Tag: Moon

Full moons, Supermoons, and Lunar Eclipses

The last two days have presented some interesting opportunities to photograph the moon under vastly different lighting.

The day before the full moon (27 September 2015) was a chance to shoot the moon as it rose between the pillars of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. Timing and location was determined using The Photographers Ephemeris. Shooting the moon the day before the full moon ensures that the moon has risen high enough to clear the rocks and that there is still good lighting on the rocks.

As always, I get a little nervous as I wait for the moon to rise from behind the rocks. Did I get the location right? Usually I’m pretty close and only have to move a short distance in one direction or the other; this time I didn’t have to move at all. Whew! A couple of photographers from Flagstaff joined me for this event. It was their first time “Shooting the Moon” at Cathedral Rock and they had a great time.

A nearly full moon rising behind Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona.
A nearly full moon rising behind Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona.
Just a few minutes later, the moon is about to rise above the central spires of Cathedral Rock.
Just a few minutes later, the moon is about to rise above the central spires Cathedral Rock.

The main event came a day later with the lunar eclipse. This month’s full moon was also a so-called “Supermoon” which means that the moon was at perigee (closest approach). A full moon at perigee is visually larger up to 14% in diameter and shines 30% brighter than one at its farthest point (apogee). But since the moon was moving through the Earth’s shadow during the eclipse, brightness wasn’t really all that important.

Total lunar eclipse.
Total lunar eclipse.

The shadowed moon was dark enough that I was able to capture several stellar occultations during totality. This image was taken just a few seconds before the star HIP 1601 at the upper left limb of the moon was eclipsed. For this image, I used the iOptron Skytracker so that I could take longer images without streaking the stars or moon.

Just moments later, bands of thin cirrus clouds invaded the sky.

Moonrise above the snow-covered San Francisco Peaks

Here are a few recent images of the nearly-full moon rising above the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. The day before the full moon is often the most photogenic time as the landscape is still bathed in sunset light while the moon has already climbed well above the horizon.

But if only it was that easy! Earlier in the day I had used The Photographers Ephemeris (TPE) to find a location. I decided that a position on SR64 north of Williams, Arizona, would work and at that distance the moon would appear quite large juxtaposed against the mountains. Unfortunately, when I arrived at my predetermined spot I was not able to see the mountains. Numerous cinder cones and small hills completely blocked my view. I wish TPE was more intelligent than this photographer and would let me know of obstructions.

With less than 15 minutes until moonrise and one-half hour until the moon would be above the peaks, I had to find a new location quickly. I backtracked south on SR64 and then east along Route 66 but hills and trees continued to block my view. When I did finally get a clear view I was too far south and the moon would rise south (right) of the peaks. I stayed around for a few minutes to get a few consolation images of the moonrise then headed east again. Arriving in Parks, Arizona, I turned north and kept looking for a location with the moon above the peaks and a clear view. Finally, I found this location.

20150304_1822_DBP_5619 20150304_1823_DBP_5620

Although these were not the images I thought I was going to get I’m still happy with the result.

Note: No speed limits were broken while trying to reposition!

Another planetary conjunction

Another planetary conjunction occurred yesterday (31 Aug 2014) with the close placement of Mars, Saturn, and the Moon in the evening sky. It’s only been a few weeks since the planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in the morning sky so we’ve had an interesting few weeks for sky watching.

Mars and Saturn were joined by the crescent Moon to form a triangle in the evening sky. Using “The Photographers Ephemeris” I was able to determine that I could get a photograph of the triplet as they hung in the sky above Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. But if only it were that easy. After arriving at my predetermined spot I still had to move around to get a good setup. A bit of travel southward along the Templeton Trail…followed by some climbing up…then down…then back to the north…and finally I get a few minutes where they lined up with the spires of Cathedral Rock. Whew!

Conjunction of Mars, Saturn, and the crescent Moon.
Conjunction of Mars, Saturn, and the crescent Moon.

With that done, I retreated back down to the parking lot before it got too dark and spent another few hours photographing the Milky Way as it lined up with Cathedral Rock.

Milky Way and Cathedral Rock.
Milky Way and Cathedral Rock.

Moon rise behind Cathedral Rock in Sedona: Part II

Here are another set of images of the moon rise behind Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. I had two locations preselected for the shots on this day. The first was located about one and one-half miles west of the rocks so that the moon’s disk would appear larger than the gaps between the rocks. We were on the eastern slopes of Pyramid Peak (the eastern summit of Scheurman Mountain). This setup worked as planned but since it was still early in the evening the sky was too bright and the moon appeared washed out. I did get the result I was seeking, however, which was the moon larger than the opening between the different rock columns.

Moon rise behind Cathedral Rock---1st location.
Moon rise behind Cathedral Rock—1st location.
Moon rise behind Cathedral Rock---2nd location.
Moon rise behind Cathedral Rock—2nd location.

We moved to our second location—closer to Cathedral Rock which was now only one mile away—at the Red Rock Crossing/Crescent Moon picnic area. Many other photographers were assembled here but were scattered over a large area so that it wasn’t hard to secure a good spot for the next series of images. This time, the sky was darker and the moon was perfectly framed between the rock columns. I admit that I did not know, in advance, that it would work out this well. The Photographers Ephemeris can tell you the times and geometry of the setup but it can’t reveal how the size of the moon will compare with the rocks.

Lots of planning—and a little bit of good luck.

Moon Rise Behind Cathedral Rock in Sedona

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It’s spring and this is the time of the year when the moon rise behind the sunset-lit spires of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, can be breathtaking.

Two years ago, I took a 1-day workshop from Southwest Perspectives called “Sedona Full Moon Hunt.” We were taught not just how to use the camera for capturing the image but, more importantly, how to know when and where to position ourselves for these types of images.

There are several applications available for smart phones, tablets, and computers that provide this information. My program of choice is The Photographer’s Ephemeris. With this information in hand, one can position themselves in the right spot and wait for the moon to rise. The waiting part, however, can be tough as you wonder if you are in the “right” place. It’s a moment of relief, then, when the moon rises right where you expected it in the gap.

Moonrise behind Cathedral Rock.
Moonrise behind Cathedral Rock.

As the calendar marches forward into spring and early summer the location of the moon moves south relative to the rocks; it then moves north in the cooler season. It’s during the warmer months that it lines up best with the gaps between the spires.

Moonrise behind Cathedral Rock.
Moonrise behind Cathedral Rock.

If you get too close to the rocks the moon will appear small compared to the spires. Get farther away and the relative size of the moon appears much larger in comparison. But it’s never that easy. Some shooting locations are effortless to get to— drive, park, set up, done. Others require a bit of walking or hiking.

Getting in the right place is at least part of the enjoyment of capturing these images.