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Posts Tagged 'lunar-eclipse'

Total lunar eclipse on 16th May 2022

April 25 2022, Marcus Schenk

After more than three years, we are once again about to enjoy a total lunar eclipse. It is a memorable experience when the full moon gradually disappears from the sky, smouldering with an unearthly rust-coloured glow.

This year, we are only able to view the first partial phase up until the start of the totality. You can find everything you need to know in the “Brief information about the total lunar eclipse” infographic.

We wish you a very happy lunar experience! With the naked eye, a telescope or binoculars.


Useful products for the lunar eclipse

Do you have a telescope and want to quickly and easily photograph the Moon? The Omegon Easy-Pic smartphone adapter is ideally suited to this. Simply attach it to the eyepiece and lock your smartphone in place –  and you’ll soon have a lasting memory of this unique experience.

Smartphoneadapter für die Mondfinsternis

Our infographic provides the most important information about the current lunar eclipse. When the Moon shines red in the sky, it shines several magnitudes less bright. Photographing it with a long enough focal length without a telescope can be a challenge – especially during totality. Is there a simple solution? Yes. The Omegon Mini Track. Although most often used for the Milky Way and deep sky astronomy, it is also an excellent tool here. Tracking provides sharp images of the red Moon.

Die MiniTrack nimmt auch eine Mondfinsternis auf

Of course, every telescope and every pair of handheld binoculars are suitable for observation. Take a look at our product pages – you can find a suitable device for every type of observation.

Like our infographic? You can share and print out our graphic, hang it in your observatory for visitors or create a link to it on your website (at: www.astroshop.eu).

Want to soak up some of the atmosphere? In this blog post, you can see images of the lunar eclipse created by our colleagues in 2018.

Total Lunar Eclipse 2018: Images from Our Colleagues

July 30 2018, Joshua Taboga

What a night! First the Mars Opposition and then the Total Lunar Eclipse.  And hopefully, fantastic weather!  Nights in t-shirts.  What more could you want as a hobby astronomer and observer?  Finally, our hobby has made it into the spotlight of the public again.  Of course, the media weren’t always strictly scientific in their reporting and there were a few questionable pieces written.  But, what are you going to do? The focus was on Astronomy and we think that is great!

Observatories received hundreds of visitors on the 27th, who just wanted a glance through a telescope.  All were excited about the “blood Moon”.  Families came and spread themselves out in the fields with picnic baskets, as kids frolic across the open spaces.  Everywhere in cities, people looked up to the cosmos.  The Lunar Eclipse was not only an astronomical event, rather also a feeling in a mild summer night… one, which will remain in our memories for some time.

Our colleagues had the chance to really enjoy the evening of the eclipse, and took a few photos here and there. A couple of images are visible below.

Menschen beobachten Mondfisternis

The first people coming together in a field, to watch the eclipse together.  Credit: Tassilo Bohm

 

Mofi aus Portugal

Photo series of the eclipse.  Credit: Joao Martins

 

The eclipse 2018 from Auerberg. Credit: Alexander Olbrich

 

The eclipse at a glance.  Below, Mars is visible.  Credit: Marcus Schenk

 

Mondfinsternis über Landsberg

Lunar Eclipse above Landsberg, Germany.  Credit: Marcus Schenk with Nikon Coolpix P900 and tripod

 

Mondfinsternis kurz vor dem Austritt

The Moon as it leaves the Earth’s shadow.  Credit: Marcus Schenk

 

Mondfinsternis auf dem Auerberg

The view from Auerberg towards the Alps.  Credit: Stefan Schuchardt

 

Stefan from consulting and Alex from the repair shop were happy to see the lunar eclipse.

 

Mondfinsternis 2018 mit dem Sternenhimmel

The Moon with Mars with a stellar backdrop.  To the right, you can see Sagitarius and Saturn. Credit: Stefan Schuchardt

 

Der Mond beim Austritt aus dem Kernschatten

The Moon as it leaves the Earth’s shadow.  Credit: Stefan Schuchardt

Mars Opposition und Lunar Eclipse on 27 July 2018: A Glance at the Pair

July 19 2018, Marcus Schenk

On the 27th of July 2018, two amazing highlights will be visible in our sky: a near Mars Opposition and a Total Lunar Eclipse. Two events that are not to be missed.  But what should you know before your observation?  The where, how and when are detailed below.

