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Totality of the Lunar Eclipse 1/2001

Date:09.01.2001 Time:about 20:00 UT Exposure:30s
Field of View:1.3o x 1.0o Emulsion:Kodak Ektachrome 200 Filter:none
Instrument:f=1000mm, 1/10 Place:Göttingen Observer:T. Credner

© Copyright by the observers

Above image was taken at beginning of totality of the lunar eclipse of January 9th, 2001. The entire moon lies in the shadow of the earth. However, a significant gradient of luminosity is visible over the moons surface since the moon is still close to the shadows border. Due to earths atmosphere sunlight is bent into its geometrical shadow. And due to the favored transmission of red light in our atmosphere the moon appears red.

The brightest star in the field is 63 Gem. At the moons southern limb a 6.5 mag bright star is just going to be eclipsed by the moon a few seconds later. An eclipse during the eclipse!