TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
October 27 - 28, 2004
For once, the "Clear Sky Gods" shone
down upon us here in Schenectady, NY. Clouds were here all week, right up
to one hour before the eclipse, then clear skies all night long.
Almost 350 people showed up at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium at the Schenectady
museum for a Lunar Eclipse Celebration. Celestial Poetry Readings, and a Choir
singing celestial songs were just part of the evening that also contained
planetarium shows, free refreshments, and of course the eclipse. Free
admission was given to anyone that brought in any food item with a "spacey"
name, such as Milky Way Bars,
Celestial Seasonings Tea, Chicken and Stars Soup, etc. The food will be
donated to a local food pantry.
Free refreshments were given out, including Moon Pies (if you are from below the
Mason-Dixon, you know what those are) donated by the Chattanooga Bakery. NBC,
ABC, and Time Warner Cable covered the event, including NBC which did the 11:00
news LIVE from our observing!
About a dozen telescopes were set up by the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers (Led
by Sue and Alan French), and interns from the Dudley Observatory.
Considering that it was a school night, and a World Series Night, it was not a
bad turnout.
Enjoy the photos!
All photos by SLJRusso, Planetarium Manager, Suits-Bueche Planetarium.
Eclipse photos taken with Kodak EasyShare CX6330 pocket digital held up to eyepiece of Edmund Astroscan Telescope.
Moon Enters Penumbra (lighter shadow)----8:06 PM
Partial Eclipse Begins (darker shadow)------9:14 PM
Total Eclipse Begins--------------------------10:23 PM
Mid Eclipse-------------------------------------11:04 PM
Total Eclipse Ends----------------------------11:45 PM
Partial Eclipse Ends--------------------------12:54 AM (Morning of the 28th)
Moon Leaves Penumbra-----------------------2:03 AM (Morning of the 28th)
Penumbra: Lighter "outside" shadow of the Earth.
Umbra: Darker "inside" shadow of the Earth.
All Times Are Eastern Daylight Time.
Diagrams on this page are courtesy of Fred Espenak at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
For more information about Eclipses, go to his web sites at:
