I feel for those who were clouded out for the Lunar Eclipse

[h0ughy]

Looking back after the event, I can now really appreciate the utter disappointment of not being able to clearly view the eclipse let alone image it. I really feel for the guys and Gals in WA and other parts of the country that were not able to view the event. I hope that you were able to use other means to have been able to “take part” and get some enjoyment to take from the spectacle?

So who missed out?

[erick]

I've been thinking about this:-

* See DSO - thousands of years before they change (excluding nova?)
* See the planets - much the same each year - some change position over days, some over many years to decades
* See a sunspot - several days and it'll possibly come around again
* See a comet - several days opportunity
* See a feature on the Moon at the terminator - a couple of days a month
* See a lunar eclipse - a couple of hours every few years
* See a solar eclipse - seconds to minutes only every several years

Frustration level with missed opportunities rises dramatically through this list! I don't think I'd want a life focussed on observing solar eclipses!

[xelasnave]

I am just back from the event...

What a wonderful thing to see..

The photos were a worry.
I could not figure (having spent the previous night setting up for fast shutter changes, iso etc...) why I could not pick up an image??? one exposure lasted 500 seconds yet no Moon???

Must be something funny happening with the light...

My mirror was stuck in the 300d..must be near worn out I guess...
It became apparent after... but trying to find out why during the "moment" whilst still trying to enjoy the event did not happen...

I managed a few "half" shots which because of the long exposure times I was going for... generally 30 seconds..30 seconds on the Moon!!! yes how strange do you think that felt at the time???

But the up side was I got heaps of stars and one with a star sitting right on the horizon on the Moon..looked real neat.

So what a performance.. it was beautiful from home dark clear and still... I will sort thru my photos and maybe post something if it seems fair.
When I came in it became apparent that it was the camera playnig up looking at a few internal test shoots ....and the mirror when proded went back and has not been a worry since...

But of all the nights this had to happen... oh well.

alex

[rogerg]

Yeah, I'm one of the WA people that missed out. My partner and I were at the right spot at the right time to get the great shots, but the cloud and rain just weren't behaving.

Later that night at 8pm I took a shot of the partially eclipsed moon through cloud at home.

But, we got to have a nice dinner down in South Perth anyhow, didn't have to drive home from work in normal peakhour, and generally enjoyed the trip even if there was no moon :)

[firstlight]

Forgot Venus Transit... only one to go in our lifetimes.

[astro_south]

While I did get to see it - it wasn't how I planned it. I had my scope all primed and my night planned out on my front lawn in Brisbane. Then Tuesday morning I got a call that a client needed me onsite the next morning overseeing some drilling, casing and cementing of a bore. So I organised all that had to be done, raced off home to pack and then off to the airport - unfortunately one of the flights I had to take was the 7:15 from Sydney to Tamworth. I did manage to wangle myself onto the right hand side of the plane - unfortunately it was a Dash 8 which has a high wing and a large engine under that wing which blocks a lot of the sky. I did catch the early stages of the eclipse as I climbed up the steps of the plane. The next I saw of it was just before mid eclipse when I was walking across the tarmac at Tamworth. I did get some pics in the later part of the eclipse with my 70-200mm lens in the motel carpark using the car as a mount - but it would have been much better through my scope at home watching it from start to finish. At least it wasn't cloudy and I can enjoy the images from the members here, but I was looking forward to the event for the weeks leading up. :(

[duncan]

Hi Houghy,
Well i missed the whole thing. Nothing but cloud and drizzle up here. One tiny gap in the cloud few 2minutes when the moon was half full on the back end of it all. Never mind i'll catch the next one,LOL.
Cheers

[h0ughy]

either it was the birth of a child, your wisdom teath being extracted or you were dead???? hOw could you have forgotten this event?????

[bluescope]

Yep it sucked here Houghy ! We've had pretty crapp weather for a few weeks with rain, clouds etc .... the images that others have posted look great .... guess we will just have to hope for clear skies in 2011.

:thumbsup:

[firstlight]

I was indicating erick forgot to list it in his "Ascending Order of Frustration"... Still got teeth, timed the children right, and I don't think I'm dead yet, but by whose frame of reference? I have Halley's comet booked for 2061... 100th birthday pressie :D

[Omaroo]

Ha! I'll only be a spritely 99. Got my rocking chair all ready...... :thumbsup:

[mill]

Bugger i'll be 101 then :P
Well i missed the half of the lunar eclips and got clear skies then.
So i am half happy :)

[WadeH]

Another one who was denied a visual feast, so instead hit the bottle with some loverly Verdelo with my lovely wife.

I have seen two full luna eclipses before though, and I will never forget the site. I was particually looking forward to seeing a red moon rising though.

Only an hour after the event finished, guess what? Rain stopped and clouds all gone. Figures!!

[Dujon]

I missed out even though the sky here was clear. For whatever reason, and I really don't know why, I was totally buggered and so thought I'd hop into bed for an hour or so after an early evening meal and pop out from the covers when totality was near.

Guess who went to sleep and awoke at midnight?