Photos: Lunar Eclipse, November 8, 2022, in Calgary, Canada, and Other Parts of North America
By MALIK MERCHANT
07:42 PM, November 7, 2022. What a change from a fortnight ago, when I was at Pyramid Lake Island in Jasper National Park to see the Milky Way on a Starry Night during the annual Dark Sky Festival (please see Ron Richey’s incredible photographs.) Literally, the temperature here in Calgary and elsewhere in the Canadian province of Alberta has dropped by 40°. It has been snowing the whole day but in a few hours the sky is going to clear up. I plan to drive a few kms to see the lunar eclipse of the Beaver Blood Moon. This is the second lunar eclipse taking place in 2022. The November 2022 full moon is named the Beaver Moon because beavers begin shelter in their lodges during the month. Another lunar eclipse is not due here until 2025.
It has snowed the whole day, and while it has now stopped the clouds are still covering the moon but the moonlight is able to filter through. With decent snow boots, good thermal underwear and socks along with a Parka I think I will be able to cope well on this very very cold night in Calgary.
08:37 PM, November 7, 2022: As I now look out of my bedroom window, wow, the sky has cleared and the moon is fully visible. Its illumination is 100%, and it sits at an altitude of 34.56°, direction 111° ESE. Two snow removal vehicles are clearing more than 20 cms of know dumped on the parking lot where I park my car. After about 30 minutes, I commence my task of clearing snow from my car. The snow is soft and I enjoy the 15 minute workout without shivering from the cold. I badly need a coffee.
09: 30 – 10:29 PM, November 7, 2022: I relax at a McDonald’s very close to my place of residence with hot coffee and a fruit and fibre muffin. As I return to the car, I focus my humble Olympus E-M10 camera into the sky and capture the photograph shown below of the full moon, a few hours before the lunar eclipse is due to begin.
THE FULL MOON IN CALGARY BEFORE THE ECLIPSE
I return home to take a nap, and set my mobile alarm for 1:30 AM, November 8, 2022. I want to be out when the moon enters the earth’s shadow. Alas, I don’t hear the alarm and remain asleep for another hour; I thus miss the partial umbral eclipse between 02:09 AM – 03:16 AM, November 8, 2022.
03:16 AM – 4:41 AM, November 8, 2022: Lucky for me that my eyes opened. I drive to a barren spot in an industrial area and begin taking pictures of the orange/red moon, returning to the car frequently due to the cold. In the process, while removing out of focus or over-exposed pictures, I also delete the good ones of the red moon that I have taken. Now what? As I prepare this post, I turn to the NASA website to pick out its photo of the day to illustrate the event. Lesson learnt: Never rush to trash photos from the camera until they have been downloaded.
THE ECLIPSE (IN FLORIDA)
MOON LEAVING THE EARTH’S SHADOW
4:41 AM – 5:49 AM, November 8, 2022: I remain at the industrial site in Calgary and then move to a nearby Starbucks to take these sequence of photos, as the Moon begins to leave the Earth’s shadow.
Date posted: November 8, 2022.
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