Tomorrow is the longest total moon eclipse of this century, and to photograph it successfully you will need a little preparation. In this article I explain how to photograph tomorrow’s eclipse, and where to do it from Genoa and Milan, but it is applicable to the whole area of Italy and Spain. If you are reading from America I am sorry, but you will have to wait for the next eclipse.
A Moon eclipse happens when the moon passes behind the Earth and positions itself in its shadow. For this to happen it must be full moon but, due to differences in the orbits, this phenomenon is much less frequent. The last time we saw a similar one was in June 2011.
To prepare for this occasion, first we need to know at what time we have to be there. You can find this information on local newspapers or on the web. The eclipse will begin at 19:14 (17:14 UTC) but will not still be visible from Genoa and Milan, where we will have to wait until 21:47 to see it. Luckily the full eclipse will be between 21:30 and 23:13 (19:30 to 21:30 UTC), peaking at 22:21. The eclipse will end completely at 1:28.
Next we need to know where the moon will be. There are websites like mooncalc, with which you can follow the moon at all times. In the Genoa and Milan area the Moon will be located in the southeast, with an azimuth between 124º and 145º and a height of between 5,6º and 18,4º, standing at 134,32º with a height of 12,47º at its maximum point.
Now we have to look for a place with a clear view towards the southeast since the moon will not be very high in the sky. In Genoa we will be lucky, as the sea is in that direction. Next to the city center a good place to observe it will be Spianata de Castelletto, or the funicular of Righi, both located above the city and offering nice views of the moon over it. In Milan a good place to enjoy it will be the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli at Porta Venezia.
How to photograph the eclipse
To photograph the eclipse you will need your camera, a tripod to keep your camera steady and a long focal lens to get an image with the moon at a decent size. In addition to this, a remote trigger and a flashlight or headlamp will be useful. When photographing the moon, use the largest aperture your composition allows, in order to maintain the shutter relatively fast. Remember the rule of 500 when adjusting the shutter speed, this should not be greater than 500 / f seconds, for example, with a 200mm you should use an exposure of 500/200= 2.5 seconds or faster, so the celestial objects do not appear moved. Once the aperture and speed have been decided, adjust the sensitivity until you have a correct exposure.
If you have any questions about which equipment to use, here is a list with my equipment (links to amazon):
Manfrotto 055 XPRO3 with ballhead
Nikon D600 o D750
Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII
Nikon 70-300 VR
Shutter release
Headlamp Black Diamond Revolt
Buying through these links will cost you the same but it will help the continuity of this website. Thank you.