Totale Mondfinsternis

Lunar Eclipse in 2007

1st Highlight: The Longest Lunar Eclipse of this Century

During the night of 27th of July, save the date, because the heavens will put on a show.  We, in Europe, will witness the only lunar eclipse of the year.  The feeling of awe as the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow inspires, especially as our satellite begins to shine red.  Various media outlets have deemed the event the “blood Moon”, but the color resembles a rusty red, copper red or brown red.

In this phase, we will be able to enjoy the eclipse for an especially long time: 1 hour and 44 minutes.  That is a small record, since we will be witnesses to the longest lunar eclipse of the century.

Verlauf der Mondfinsternis 2018

The Path of the Lunar Eclipse on 27th of July 2018

 

 

The Moon Will Rise Already Eclipsed

The facts are clear: whenever the full Moon passes into the Earth’s shadow, we get a total lunar eclipse.  Most of the time, our path moves past above or below the shadow or grazes the edges of the umbra.  On the 27th of July it will be different.  The Moon will pass almost perfectly in the middle of the Earth’s shadow (see graphic above), giving us the chance to enjoy an extremely long Lunar Eclipse.

That’s all great, but there is just one problem, which you should keep an eye out for.

As the Moon Rises

At 8:24 PM CET: the Moon will move into the Earth’s shadow, slowly being consumed by darkness and disappearing.  We won’t see any of it, since it will all take place before the Moon is in our view.  The Moon will first be visible in central Europe at 9 PM.

But Don’t Worry!

We will see our satellite rise above the southeast horizon, just as the best phase is starting.  Totality! For the next 104 minutes, we can forget about the world around us.  Take out a pair of your favorite binoculars, a telescope, or your camera with a telephoto lens.  The Moon will rise further above the horizon, transformation to a fantastic object to see.

Now is the opportunity to get some great photos in combination with a landscape or houses.  Tip: look for a spot with a free view of the southeastern horizon.

Further along, the Moon will rise higher, but as a typical Summer Moon does, it will not reach a really high position in the sky.

Observation Times:

First contact into umbra 8:24 PM CET
Begin of Totality 9:30 PM CET
End of Totality 11:13 PM
Last contact 12:19 AM CET

2nd Highlight: Mars Opposition

Simultaneously, we can witness another “red phenomenon”: Mars will reach Opposition.  Also something of special note, the red planet will only be 57 million km away – an extremely short distance from Earth and something some observers have been waiting on for decades.

The next time a similar event will take place will be in the year 2035!  With a diameter of 24″, Mars will appear to be relatively large.  Polar caps, Albedo and bright structures will be easily recognizable!

Marsgröße im Laufe des Jahres 2018

The Size of Mars in 2018. Click to enlarge.

 

Only drawback: Mars will hang low in the night sky this year.  More info about the opposition and how to observe close to the horizon with good results.

Mars Opposition 2018: How to Observe Mars and its Details

5 Simple Ways to See and Photograph the Lunar Eclipse and the Opposition of Mars

 

5 Simple Ways to See and Photograph the Lunar Eclipse and the Opposition of Mars

July 13 2018, Marcus Schenk

Attention all lovers of nature, amateur astronomers and night owls: the night of the 27th of July, 2018 will be totally different.  In this particular night, we will experience the Opposition of Mars and a rare Total Lunar Eclipse in Europe!  It is sure to be a midnight Summer dream, in the middle of warm temperatures and mystical experiences.

In this article, you will learn about, that which you can use to observe and photograph the Total Lunar Eclipse and Mars.

Another interesting point: currently, there are a number of other planets to see. Now is the perfect opportunity to jump into Astronomy.  You will be rewarded with a fireworks show of planets.  Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are waiting for you to rediscover them!

As the night slowly falls, the Moon will rise in the southeast.  Our satellite will look unusual and simultaneously fascinating.  Almost completely eclipsed, it will rise higher and higher.  The “blood Moon”,  which evoked fears and superstitions of death and destruction in earlier times, will be visible for us to witness with our knowledge and science in a relaxing manner and with a smile.

The highlight of this year: at a length of 1 hour and 44 minutes of totality, we will get to enjoy the longest Lunar Eclipse of the century! More information about this event is available below.

Now you can read on to learn about the 5 ways and effective products, to observe the Moon and the Planets. Let’s go!

