1996 has proved a bountiful year for many eclipse watchers in Britain. I managed to fully observe the superb total lunar eclipses of April and September, and was fortunate to have glimpsed some of October's partial solar eclipse. Thousands of others must have been lucky in observing these three events - a hat-trick the sight of which is rarely granted by our temperamental weather.
Total Lunar Eclipse 1996 April 3-4 - Tom Chapman (Barrow-in-Furness) made an impressive series of lunar disc drawings showing the passage of the umbra and the lunar features. John Coates (Burnley) observed the entire event in a cloudless sky, using his 75 mm refractor, and contributed a short eclipse report. Shelagh Godwin (Godalming), shared the event with her daughter Sarah and about ten of her Oxford friends. Shelagh noted the colour of the Moon to be "a kind of greyish brown-orange, with a mottled effect - the seas looked dark grey, the colour of the bark of a beech tree."Alan Heath (Long Eaton, Nottingham) made general notes and crater timings, observing with his 75 mm refractor and 8 x 30 binoculars, and took a series of 34 photographs through his 300 mm reflector. Alan observed with Steve Hudson, who brought along his 150 mm reflector. George Maeer (Dudley) made a sequence of 6 lunar disc drawings made through his 114 mm reflector, and a pre-eclipse photograph. Bob Paterson (Speen, Newbury) observed the eclipse through his 150 mm reflector, and recorded the event using his dictaphone at the eyepiece. At 23h 25m Bob noted that there was just a thin slice of illuminated Moon left, giving the impression of an "eyeball in the sky" - bringing to Bob's mind a vivid recollection of the celestial eyeball mentioned in the Perishers cartoon strip!
Ian Phelps and his wife Lydia (Warrington) had a good view of the eclipse, making a detailed report and shadow contact timings with his 114 mm reflector. In addition, Ian (an experienced lunar observer) noted an apparent bright spot on the floor of the walled plain Plato as the eclipse was coming to an end, part of a planned post-eclipse TLP site search. The spot, noted after 01h 54m, was an intensely bright region located just west of Plato's centre. Ian thought that the feature was so obvious that he chose not to raise an alert among other lunar observers, thinking that the network would be "a-buzz" with news of the event. So far I have received no independent confirmation of this feature, which has all the hallmarks of a TLP (transient lunar phenomenon). Alan Heath sent several images of Plato enlarged from his own prime focus photographs; but they are grainy and somewhat ambiguous, and none of the apparent features (most of which are emulsion artefacts) on the images seem to correspond with Ian's bright Platonic spot.
Graham Pointer (Leicester) kept 5 minute records from 22h 30m to 23h 30m, observing with 10 x 50 binoculars. He noted a series of umbral contacts with the Moon's features. Edward Polehampton (Wymeswold, Leicestershire) made observations with the venture scouts, combining the event with observing Hyakutake and UFO spotting! Edward reports no flying saucers on this occasion. A lovely series of lunar disc drawings was made by Edward and his friends, and a copy of a multiple exposure photograph of the eclipse was also sent.
Finally, I observed the event from Birmingham and made a photographic sequence along with a series of disc drawings. At mid-eclipse I turned my binoculars the wrong way around and estimated the brightness of the Moon to be equivalent to eta Bootis (Muphrid) at magnitude 2.7. Most who observed the eclipse agreed upon a Danjon estimation of 3 - a fairly bright lunar eclipse, with an orange-red (often called brick red) lunar disc and a brighter rim at the limb nearest the edge of the umbra.Total Lunar Eclipse 1996 September 27At the time of writing (October 16) I have received only one report. I fear that this event was less well observed than its predecessor, since large tracts of the south of Britain were clouded out that morning. Shelagh Godwin (Godalming) observed the eclipse, contrary to pessimistic Met Office forecasts. She noted "the definition of the edge of the shadow was quite sharp, and as it engulfed the Moon the surface took on an orange-greyish hue, not unlike what the trunk of a Scots pine looks like in the sunshine, perhaps a bit brighter."I conducted a similar programme to that of April. At mid-eclipse the condensed image of the Moon, seen through binoculars held the wrong way around, was slightly brighter than gamma Pegasi (Algenib) at magnitude 2.87, making the eclipse nearly the same brightness as its predecessor. I also tried a little unplanned painting exercise - a rapidly executed lunar disc in a gouache (watercolour) wash, to capture colours which I find difficult to convey in words. Now I know how Constable must have felt when he tried to quickly capture in oils the fleeting clouds seen from Hampstead Heath. Only the great artist, though, managed to attain any degree of success - I don't think I'll try such a spontaneous artistic venture again!
