"Solstice Lunar Eclipse - 2010"

A photo collage of the recent total lunar eclipse. Taken in Boise, Idaho on Winter Solstice Day - Dec 21st, 2010

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The center image was taken precisely at maximum totality (exactly at 1:17:30 AM on Dec 21st – MST). I took the photos surrounding the center image at exact intervals of time to show the evolution of the eclipse. This was taken at high resolution (technical details below) to bring out the craters and other features of the Moon. Exposure was set constant for all images except the center image. I did that deliberately to show how the moon darkens during the progress of eclipse. The terminator that is so clear during various phases of the moon is blurred during the eclipse. You can see a faintest sliver of moon in the very last photo – that was precisely few seconds before totality. The center image is reddish due to all the sunrise and sunsets occurring on planet Earth at that precise time. An observer located in the center of the moon watching the Earth, would notice that the Earth slowly blocks the sun – and when the sun is totally hidden, the outer ring of the Earth will glow deep red – this light gets reflected from the surface of the Moon. It is a glorious sight no matter how many times we look at. This year we were very fortunate to witness this – since the total eclipse occurred on the Winter Solstice Day! Winter solstice is more evident in high latitudes and it occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun - at its maximum of 23° 26'. As a result, this is also the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the sun's daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest. Occurrence of total lunar eclipse on a solstice day is very rare. Last time this occurred was 456 years ago – the next time it will occur 83 years from now! However, that eclipse will not be visible in North America! So, it makes this recent eclipse even more special!

Technical details:

These photos were taken at prime focus - mounting Nikon D300 directly on Meade LX90. I used a Celestron focal reducer to reduce magnification and fit the entire moon on a APS format sensor - the field of view is too small otherwise. After collimation of the SCT, I used a home-made three-hole, Hartmann mask for precise focus. Polar mounted scope was tracked - even though precise tracking was not needed for moon exposure.

Comments welcome...

Beautiful job - both the photography and the post processing.

It would make a great poster.

Bravo! Great photography.

Eli.

Well done.

Great work and elegantly assembled, you can sell this anywhere.

  Just a beautiful collage of this rare occurrence and a keepsake for generations.  Bravo !  This will surely be a bestseller for the artistic presentation of an extraordinary event.

Excellent work !! Well presented.

Best regards,

TSR