15 replies to this topic

[Astro_In_Tampa]

I'd like to set up my SeeStar S50 to capture the lunar eclipse / blood moon tonight. My thought was to use the new planning function to allow it to stat recording and stop by itself. Will that be sufficient to capture the blood red color of the moon? If not, I'd love to hear suggestions for capturing the color of the moon.

Edited by Astro_In_Tampa, 13 March 2025 - 07:35 PM.

[Jethro7]

I'd like to set up my SeeStar S50 to capture the lunar eclipse / blood moon tonight. My thought was to use the new planning function to allow it to stat recording and stop by itself. Will that be sufficient to capture the blood red color of the moon? If not, I'd love to hear suggestions for doing capturing the color of the moon.

Hello Astro_in_Tampa,

It should be no problem. Here is a phone capture that I did holding my phone over the eyepiece though my Tak FOA-60Q on a Lunar Eclipse from a few years ago. Unfortunately I will be socked in by fog tonight. 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

 

 

 

Edited by Jethro7, 13 March 2025 - 07:26 PM.

[Astro_In_Tampa]

Hello Astro_in_Tampa,

It should be no problem. Here is a phone capture that I did holding my phone over the eyepiece though my Tak FOA-60Q on a Lunar Eclipse from a few years ago. Unfortunately I will be socked in by fog tonight. 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

 

 

 

Jethro7 - Very sorry to hear you're going to miss the event tonight. Hopefully the weather person in your area is just as good as the one's here, and you'll have a nice clear night to see it.

[GalaxyPiper]

Looks like we here in California in parts will be missing the event as well.

 

Because of, Global Warming, er, Climate Change, er...Weather...with the "er" at the end.

 

Back in the old days we called, "Eyeball Restrictive"...

 

All those that see it, you will be lucky. Send us pictures if you can...

[Jethro7]

Jethro7 - Very sorry to hear you're going to miss the event tonight. Hopefully the weather person in your area is just as good as the one's here, and you'll have a nice clear night to see it.

Hello Astro_in_Tampa,

I just walked out and looked up. Unfortunately the Fog is already settling in and the ceiling is about 300 feet now and getting lower. I could barely make out Sirius through the fog that is expected to last till after sunrise tomorrow. The good news is, I will be able to enjoy the Eclipse though other members here on CN, like you. 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

[RalphMeisterTigerMan]

Unless it's a "blood-super-duper-Moon", i'm not interested. Super Moons are us!!!

 

LOL!

 

Clear skies and keep looking up!

RalphMeisterTigerMan

Edited by RalphMeisterTigerMan, 13 March 2025 - 07:59 PM.

[Astro_In_Tampa]

Hello Astro_in_Tampa,

I just walked out and looked up. Unfortunately the Fog is already settling in and the ceiling is about 300 feet now and getting lower. I could barely make out Sirius through the fog that is expected to last till after sunrise tomorrow. The good news is, I will be able to enjoy the Eclipse though other members here on CN, like you. 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

Well, keeping my fingers crossed down here in Tampa!

[Astro_In_Tampa]

Looks like we here in California in parts will be missing the event as well.

 

Because of, Global Warming, er, Climate Change, er...Weather...with the "er" at the end.

 

Back in the old days we called, "Eyeball Restrictive"...

 

All those that see it, you will be lucky. Send us pictures if you can...

I think the reason here is just bad luck. It never fails. When I want to see something unique, totally clouded over. Crossing my fingers for tonight!! I'll post pics if I get anything worth posting. 

 

Hoping you have great viewing as well!!

[Astro_In_Tampa]

Success!! The sky was nice and clear this morning. I took lots of screenshots while I was taking Timelapse video of the event. Not sure what to do with the video as I’ve never used that function, but I will figure it out.  It was well worth losing some sleep over!

 

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[WillR]

We got lucky with the weather.

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Edited by WillR, 14 March 2025 - 12:36 PM.

[Dale Smith]

Likewise here. I had to take a break during totality and bring my equipment indoors, but it cleared ten minutes later. I was able to do a 18.5 minute time-lapse video (37 seconds long in playback), along with a number of images by Seestar S50 and Dwarf 3.

 

S50

 

Dwarf 3

 

Edited by Dale Smith, 14 March 2025 - 12:56 PM.

[GalaxyPiper]

The Blue Ghost Capture of the Earth blocking out the sun during the Luna Eclipse.

 

The rest of the mission can be found here:  https://fireflyspace...-live-updates/ 

 

Be sure to print this out and drain your black ink tank...(sorry it is so large...that's the url's fault.)

 

 

Whoo...glad to shrink that down.

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 14 March 2025 - 01:44 PM.

[RyanSem]

 

The Blue Ghost Capture of the Earth blocking out the sun during the Luna Eclipse.

 

The rest of the mission can be found here:  https://fireflyspace...-live-updates/ 

 

Be sure to print this out and drain your black ink tank...(sorry it is so large...that's the url's fault.)

 

 

 

Whoo...glad to shrink that down.

 

That is incredibly cool. 

[WillR]

 

The Blue Ghost Capture of the Earth blocking out the sun during the Luna Eclipse.

 

The rest of the mission can be found here:  https://fireflyspace...-live-updates/ 

 

Be sure to print this out and drain your black ink tank...(sorry it is so large...that's the url's fault.)

 

 

 

Whoo...glad to shrink that down.

 

That is beyond cool.

[Larry Mc]

SeeStar S30 Time-lapse of the March 14th Total Lunar Eclipse.

 

   

(single frames saved from the below time-lapse)

From around 11:45pm (3/13) to around 6:00am (3/14) with clouds/trees at the end. (Penumbral phase started at 11:57pm, Partial Eclipse at 1:09am, Totality at 2:26am ending at 3:31am, Partial ending at 4:47am, Penumbral done by 6am)

 

MP4 version:  https://stellar-jour...se-03142025.mp4

 

Captured using a SeeStar S30 using a 5 second interval, auto exposure, gain, and tracking. Internal IR filter.

 

Watch a few seconds in for the penumbral shadow dimming the surface starting on the lower left of the lunar disk soon followed by the full umbral shadow darkening the disk. at totality, the Moon takes on an orange-red color.

During mid-eclipse the video gets a little hurky-jerky due to the auto tracking having difficulties keeping the dim Moon centered.

 

 

[Digital Don]

I managed to stay awake for the entire eclipse!  Meanwhile, my little S50 was busy taking video.  

 

I used the time-lapse feature with images captured every 2 seconds which resulted in over 10K individual frames!!!  I also used the automatic exposure settings which did struggle a bit due to the wide contrast range and the clouds of various thickness that were present for most of the eclipse.  The clouds also had an effect on tracking, but I was able to edit out the worst of it.  

 

I thought seeing the Moon rotate during the eclipse was neat too!

 

Overall, I thought the Seestar did a pretty decent job.

 

Here's a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_an3YkvWl0A

 

Don