B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

This is the discussion forum for the Beginners Special Interest Group. Whether you just learned how to spell t-e-l-e-s-c-o-p-e or have years of observing experience you're welcome!

Moderators: defalkner, Sureshks, SEmert

Post Reply
User avatar
Sureshks
Posts: 1220
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:43 pm
Real Name: Suresh Sreenivasan
Location: Hopkins, MN

B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by Sureshks »

Hello all,

We are hosting a special Beginner's group event on Sunday May 15th for the Total Lunar Eclipse.

We will meet up that evening at 7:30pm at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy.

Details for Sun. May 15th Total Lunar Eclipse: (from timeanddate.com)

Moonrise is at 8:23pm CT (declination -19°36' / azimuth 117°39')
Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 8:32pm CT
Partial Phase Begins: 9:28pm
Total Phase Begins: 10:29pm
Max. Eclipse: 11:11pm
Total Phase Ends: 11:54pm
Partial Phase Ends: 12:55am

Penumbral Phase Ends: 1:50am

This is about as good timing as we can have for a lunar eclipse prior to a workday!!

For more information about the eclipse, see here: https://www.space.com/total-lunar-eclip ... g-may-2022

Everyone is invited, there is no charge to attend and kids are welcome! Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Also, bring a few extra clothing layers in case temps dip at night. We will have telescopes on hand for people to look thru, but if you have a telescope or binoculars, bring them too!

Directions to Metcalf Field: (see this Google Maps link): https://goo.gl/maps/UNkt67YPWg4qAjuP6

Metcalf Field GPS Coordinates: 44.93734 N / 92.82157 W

For more information on Metcalf Field, see here: http://www.mnastro.org/facilities/metcalf/

Directions:
Head east past Woodbury on I-94 to the Manning exit (exit 253). Turn south and then take the first left onto Hudson Road S. Continue east about 1.5 miles and turn right onto Indian Trail. Check your odometer here, and then travel 1.1 miles. You'll see an unmarked chain-link gate on the right side. This is the entrance to Metcalf field. Enter the dirt path and park on the left side. There are 2 small reflectors on poles marking the entrance. If you have a telescope with you, you can also park on the right (north side) of the field.

If you haven't been to Metcalf Field, it can be a little difficult to locate the entrance. So please plan on arriving in daylight.

Please drop me an email at sureshks1@msn.com so I can keep you up to date on weather-related changes to the schedule. I will make the weather Go/No Go decision on Saturday night.

We hope to see you there!

Suresh
Suresh Sreenivasan
B-SIG/FB/Metcalf Comm

Refr: AP 130mm GTX/SW 120mm/Borg 4"/Unitron 150 4"/Jason 2.25”
Dobs: ATM 16"/Orion 12”
Newts: Cave 8" RFT/Criterion RV6/Astroscan 4"/Orion 3.6" TCT
SNs: Meade 6"/Celestron 5.5"
SCTs: Celestron 9.25"/8”/B&L Criterion 4”
Maks: SW 7"/Quantum 4"/Meade 3.5” ETX
Cass: Vixen 8” VISAC/Simmons 4.5"
RC: MallinCam 10"
Sol: Lunt 80mm DS/PST
Bino: Vixen 12x80/Nikon 10x50
Mounts: CGX/EQ6r-Pro/AVX/GDPX/Porta II
User avatar
wmaalouli
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:58 pm
Real Name: Walid Maalouli

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by wmaalouli »

Here's a handy exposure guide for photographing lunar eclipses using an SLR or DSLR camera:
Lunar eclipse exposure guide.gif.pdf
(64.71 KiB) Downloaded 543 times
Telescopes: Orion XTg-8 dobsonian, Meade Mini Lightbridge 114 reflector, Meade ETX-70,80 and 90
Binoculars: Celestron 15x70
User avatar
wmaalouli
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:58 pm
Real Name: Walid Maalouli

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by wmaalouli »