Since the last Lunar Section report (NC 191 was as far back as February, the delay having been produced waiting for eclipse reports) there has been a continual observing input from members. Jeffrey Barham (Cambridge) using his 250 mm reflector, the CAS 200 mm reflector and the 150 mm refractor of Newnham College. Posidonius (1994 Oct 23); Pythagoras (1995 Feb 12); Eratosthenes & Stadius (1995 Jul 6); Clavius (1995 Nov 1); Ptolemaeus chain (1995 Dec 29); Pallas & Murchison area (1996 Jan 28); J Herschel (Jan 31); Aristillus & Autolycus (Feb 26); Copernicus & Reinhold (Feb 28); Hevelius / Cardanus & Krafft (both Apr 1); western Mare Tranquillitatis (Apr 24); Rupes Recta (Apr 26); Tycho (May 27); Bailly (May 30); Hipparchus (Jul 22).New section member R N Clark (Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear) uses a 200 mm reflector. The excellent observational drawings he has sent include Copernicus (Apr 27); Gutenberg (May 21); Clavius (May 27); Deslandres region (Jun 24).John Coates (Burnley) remains very active. With his 300 mm he observed Rima Plato I (Feb 27); Milichius & dome Pi (Feb 29); Bullialdus / Plato K & KA (both Apr 27); Langrenus (May 21); Timocharis (Jul 24); Gassendi's central peaks (Jul 26); region south of Newton (Jul 27).
Nigel Longshaw (Oldham), uses a 200 mm SCT. He recorded Gauss at sunset (1995 Oct 9); Flammarion (1995 Dec 29) sunrise view, showing numerous domes on the floor; Gauricus (Feb 27) recording the interesting morphology of the inner western wall at sunrise. Nigel's observational drawings have been made in a stippled ink dot style, a technique at which he is one of the few undoubted masters.Bob Paterson observes the Moon and records the scene presented in his eyepiece with ever-increasing accuracy. Among his observations are the observational drawings of Stoffler on terminator (Jan 27); the limb past Riccioli (Feb 3); Copernicus & environs / Carpathian Mountains (both Feb 28); Burg / Plinius areas (both Apr 24); Schiller (Apr 29); Newton area (sequence on Jul 24, 25 & 27); Sinus Iridum showing wrinkle ridges on the plain (Jul 25); limb north of Sinus Iridum (Jul 27); limb from Drygalski to Bailly (Jul 29).Among other noteworthy Lunar Section contributions include Edward Polehampton's rendition of the Apennine Mountains (Apr 3) made with a 90 mm reflector; George Maeer's two photographs, made with a 114 mm reflector (large scale views, May 8 & May 27). And my thanks to John Naylor for providing some valuable information on naked eye lunar observation.
Finally, I observed the event from Birmingham and made a photographic sequence along with a series of disc drawings. At mid-eclipse I turned my binoculars the wrong way around and estimated the brightness of the Moon to be equivalent to eta Bootis (Muphrid) at magnitude 2.7. Most who observed the eclipse agreed upon a Danjon estimation of 3 - a fairly bright lunar eclipse, with an orange-red (often called brick red) lunar disc and a brighter rim at the limb nearest the edge of the umbra.
