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Phases of the 1993 Total Lunar Eclipse
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1993 Nov 29 (Dunkirk, MD)
AstroPhysics 105EDT refractor, f/12, Ektachrome 400
A total lunar eclipse is a celestial event of great majesty and grace. Among early civilizations, the eclipse was feared as an ominous sign of disaster, death, war and famine.Today, we recognize the eclipse as a simple consequence of the Moon's orbital motion around Earth.To learn more about eclipses, see Lunar Eclipses for Beginners.
Eclipses of the Moon offer us the chance to enjoy a lovely naked eye spectacle in the heavens as well as a wonderful opportunity to teach our children about the beauty and wonder of Nature.It also affords us a the chance to photograph the event as a permanent momento of the experience.
The following images illustrate some of the photographic opportunities possible during an eclipse of the Moon. Eclipse photography is one of the easiest ways to get into astrophotography! For an introductory guide on how to photograph an eclipse, see Lunar Eclipse Photography. Please visit Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 2 for more photographs.
I've been watching and photographing eclipses of the Moon for most of my life. It still thrills me to watch the Moon slip gracefully and silently into Planet Earth's shadow!You can find out about upcoming events at Lunar Eclipses: 2011 - 2030. I hope these images will inspire you to see and perhaps even photograph some future eclipse for yourself!
Click on each image below to see a larger photo.
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Full Moon (TLE1982-101) Although the penumbral phase of the 1982 July 06 total lunar eclipse began 18 minutes earlier (04:22 UT), there is no visible sign of this feeble shadow as a brilliant Full Moon lights up the summer sky.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Half-Way Partial (TLE1982-106) The eastern half of the Moon (measured across its diameeter), is fully within Earth's umbra during the total lunar eclipse of 1982 July 06.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Mid-Totality (TLE1982-205+6) At mid-totality during the total lunar eclipse of 1982 July 06, the Moon appears a deep, dark, rich red color. The only sunlight it receives are the indirect rays which have been refracted through Earth's atmosphere where most of the blue, green and yellow light is filtered out through scattering.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Eclipse Reflection (TLE1982-303) The last stages of the partial eclipse of 1982 July 06 are reflected in the calm waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Totality Trio (TLE1982-Trio2) A composite of three separate images captures the Moon at the beginning, middle and end of the total lunar eclipse of 1982 July 06. The deep red color is due to Earth's atmosphere which filters out the blue, green and yellow light while transmitting most of the red sunlight to the Moon.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Eclipsed Moon in Geminii (TLE1982Dec-301) During the very dark totaal lunar eclipse of 1982 Dec 30, the Moon almost vanished completely from sight. Dust from the recently erupting Mexican volcano El Chichon was still suspended high in Earth's atmosphere where it blocks most of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. A wide angle photo captures the dark ghostly disk of the totally eclipsed Moon among the stars of Geminii. The lights of Annapolis, Maryland are visible along the horizon across the Chesapeake Bay.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Dec 30 (Kent Island, MD) | |
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Black Totality (TLE1982Dec-202) Six months after the of 1982 July 06 eclipse, a second total eclipse was visible from the USA on 1982 Dec 30. But this time, the totally eclipsed Moon almost vanished completely from sight. Dust from the recently erupting Mexican volcano El Chichon was still suspended high in Earth's atmosphere where it blocks most of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. Compare this eclipse to photos of the previous eclipse in July. Other very dark eclipses have occurred in 1963 and 1992.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Dec 30 (Kent Island, MD) | |
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Grand Eclipse (TLE1982seq1-3) The partial phases and deep red totality are captured in this multi-image composite photograph of the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 July 06 (Chesapeake Bay, MD) | |
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Totality - 1992 Dec (TLE1992-2417) The total lunar eclipse of 1992 Dec 9 was the darkest eclipse in a decade. Months before, millions of tons of gas and ash were spewed into the atmosphere through volcanic eruptions of Mount Pinatubo (Phillipines). This debris permitted very little sunlight to reach the Moon resulting in a very dark eclipse.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1992 Dec 09 (Milford, Delaware) | |
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1992 Eclipse Matrix (TLE1992matrix2) The Moon was photographed at ten minute intervals throughout the eclipse. By arranging the images into one grand matrix, you can see every stage of the eclipse from start to finish.The individual images were then scanned into a Macintosh and the final composition was arranged with Adobe Photoshop.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1992 Dec 09 (Milford, Delaware) | |
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Mega Eclipse Sequence (TLE1992strip1) The Moon was photographed at ten minute intervals throughout the lunar eclipse of 1992 Dec 09. By arranging all the images into one long sequence, you can see every stage of the eclipse from start to finish (right to left).
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1992 Dec 09 (Milford, Delaware) | |
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Totality - 1993 (TLE1993-0640) The telephoto technique (see: Lunar Eclipse Photography) was used to take this "portrait" during the total lunar eclipse of 1993 Nov 29. A 4" AstroPhysics refractor (105EDT) was used at f/12, for a 60 second exposure on Ektachrome 400.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1993 Nov 29 (Dunkirk, Maryland) | |
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Lunar Eclipse Trail (TLE1993trail1) The star trail technique (see: Lunar Eclipse Photography) was used to take this photo during the total lunar eclipse of 1993 Nov 29. The lens aperture was oened to f/5.6 during totality. The narrow lines which parallel the Moon's path are images of bright stars.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1993 Nov 29 (Dunkirk, Maryland) | |
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1993 Lunar Eclipse Sequence (TLE1993diag1) An 4" AstroPhysics refractor (105EDT) was used to photograph various phases of the total lunar eclipse of 1993 Nov 29.The individual images were then scanned into a Macintosh and the final composition was arranged with Adobe Photoshop.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1993 Nov 29 (Dunkirk, Maryland) |
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All photographs, text and web pages are © Copyright 2007 by Fred Espenak, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. They may not be reproduced, published, copied or transmitted in any form, including electronically on the Internet or WWW, without written permission of the author. The photos have been digitally watermarked.
The photographs may be licensed for commercial, editorial, and educational use. Contact Espenak (at MrEclipse) for photo use in print, web, video, CD and all other media.
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Last revised: 2008 Jan 30