Couldn't make it to the field last night but still managed the capture the start of the full lunar eclipse with my Meade ETX-80, Svbony 105 camera and 0.5x focal reducer. As cheap an astrophotography setup as one can have, but outsized fun :)
Full lunar eclipse small 5-15-22.jpg
Full lunar eclipse small 5-15-22.jpg (26.48 KiB) Viewed 9492 times
Telescopes: Orion XTg-8 dobsonian, Meade Mini Lightbridge 114 reflector, Meade ETX-70,80 and 90
Binoculars: Celestron 15x70
User avatar
Sureshks
Posts: 1220
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:43 pm
Real Name: Suresh Sreenivasan
Location: Hopkins, MN

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by Sureshks »

Greetings all,

We had about 65 attendees last night for the Total lunar eclipse viewing party on a beautiful clear night. Alan T. counted around 30 telescopes set up as well. The evening started out with a few minutes of light rain which produced a lovely rainbow in the southeastern sky. We took that as an omen for a good eclipse, and it sure was! It took the Moon about an hour to clear the trees, but once it did we had an unrestricted view of the last 50% of the pre-totality partial phases, all of totality and after. That was one of the darker total lunar eclipses I've seen... probably due to the Moon's low elevation in eastern Libra, but maybe there was also some lingering smoke in the atmosphere from the New Mexico fires. During mid-totality the Moon looked surreal, almost like a charcoal sketch of very dark orange/red and black.

Around 10:30pm we had a Starlink pass in the northeastern sky as well as a very good pass of the ISS high up in the northern sky. A lot of people present had never seen either so that was definitely a highlight.

Most of the crowd was gone by mid-eclipse but a few of us hung around till near the end around 1:00am. It really was a fun night!

Thank you to our volunteers last night: Bernie Stinger, Andy Harwood, Phil Ramsay, Todd Farnham, Dave Falkner, Clayton Lindsay, Alan Touchberry, Steve Baranski, Jason Asper, Paul Gade & Cathy Sidles, Jim Knudsen...

Join us for the next BSIG event at Metcalf Field on Saturday June 11th...

Suresh
Attachments
20220515_204006_resized.jpg
20220515_204006_resized.jpg (185.49 KiB) Viewed 9476 times
20220515_221734_resized.jpg
20220515_221734_resized.jpg (22.06 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204919_resized_1.jpg
20220515_204919_resized_1.jpg (77.81 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204858_resized.jpg
20220515_204858_resized.jpg (158.43 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204833_resized_1.jpg
20220515_204833_resized_1.jpg (91.45 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204227_resized_1.jpg
20220515_204227_resized_1.jpg (169.28 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204212_resized.jpg
20220515_204212_resized.jpg (162.75 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204147_resized_1.jpg
20220515_204147_resized_1.jpg (151.99 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204128_resized.jpg
20220515_204128_resized.jpg (152.68 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_204101_resized.jpg
20220515_204101_resized.jpg (162.79 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_203930_resized.jpg
20220515_203930_resized.jpg (203.3 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_203859_resized_1.jpg
20220515_203859_resized_1.jpg (98.89 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
20220515_195235_resized_1.jpg
20220515_195235_resized_1.jpg (111.23 KiB) Viewed 9484 times
Suresh Sreenivasan
B-SIG/FB/Metcalf Comm

Refr: AP 130mm GTX/SW 120mm/Borg 4"/Unitron 150 4"/Jason 2.25”
Dobs: ATM 16"/Orion 12”
Newts: Cave 8" RFT/Criterion RV6/Astroscan 4"/Orion 3.6" TCT
SNs: Meade 6"/Celestron 5.5"
SCTs: Celestron 9.25"/8”/B&L Criterion 4”
Maks: SW 7"/Quantum 4"/Meade 3.5” ETX
Cass: Vixen 8” VISAC/Simmons 4.5"
RC: MallinCam 10"
Sol: Lunt 80mm DS/PST
Bino: Vixen 12x80/Nikon 10x50
Mounts: CGX/EQ6r-Pro/AVX/GDPX/Porta II
User avatar
Deane Clark
Posts: 2446
Joined: Wed May 19, 2004 11:38 pm
Location: Mpls

