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In Search of a Blood Red Moon
Under Swansea
By Bob Ede
Night of April 14 – 15.
With fear of clouds and camera in hand I took to the mountains to view the lunar eclipse. This is the first of four total lunar eclipses. Four successive total lunar eclipses, with no partial lunar eclipses, is called a lunar tetrad. They are uncommon with only eight tetrads in the 21st Century.
Lunar eclipses are spectacular events to witness. Photographs rarely do the event justice. As the moon is visible in light polluted skies they can be viewed and enjoyed anywhere.
The ‘hoot, hoot’ of owls seem to provide the perfect background music when the moon turns red, so I followed the back roads away from the valley bottom for this special stargazing excursion.
It isn’t hard to wonder how our recent ancestors must have interpreted these events. We are armed with science and understanding and one can’t help but be awestruck at the site of the moon slowly moving into the Earth’s shadow.
To make this eclipse even more special, the planet Mars is as close to Earth as it has been in six years and very bright. During this eclipse Mars and the moon shine red together; a remarkable sight indeed.
The clouds held off and the owls didn’t disappoint. If you missed getting outside during this event, it won’t be long until you have another chance.
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More of Bob Ede’s photographs can be found at palliserpass.wordpress.com
He can be reached at [email protected]
Lead image. A collage showing the Earth’s shadow as it falls across the face of the moon.
The moon and Mars shines red through the branches during the April 14 -15 lunar eclipse.
