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2015: An Extraordinary Lunar Eclipse  (2015-9-28) ⬅︎
A lunar eclipse is not a rare event. Every year there are at least two and sometimes as many as five visible from somewhere on earth. Like every object in sunlight, the earth casts a shadow. The moon travels either through or close to the shadow during every full moon. Usually it goes above or below the shadow.

What is unusual, though, is to have a lunar eclipse...
- conveniently timed to be viewed (early evening on a Sunday)
- with perfect weather (not a single cloud in sight in western Washington)
- with the moon at perigee (closest in its orbit to earth) called a 'supermoon'
- easily visible from Starry Hill (it rose next to Mt Rainier)
- with a multitude of stargazers joined in to witness the event!

And this describes the specialness of the Sep 27, 2015 Lunar Eclipse -- one that none of us will likely forget.

Of course we took pictures! The photo on the left was taken by Star Guides Gwen and Brett using a small 5" telescope. It was taken when the moon was deep within earth's shadow -- the umbra -- and at its reddest. The photo on the right was taken by Star Guide Braden using the large 12" telescope under the dome. It was taken when the moon was starting to emerge from the umbra. Small amounts of processing were done to bring out details in both photos.

Update: Both photos were featured on the KOMO News website including its main page.