Apart from the “getting up at 4:15am” part, the total lunar eclipse on Saturday morning (July 28) was very enjoyable.
Luna 1 minute after maximum totality (f2.0, ISO 200, 1 sec). For reference, the right-most star is rho Capricorni, a double with a brightest component of magnitude 4.8.
I took a little over 200 images from our backyard starting a few minutes before totality began at 5am ACST until just after the end of totality at around 6:45am.
I also looked at the Moon through 7×50 binoculars from time to time, from which the impression of the Moon as a 3D ball of rock hanging in the sky was evident.
I had initially planned to use my 8″ telescope for imaging as well, but in the end, was happy with to take wide field shots, so left the scope inside.
All images were taken with a tripod-mounted Canon 1100D and 100mm fixed lens controlled using Canon EOS Utilities.
A montage showing Luna 5 minutes before the start of totality (f2.0, ISO 400, 1/8 sec), 1 minute after maximum totality (f2.0, ISO 200, 1 sec), and 9 minutes before the end of totality (f2.0, ISO 200, 1 sec).
Along with most images I’ve seen, these present a vividness not evident only by eye. The following images are perhaps closer to what was seen without aid of imaging equipment.
Moon and Mars 20 minutes before the end of totality (f2.8, ISO 200, 1 second).
The Moon and Mars 8 minutes after the end of totality (f2.0, ISO 100, 1/10 sec), just above our SW fence line.
The final image shows an incidental image of the International Space Station passing “near” our lemon tree when I noticed it passing above the Moon.
ISS trail (f2.0, ISO 100, 1.3 sec)
At least one image of the eclipsed Moon also ended up with a “stray” satellite in the field.