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by Deane Clark »

Awesome!
That starlink pass was amazing. Even more so watching them zip through the field of my telescope. I’d never seen a set so soon after launch.
Deane Clark
Eagle Lake Observatory keyholder
------------------------
I can quit any time I want. I just don't want to.
www.aponon.org
rdavidjohnson63
Posts: 496
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Johnson

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by rdavidjohnson63 »

Here are a couple of my shots. Nikon D5100 through my Stellarview 105 on a CGEM-II that was not powered. As a result I had some star trails from the 3 and 4 second exposures.
DSC_5702.JPG
DSC_5702.JPG (76.69 KiB) Viewed 9466 times
DSC_5925.JPG
DSC_5925.JPG (75.37 KiB) Viewed 9466 times
DSC_6195.JPG
DSC_6195.JPG (76.48 KiB) Viewed 9466 times
DSC_6243.JPG
DSC_6243.JPG (76.56 KiB) Viewed 9466 times
Keyholder - ELO and JJC
Mentor - JJC
Celestron CPC 925
Celestron 8SE
Celestron CGEM II mount
Stellarvue SV105
Lunt LS60T Ha w/Sky-Watcher - SolarQuest Alt-Azimuth Solar Mount
Astro-Tech AT102ED
ZWO - ASI294MC Pro
User avatar
Sureshks
Posts: 1220
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:43 pm
Real Name: Suresh Sreenivasan
Location: Hopkins, MN

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by Sureshks »

Here's my first lightly-processed pic...

Taken 5/15/22 at 11:14pm CT
Borg 4" f/6.4 refractor on AVX mount
Nikon D7200 @ ISO 250
5-second exposure

Suresh
Attachments
DSC_0125 II.jpg
DSC_0125 II.jpg (15.37 KiB) Viewed 9443 times
Suresh Sreenivasan
B-SIG/FB/Metcalf Comm

Refr: AP 130mm GTX/SW 120mm/Borg 4"/Unitron 150 4"/Jason 2.25”
Dobs: ATM 16"/Orion 12”
Newts: Cave 8" RFT/Criterion RV6/Astroscan 4"/Orion 3.6" TCT
SNs: Meade 6"/Celestron 5.5"
SCTs: Celestron 9.25"/8”/B&L Criterion 4”
Maks: SW 7"/Quantum 4"/Meade 3.5” ETX
Cass: Vixen 8” VISAC/Simmons 4.5"
RC: MallinCam 10"
Sol: Lunt 80mm DS/PST
Bino: Vixen 12x80/Nikon 10x50
Mounts: CGX/EQ6r-Pro/AVX/GDPX/Porta II
User avatar
SEmert
Posts: 1794
Joined: Mon May 31, 2004 2:48 pm
Real Name: Steve Emert
Location: White Bear Lake, MN

Re: B-SIG Special Event - Total Lunar Eclipse - Sunday May 15th - 7:30pm - Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy

Post by SEmert »

You caught the Starlink trail! We saw it at ELO too. I wasn't fast enough at calling my wife at home to get out and look at before it faded out in the east. I was happy I could at least show her your picture.
Steve Emert
MAS Membership Coordinator
12.5" f/4.7 Obsession Clone Homemade Truss Dob, sometimes equipped with Celestron StarSense Explorer app
Celestron C8 SCT OTA on AVX GEQ mount
Astro-Tech AT72 ED Refractor OTA usually on Explore Scientific Twilight 1mount or tripod with Benro geared head
Celestron 5" SCT OTA on Synta AZ-4 or Explore Scientific Twilight 1 Alt-Az Mount, usually equipped with StarSense Explorer app
Orion 150mm Mak OTA and Orion EQ-G computerized mount
Post Reply