by

David O. Darling

Preparation for the Lunar eclipse began around 3:00 P.M. when I began setting up all the equipment. I deployed the SCT C8 to use the low lux level television camera to record using standard video tape. I also set up my Orion Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield refractor. Using my Sony Digital Still camera DSC-P71 to image the eclipse. I also set up the children’s telescope the Orion Star blast. I also uncovered the 12.5 f 5 Cave Newtonian reflector in my new observatory building. All the equipment was set up on the east side of the house to wait for the Moon to rise above the tree line. The Moon was rising very far north of east and I was not able to take my first image until 6:13 P.M. Because of the trees. I was able to go into the street and view the Moon in a notch in the tree line and could see the eclipse was in progress. In binoculars the Moon was very striking.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 00:13 UT November 9.

Tonight’s observing event was a real treat with my long time friend David Weier coming over to assist in the documentation of the event. I should also mention that I set up my camcorder on a tripod to take full disk shots of the eclipse.

The most interesting aspect of this eclipse was my focus on the crater Tycho as it passed through the umbra shadow. I was using the PC 164C Micro Super Low light Monochrome Video Camera. When Tycho passed into the umbra it took on a strange appearance. The crater rim had the appearance of looking like a ghost ring still glowing in the umbra and the central peak was also glowing. On several occasions both David Weier and myself saw flashes on the rim of Tycho as well as on the central peak. When viewing the crater Tycho visually using the 12.5 f 5 Newtonian with 25mm eyepiece I saw a flash on the rim located by the double ray that merges about 1 crater wide from the crater rim. Dave Weier was watching the television monitor and he saw the same flash.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 00:23 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 00:34 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 00:46 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 00:56 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 01:11 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 01:22 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 01:46 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 02:16 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 02:19 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 02:50 UT November 9.

Image taken with 5” Astro View 120ST EQ Richfield Refractor using Sony

Digital still camera DSC-P71, photo taken at 03:14 UT November 9.

We continued to keep the low light camera on the crater Tycho during its entire passage through the umbra shadow and had many flashes on the rim noted and just as many flashes on the central peak.

Weather note the temperature was a low 16 degrees Fahrenheit with no wind. The sky was crystal clear with no clouds or haze detected. The stars them selves remain as diamonds in the sky that did not twinkle. A most excellent night for observing a lunar eclipse.

9 NOVEMBER 2003

I examined the black and white tape used with the SCT C8 and the low lux level camera. The following is the summary of remarks made on the video tape.

0:06 UT. Umbra shadow 300 miles from Tycho, nothing unusual noted about crater.

0:12 UT. Umbra getting closer about 250 miles from edge of crater.

0:17 UT. Tycho located about 3 crater widths from rim of Tycho.

0:21 UT. Can start to see orange on the disk of the Moon with naked eye. Umbra very pronounce using the 4.5 inch reflector.

0:24 UT. Umbra shadow one crater width from Tycho. The dark zone around Tycho rim becoming darker the interior of crater has gray appearance.

0:28 UT. Tycho very close to contacting umbra shadow.

0:30 UT. Flash inside of umbra about 300 miles west of crater Tycho. The crater Tycho beginning to merge into shadow. Rim is taking on mother of pearl appearance.

0:32 UT. Portion of Moon deep in the umbra shadow becoming very red. Striking to the naked eye. Crater Tycho half way into the umbra shadow, can still see the central peak.

00:33 U.T. Fellow amateur astronomer and long time friend Dave Weier arrived to view eclipse.

0:34 UT. Crater Tycho has become lost in the umbra shadow.

0:36 U.T. Dave Weier remarks on how bright the rim of Tycho and central peak were glowing.

0:37 UT. Central Peak in Tycho scintillating, both Dave Weier and myself saw event.

0:41 UT. Can now resolve the rim, floor, and central peak of Tycho now that its gone deeper into the shadow.

0:44 UT. Saw a flash on the rim of Tycho located on the 10:00 o’clock position with north being at the top of the crater. Also saw a flash on the central peak of Tycho. Both witness by Dave Weier and myself.

0:46 UT. Flash now seen on rim of Tycho on the 8:00 o’clock position again north being the top of the crater.

0:49 UT. Could see with naked eye limb brightening on the east and west limb of the Moon. Can still see the central peak of Tycho to continue to pop into view.

0:51 UT. The disk of the Moon has taken on the appearance of planet Mars. The red disk is very striking in the pitch black sky.

1:02 UT. The crater Tycho and vicinity still standing out but umbra shadow surrounding it very dark.

1:03 UT. The dark ring surrounding the crater Tycho very easy to see. The interior of the crater also easy to see. With the rim of Tycho continuing to stand out bright.

1:05 UT. Tycho appearance continuing to remain the same. Umbra shadow nearing second contact.

1:06 UT. Went to do visual with 12.5 f5 Newtonian reflector and when viewing the Moon I saw a flash on the rim of Tycho located near the double ray that later merges. Dave Weier who was viewing the TV screen with SCT C8 camera also saw the same flash on the rim. This would be at the 7:00 o’clock position.

1:09 UT. Dave Weier saw the whole rim of the crater Tycho become brighter.

1:11 UT. We both saw the central peak of Tycho pop into clarity for a brief moment.

1:17 UT. Saw a bright flash 200 miles southwest of the crater Tycho.

1:25 U.T. The crater Tycho continues to stand out in the umbra shadow.

1:47 U.T. Tycho located about 3 crater width away from umbra shadow. Nothing unusual noted except the rim of the crater and the central peak have mother of pearl appearance.

1:50 U.T. The rim of Tycho at 2 o-clock position appearing brighter than rest of crater. Also central peak appearing brighter.

1:51 U.T. The umbra shadow only 1 crater width from rim of crater Tycho.

1:54 U.T. Central peak coming in an out and scintillating.

1:55 U.T. Crater Tycho having strong mother of pearl effects on rim and central peak. Floor appears same as surrounding area outside crater rim.

2:00 U.T. Umbra shadow has cleared the crater Tycho. Monitoring of crater has stopped.

2:05 U.T. Move over to monitor the crater Proclus for 30 seconds nothing unusual noted.

2:05 U.T. Moved over to Aristarchus which was close to the edge of the umbra shadow. Nothing abnormal observed during monitoring.

2:12 U.T. Umbra shadow has moved off crater Aristarchus going back to crater Proclus. Watched for several minutes nothing abnormal noted.

End of Video Session.

Conclusions: Was found that a number of flashes and mother of pearl appearance took place on the rim and central peak of the crater Tycho while in the umbra shadow. Many of these were seen by both observers David Weier and myself using two separate telescopes. I was using my 12.5 f5 Cave Newtonian for visual and Dave Weier was viewing the television screen used for the low lux camera with the SCT C8. I also examined my dozens of photographs displayed on Spaceweather.com.