Total Eclipse of the Moon: 3rd March 2007

This total eclipse of the moon was visible from Europe, across the Atlantic to North America on the 3rd of March 2007.  This was one of the most widely publicised and witnessed eclipses of the moon that I can remember.  The following day, pictures featured in most of the newspapers and it was clear that many people in Britain had been aware of it and had been able to witness at least part if not all of it.  Its accessibility was greatly aided by being on a Saturday night, and coinciding with a completely clear sky - a rare event in England at the beginning of March.  The eclipse began (from first incursion of the penumbra) at about 2020hrs, and the umbral shadow started to appear on the moon's face at about 2130hrs proceeding to totality at about 2245hrs.  Even at totality, the moon was visible as a dark orange-red globe which made it seem closer - like an orb floating within our atmosphere.  The umbral shadow began leaving the moon-face at about 2330hrs.   This photograph was taken by my brother, Paul Tan after 2330pm in my garden in Sunningwell.  He was using a Nikon D70 with a 300mm telephoto at f6.3 and ISO200.  This is a 1.6 second exposure.  The camera was tripod mounted and unguided.  The sky was clear but there was a fine mist forming which later became a light fog that put the moon into soft focus.  The phase of the eclipse is just past totality although this picture is later by a few minutes than the picture below.  We stayed watching it until the mist appeared - the moon was still half in shadow at 0130hrs when we finally got too cold and decided to give up for the night.

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