 

1. Discover the Sky with Binoculars

The lunar eclipse is visible with the naked eye,  but with a pair of binoculars, the Moon in the Earth’s shadow becomes an especially intense experience. For an great observation, we recommend the Omegon Binoculars Nightstar 20×80.  These binos are a great alternative to a telescope or as an entry into Astronomy.  They are bright and something that you can always carry with you.  Just point the binos to the sky or mount them on a tripod.  Then you will see the Moon in all its glory and innumerable craters.  It is amazing with both eyes, as if you were there.  But there is more.  You can can even view  Jupiter and its moons as well as starclusters, such as the Pleiades or the Andromeda Galaxy.

Großfernglas 20x80

The Omegon Binoculars 20×80

2. Getting closer with a telescope

Much like a mega zoom into the cosmos: A telescope allows you to see real detail. Observe the entire Moon, singular lunar craters, Jupiter, or Saturn with its massive system of rings. However you want.  The possibilities are endless!  With a greater magnification, only available with telescopes, you will be able to see Mars for the planet that it is and not just the red “star” in the night sky.  The Omegon AC 70/700 AZ-2 is the most budget-friendly entry point.  With a 70mm aperture, it collects 100 times more light than the naked eye.  The eyepieces enable a 35x and 70x magnification, or in combination with a barlow lense up to 140x.  More details and more resolution is available in the Omegon AC 90/1000 EQ-2.  The telescope is our tip for entry into lunar and planetary observing.  With a 90mm aperture, you will be able to see many details, such as the cloud bands on Jupiter or the polar caps on Mars.

Einsteigerteleskop

The Omegon AC 90/1000 EQ-2 – Recommendation for entry into Astronomy

3. The simplest way to your own astrophotos

A photo of the lunar eclipse?  It’s possible with the simplest tools.

With a telescope, the path to your own photos is just a small step.  The best camera for such a task is right in your pocket: your smartphone!  Pick up a Smartphone adapter, which will keep your phone perfectly positioned above the eyepiece.  We also offer the more budget-friendly Omegon Smartphone Adapter, which demands a bit of finesse or the Omegon Easypic Universal.  This smartphone adapter is a self-centering and easy-to-use device.  It only takes one minute and you will already have taken your own lunar photo.

Smartphoneadapter

Omegon Easypic Universal Smartphone adapter

4. The right eyepiece is decisive, when it comes to details

With eyepieces, you often must separate the wheat from the chaff.  An eyepiece is essentially an extended arm of the telescope’s optic and you should put a lot of stock into selection, just as you would with a telescope itself.  A good tip would be to replace old or standard eyepieces with high quality ones, which can provide you with a significantly better image.  Excellent crispness and great contrast can be found in the Omegon LE Planetry Eyepieces for all 1,25“.  The customer reviews range from “just fantastic” to “you cannot believe it”.

The Family of Omegon LE Planetary Eyepieces

5. Color filters for better contrast

Much like a chain, the planets of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars will appear to us in a line, and all after darkness has fallen, during the most comfortable time of year.  The constellation of planets is so rare, that now is the time to jump into astronomy.  Amateurs can easily pinpoint the planets and see details of each.  Polar caps and other structures on Mars, or the big red dot on Jupiter become more visible with the appropriate color filters.  Placed into the eyepiece, filters can lead to an epiphany for any motivated observer.  The Omegon Color filter set features the most important ones for all planets.  Other contrast filters or our Lunar Filter are also a helpful inclusion to your collection.

Farbfilter für die Planetenbeobachtung

Color filter set with 6 color filters

 

Other information about the Total Lunar Eclipse and the Mars Opposition is available here:

Infographic: Total Lunar Eclipse on the 27th of June 2018

Mars Opposition 2018: How to Observe Mars and its Details

 

Infographic: Total Lunar Eclipse on the 27th of July 2018

July 13 2018, Marcus Schenk

On the 27th of July, 2018, a fascinating event awaits us in Europe: a total lunar eclipse.  As the darkness falls upon us, a red, darkened Moon will rise above the horizon, as it moves through the Earth’s shadow.  After almost 3 years, the Moon is back to entertain stargazers, amateur astronomers and nature photographers.

All the important info can be found in the infographic below:

Enjoy this event and clear skies!

 

If you are looking for the right binocular or telescope, check out our selection!

PS – If you like the infographic above, feel free to share it, print it out, hang it up in your local observatory for all visitors, or even post it on your own website, with a link to www.astroshop.eu.