This Blog Will Be Temporarily Eclipsed

2Summers | 15 June 2011
johannesburg trees weather

There was a total lunar eclipse in the Southern Hemisphere tonight. Joe and I went to an eclipse-viewing party at a friend’s house. Here are some funky (i.e., blurry) photos of the evening.

Full moon above Joe’s friend Neville’s house. This is the perfect time of year to watch a lunar eclipse in Joburg because the sky is crystal clear nearly every night.
Joe’s friends F.W. (left) and Neville (center) set up the telescope. Neville is an amateur astronomer and a member of the West Rand Astronomy Club. (Photo courtesy of Joe.)
Looking over Joburg’s northern suburbs.

We didn’t stay at Neville’s place for the whole eclipse because we got too tired and cold. But we caught the peak from our back porch.

An almost-eclipsed moon above our aloe tree.
The moon was completely in shadow at this point. The total eclipse, which happens when the darkest part of the shadow moves over the center of the moon, happened a few minutes after I took this picture.

The next total lunar eclipse visible from Joburg will be in 2015. I’m glad we caught this one.

Tomorrow morning I am leaving on a very special trip. I’m not telling you where – it’s a surprise! You’ll find out more next week. I’ll be away from the blogosphere for the next few days. See you on Tuesday or Wednesday.