This past Monday, North America was fortunate enough to bear witness to a striking celestial event: a total lunar eclipse. North America won’t see another such eclipse until 2021, so this was not an event to miss. With one of my numerous New Year’s Resolutions to be to pick up astronomy, this event would be a perfect starting point.
With no working shifts scheduled, I was free for the entire day to prepare. I had intended to travel far into the desert to observe the event, but ultimately decided that my balcony provided a clear enough view of the moon without needing to drive for hours. Everything was looking up, but as the time neared, the skies seemed to grow cloudier and cloudier, until I ultimately decided to drive some 20 minutes to Newport Beach in hopes of clearer skies.
The weather in Newport Beach was clear – albeit cold – and I had settled in for almost an hour before I realized that I had forgotten a crucial component at home. This unfortunate happenstance proved beneficial in the end, as when I arrived back at my apartment, I realized that the skies had cleared. Quickly setting up my telescope, I managed to catch much of the eclipse, beginning with the slow dimming as it passed into the earth’s shadow.
All in all, the event lasted about an hour, until the clouds returned, and completely blocked the moon from view. Though I lack the proper equipment to take truly clear photos, I managed to take a handful of photos with my smartphone that I was more than satisfied with. As a burgeoning astronomer, having such a unique experience so early on in my career reaffirmed my desire to learn more about the stars, and helped to maintain my passion in a New Year’s Resolution.