Lunar Eclipse: Worksheet

Autumn 2021

Astronomy 107

Name/class #: ________________

This observation is extra credit: up to +2% for your participation grade. Credit Dr. Joshua Barnes
of the Institute for Astronomy, U. Hawaii for drawing this up.
You'll get some credit even if you can only observe for a short time; mid-eclipse
should be the most interesting, but any observation is better than none! If clouds interfere, see if
they drift away before giving up. You are free to take photos in place of sketching the Moon. BUT, if your photos are not clear,
DO make sketches as a back-up, to show where the Moon is shadowed, how deep the shadow is (estimate the Danjon number) etc.
See how to photograph it here. A cell phone camera could work.
Fred Espenak's lunar eclipse website, with lots of details, is here.
Find and click on "2021 Nov 19" (which means the MORNING OF FRI. NOV 19 IN LOUISVILLE!)
Remember that UT (Universal Time) is 5 hours ahead of EST. So, 06:00 UT = 1:00 EST (1:00am)

KEY TIMES FROM LOUISVILLE KY ON NOV. 19, 2021 (EASTERN STANDARD TIME):
1:02am - penumbral eclipse begins (moon enters Earth's outer shadow)
2:18am - umbral partial eclipse begins (moon partially enters Earth's inner shadow)
4:04am - maximum partial eclipse visible (moon is darkest) -- go to the highest point you can with a clear west-northwest horizon!
5:47am - umbral partial eclipse ends (moon leaves Earth's inner shadow)
6:03am - penumbral eclipse ends (moon leaves Earth's outer shadow)
Try to estimate the Danjon value to describe the color at various times (details here).

If it is clear (as predicted), having a telescope or binoculars will help for looking
at celestial objects. But, the moon will be pretty low at 5am, and may be hidden by
buildings/trees. You may have to walk a bit to see a clear western
horizon. My recommendation would be to find an elevated spot somewhere with the flattest, lowest western
horizon (no trees, buildings, hills etc.), preferably as far out of the city as possible to see subtle
color changes. However, the Moon is bright, and will be visible from inside the city.

Record your times for sketches or photos to the nearest minute, and say from where you
observed ("my house in Shelbyville", "outside my dorm by campus" etc.) Give your camera/lens type/setting
and exposure time if is not a simple "snapshot" (<1 second). Upload Turn your completed logsheet
and sketches and/or photos on BlackBoard by 9am on Wed Dec. 8, 2021, or on paper at the
last class (Dec. 2) or in my mailbox (beside Nat Sci 102, in the Physics & Astronomy Dept. mailroom).

Use these charts of the full Moon to sketch the appearance of the Earth's shadow at different times. You will probably find a pencil
useful to darken the part in shadow. Use binoculars, if you have them, to watch as the Moon is in the umbra (dark core of the shadow). MAKE SKETCHES IF YOUR PHOTOS ARE NOT CLEAR IN SHOWING THE EARTH'S SHADOW.
Use the above key times as a guide when to make sketches, if clouds permit. You can make sketches at
other times during the eclipse if clouds are a problem. The point is to show how the eclipse
progresses, so you want your observations to be well-spaced in time.

When the Moon is in the umbra, is the darkest part of the Moon completely black, or can you
still see it? Do you notice any color to the shadow?

OBSERVING SITE ___________________________________________________________

OBSERVING CONDITIONS :
PERCENT OF SKY COVERED WITH CLOUDS __________________________________

Time: ________	Time: ________	Time: ________

Time: ________	Time: ________	Time: ________

Optional: Bang on pots and pans, set off firecrackers, and make lots of noise during the eclipse. When your neighbors call the cops, tell them you are scaring away the dragon which is eating the Moon.