We were going to head up to the Eastern Sierra on October 6 before I found out there would be a total eclipse of the moon on morning of the 8th. Delaying our Fall Colors trip to the Eastern Sierra area turned out to be a great (call it lucky?) decision for a couple of reasons. First, it gave the Eastern Sierra a couple more days to turn itself into what proved to be a spectacular color season. Secondly, it gave me a chance to capture a total eclipse. Something I had never attempted before.
The hill at the top our our street proved to be a great vantage point according to the timing and angle predicted for the eclipse. The Partial eclipse would start around 0215 and work into the total starting at 0356, running through 0424 with a partial ending at 0534. The moon would be setting/eclipsing in the west, southwest sky. Then there were the weather forecasts…not too promising. High scattered clouds. Not what you need for capturing your first eclipse.
I went up to the hill on the 7th to practice and the clouds sucked. Got a few interesting full moon shining though the clouds shots in. But, that was about it. Fingers crossed tomorrow’s forecast would be wrong.
and it was!! the sky couldn’t have been clearer.
Here’s the link to a 50 second slideshow. 5 hours condensed into 50 seconds. The Blood Moon!