Science 2

Science at Parramatta High
Another Lunar Eclipse over Parramatta
— July 16 2000 —

July the 16th brought the "deepest" (i.e. longest period of totality) total lunar eclipse since July 1953 (although some sources are quoting a date in the 19th century!).
This is the last total lunar eclipse of this century, and millennium.

	10:21pm	The moon entered the umbra at 9:57pm, but total cloud cover prevented any viewing here until 10:21pm A larger version (9k) of this photo may be viewed here.
	10:25pm	North is up for these images, reflecting the inversion produced by the camera lens. If this is a problem, simply turn your monitor upside-down. (...then scroll up the page.)
	10:31pm	The lens used on the webcam was a 200mm. It was stopped down to f22 here, and opened up to f4.5 approaching totality.
		10:36pm There is a huge difference in brightness between the brightest and the darkest areas on the moon during an eclipse.
		10:41pm These photos were all taken with a CCD webcam which, unfortunately, has a dynamic range which is far too narrow to satisfactorily record this image in one frame.
		10:44pm Consequently I have presented two images each for this part of the series; one for the bright side and one for the dark.
		10:47pm The blood-red colour on the area under shadow is very close to accurate.
		10:50pm Around this time the stars were really beginning to put on a show. Dozens and dozens of tiny, faint stars could be seen through the 'scope right next to the dark limb of the moon.
		10:53pm Seeing faint stars and a "full" moon in the same field of view of the 'scope was an experience not to be missed - and not to be forgotten.
		10:56pm In this image Mare Crisium (The "Sea of Crises") is being overtaken by the shadow of the earth.
	10:58pm
	11:00pm
	11:03pm	Whilst the eclipse was into totality here (just!) there still remained a considerable gradation of colour.
	11:12pm	As the eclipse progressed further into totality, photography with the webcam became progressively more difficult. In deep totality (around 11:55pm) the moon was so dull I would not have been able to capture it on-screen even if the clouds had parted for long enough.
	11:14pm	Shortly after this shot was taken the clouds moved in, in earnest. No further photos were possible. Click here for a larger (10k) version of this view.