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

It is done.

Thanks for the maintenance nudge...