Total Eclipse of the Heart

It was bitterly cold at the nature center last night. But that didn’t stop a dozen hardy souls from venturing out into night to view the Raccoon Moon and total lunar eclipse. It was amazing. First, we sat through a short presentation given by an amateur astronomer about eclipses and moon names. Then we tugged on our layers and tromped outside for a hike in the night. We were walking in the dark, following deer paths, walking on frozen lakes, climbing snowy hills, listening for owls and critters, and watching the earth’s shadow cover the moon. It was spectacular. After the hike, we set up our telescopes and cameras to better view the display. When the cold got too much for even the bravest of Minnesotans, we packed it in and head for home.

I am happy with the few pictures I took. During the initial covering of the moon, I was on the trail sans tripod so those photos are quite blurry. I got a couple photos of the eclipse that aren’t too blurry. I don’t have a remote for my camera yet so I used the 2-second self timer and that resulted in less blur but there is still some noticeable blurring. Still, I am happy with what I have and I had a great time getting the photos. If it hadn’t been so cold, I would have stayed out longer and experimented more with the settings and such. Still, a good time was had by all who attended.