Total Lunar Eclipse 1996 September 27 - At the time of writing (October 16) I have received only one report. I fear that this event was less well observed than its predecessor, since large tracts of the south of Britain were clouded out that morning. Shelagh Godwin (Godalming) observed the eclipse, contrary to pessimistic Met Office forecasts. She noted "the definition of the edge of the shadow was quite sharp, and as it engulfed the Moon the surface took on an orange-greyish hue, not unlike what the trunk of a Scots pine looks like in the sunshine, perhaps a bit brighter."I conducted a similar programme to that of April. At mid-eclipse the condensed image of the Moon, seen through binoculars held the wrong way around, was slightly brighter than gamma Pegasi (Algenib) at magnitude 2.87, making the eclipse nearly the same brightness as its predecessor. I also tried a little unplanned painting exercise - a rapidly executed lunar disc in a gouache (watercolour) wash, to capture colours which I find difficult to convey in words. Now I know how Constable must have felt when he tried to quickly capture in oils the fleeting clouds seen from Hampstead Heath. Only the great artist, though, managed to attain any degree of success - I don't think I'll try such a spontaneous artistic venture again!
Observing Reports - Since the last Lunar Section report (NC 191 was as far back as February, the delay having been produced waiting for eclipse reports) there has been a continual observing input from members. Jeffrey Barham (Cambridge) using his 250 mm reflector, the CAS 200 mm reflector and the 150 mm refractor of Newnham College. Posidonius (1994 Oct 23); Pythagoras (1995 Feb 12); Eratosthenes & Stadius (1995 Jul 6); Clavius (1995 Nov 1); Ptolemaeus chain (1995 Dec 29); Pallas & Murchison area (1996 Jan 28); J Herschel (Jan 31); Aristillus & Autolycus (Feb 26); Copernicus & Reinhold (Feb 28); Hevelius / Cardanus & Krafft (both Apr 1); western Mare Tranquillitatis (Apr 24); Rupes Recta (Apr 26); Tycho (May 27); Bailly (May 30); Hipparchus (Jul 22).
New section member R N Clark (Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear) uses a 200 mm reflector. The excellent observational drawings he has sent include Copernicus (Apr 27); Gutenberg (May 21); Clavius (May 27); Deslandres region (Jun 24).John Coates (Burnley) remains very active. With his 300 mm he observed Rima Plato I (Feb 27); Milichius & dome Pi (Feb 29); Bullialdus / Plato K & KA (both Apr 27); Langrenus (May 21); Timocharis (Jul 24); Gassendi's central peaks (Jul 26); region south of Newton (Jul 27).
Nigel Longshaw (Oldham), uses a 200 mm SCT. He recorded Gauss at sunset (1995 Oct 9); Flammarion (1995 Dec 29) sunrise view, showing numerous domes on the floor; Gauricus (Feb 27) recording the interesting morphology of the inner western wall at sunrise. Nigel's observational drawings have been made in a stippled ink dot style, a technique at which he is one of the few undoubted masters.Bob Paterson observes the Moon and records the scene presented in his eyepiece with ever-increasing accuracy. Among his observations are the observational drawings of Stoffler on terminator (Jan 27); the limb past Riccioli (Feb 3); Copernicus & environs / Carpathian Mountains (both Feb 28); Burg / Plinius areas (both Apr 24); Schiller (Apr 29); Newton area (sequence on Jul 24, 25 & 27); Sinus Iridum showing wrinkle ridges on the plain (Jul 25); limb north of Sinus Iridum (Jul 27); limb from Drygalski to Bailly (Jul 29).Among other noteworthy Lunar Section contributions include Edward Polehampton's rendition of the Apennine Mountains (Apr 3) made with a 90 mm reflector; George Maeer's two photographs, made with a 114 mm reflector (large scale views, May 8 & May 27). And my thanks to John Naylor for providing some valuable information on naked eye lunar observation.
