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What is a blood moon?
The last time this celestial event occurred was almost exactly three years ago where I live.
A composite image illustrating the total lunar eclipse blood moon phases.
When and where can I see the blood moon?
The total eclipse lasts for around 65 minutes, with the maximum eclipse in the middle of that period.
Let’s take a whistle-stop tour of each of those elements.
A composite image illustrating the total lunar eclipse blood moon phases.
Are there points of interest that you’re able to also include in the frame?
Can you even see the moon from your desired location?
That’s where my favorite night sky app, PhotoPills, comes in.
Camera+ is another alternative to apps like Halide for getting full manual controls on your phone.
For the total lunar eclipse, its augmented reality mode will be particularly handy.
In the UK, the maximum visibility is during moonset, so you’ll need an unimpeded west-facing view.
That necessitates a telephoto lens.
My favorite astrophotography planning app – Photopills
If you have more than one camera, I’d suggest going for the one with more pixels.
Those optical zooms will feel a little wide, especially if you simply want a close-up of the moon.
Camera configs
If your camera can shoot images in RAW + JPEG, select this option.
Manual exposure mode gives you complete control over aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Exposure configs will change during the lunar eclipse cycle.
You’ll need to push the camera’s capability further when during the total eclipse.
That means the moon is small in the shot, but I can include the surroundings.
Bring on the total lunar eclipse I can’t wait!
You’ll need to change your exposure settings to capture the different phases of the blood moon.
