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There have been a few lunar eclipses since I photographed my previous one in 2003, but for those intervening ones, the weather turned overcast.
The day of January 20, 2019, did not begin promising. The sky was quite overcast, but it began to clear by the late afternoon. During the eclipse itself, only a few whisps of clouds passed over the moon. |
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The negative factor was the cold, about 5 degrees Fahrenheit (or -15 Celcius). Since the time of the eclipse had the moon at its zenith, or highest point, I could photograph it from my backyard. I would duck outside for several minutes and then back inside for several minutes - and repeat.
My only regret is that I didn't use a tripod, which wasn't necessary for the bright part of the moon but which would have been desirable for its red phase. To get a reasonable image, I was reduced to shooting at a tenth of a second. A tripod would have helped. Well, there should be a next time, right?
Camera note: I used a Pentax K-3ii and the Pentax-D FA 150-450mm lens for the lunar eclipse over Cooper's Pond, State College, Pennsylvania.
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