Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Me & my baby view the eclipse

We got up early to view the lunar eclipse. Clouds came and went, and there was a bit of fog, but overall it was a nice show.








When it was gone, baby it was gone. Zero, zip, total darkness.


Captivating corona.


By the dark of the moon.

-----

I've been wanting to use that headline for such a long time. (It's the title of a book I've been meaning to read. It's only been 16 years -- maybe I'll get to it soon.)

21 comments:

lime said...

very nicely captured.

robin andrea said...

We had to get out of bed a 2:50 am to see the moon's glorious unlit face. It was spectacular. Glad you caught it too. What a sight. Lovely.

Cathy said...

You did it! We talked about getting up. My hubby stumbled out of bed and returned moments later. Doth do old people experience a lunar eclipse.

Super duper shots! I'm glad you young'ns were out there baying.

Anonymous said...

I got up about 4:15 when it was about half-covered here and watched until it was fully eclipsed. I snapped a few shots too but either I don't have an appropriate camera or don't know how to use it. Can you tell us how you got such good shots?

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm glad someone had the presence of mind to be up and ready to view (and photograph) the eclipse. Of course it might have provided good practice for my new camera.

Anonymous said...

Impressive photos.

Like Pablo, I slept through the whole thing. First the Perseids, now this. What a bummer!

At least with your photos I have the vicarious experience.

Anonymous said...

I sooo missed the eclipse this morning. From where I live it was located on the wrong side of the hill where I live and being on the east coast we could only see half before the sun started coming up!

Rurality said...

Thanks y'all. I have to say that we only had to get up about an hour before normal, not so bad. (At four... just before five is normal.)

Had to laugh at Cathy calling us young'ns. :)

Bill, thanks, really it's just the new camera. It has spot metering, which, after a photographer friend clued me in that I could, I adjusted to the smallest "spot" possible. Otherwise the moon comes out overexposed (if you let the camera pick the exposure). Also, the lens has a vibration-reduction (VR) feature, which helps hold the picture steady. About half-way through, hubby suggested that I try using the tripod from our birding scope. So I did, and it worked. (I'd read that you should turn the VR off when you use a tripod, so I did.) I really should have used a cable release too but mine is packed up somewhere and I haven't come across it. Anyway when you have a long exposure, sometimes just pressing the button to take the picture will jiggle the camera, so a cable release probably would have helped, once it was too dim to have a decently fast shutter speed.

Ki said...

Outstanding clear and sharp focus of the eclipse. A bit too early for me and it would have been too lighted for us to see it. Glad your new camera is working out well.

Ava said...

Wow, those are beautiful pictures!!!! I'm glad that you got to see it!

Elizabeth said...

De-lurking to say I heart Lee Smith.

Annie in Austin said...

We saw the first bite taken out of the moon, but then we lost sight of it behind a stand of trees. If I were more dedicated I'd have found a park or open area, but went back to bed instead. You caught some good photos, Rurality.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Larry D said...

Wow I meant to get up and watch, slept though it, felt so bad I got up wed at 5am to make up for it. Super photos, thanks.

KFarmer said...

You and your baby did an excellent job! Very beautiful :)

Bobby said...

It looked different to me. Or maybe I was too late. When I saw it, it I could still see the the moon - it was just mostly blotted out here and there.

Great pics!

R.Powers said...

Yowza!
Excellent work!

mountainmelody said...

Wow! Beautiful!

How do I always miss these things? Maybe I should pay more attention to the news...

Rurality said...

Thanks everybody - sorry I haven't been around but I'm busy getting ready for our first fall craft show.

Bobby - I heard some people on tv saying that too, but here it wasn't like that... no idea why.

MM, I don't think this one was advertised very well in advance. I think the moon needs to change agents. :)

Cathy said...

I'll bet you're still looking forward
(wink) to 60. That makes you a 'young'n' in my book :0)

It's all a matter of perspective. Yep.

lisa said...

Just gotta chime in and say great job! I am sooo NOT a morning person, so you did me a real service by sharing these pics so I could enjoy this, too! Thanks!!

Ava said...

Just dropping in ... have a great weekend!