"Blue Moon"   Partial Eclipse - New Year's Eve 2009

It wasn't much of an eclipse - about 10% cover - but it was on a special night - and the 2nd Full moon in December

2009

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Briefly took the Bresser Skylux out and grabbed some shots with the Ricoh Caplio RR730

But it was freezing - so most shots were with the Lumix on quick dashes out!

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  The moon rose into silver birch trees and cloud in the NE around 15:30 UT.  Surprisingly, skies cleared before start of eclipse. 

Unsurprisingly, they came back for spells,  giving the eerie effect of an actual blue moon  ;-)

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Castor and Pollux were on guard as the shadow meandered over the edge of the moon - this was about as much as we got, around 20:00 UT

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The clouds started to come back - here starting to catch Orion in the SE

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Clouds and icy temperatures  produced halo and star effects then cleared again for the last bit of shadow around 20:15 UT (approx.)

2010

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The full moon shone through the night giving a blue sheen to the ice on the roofs

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Then finally, back to the trees - poplars this time

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The 'Blue Moon' finally goes down in the NW around 09:30 UT on the 1st day of  2010

 

Blue Moon facts? see Spaceweather