Some of my favorite photos of the 2021 Total Lunar Eclipse, along with a story from my heart.
January 19, 2019 Total Lunar Eclipse composite as imaged from my backyard in NJ.
Alright I know I might be a bit late to the party, but ya know life be that way sometimes.
On May 26, 2021, a Total Lunar Eclipse made its way across the Pacific. Much of the Eclipse was only visible over the Pacific Ocean, but fortunately the awe inspiring Totality Phase aka “The Blood Moon” was visible in Australia, New Zealand, and some parts of the Western United States.
So what exactly is a Lunar Eclipse?
Lunar Eclipses are separated into phases, much like a Lunar Cycle itself. A Lunar Eclipse is when the Earth moves in between the Sun and a Full Moon. The shadow the Earth casts on the Moon is called a penumbra, while the central most portion of the shadow is known as the umbra. If you are lucky enough to be located within the centermost region of the umbra, you will be able to witness a Total Lunar Eclipse.
As the Moon moves towards the Penumbra, it begins to dim. As it approaches the Umbra, the partial phase of the Eclipse begins and the Earth’s shadow can be seen encroaching upon the Moon. Once the Moon reaches the center of the Umbra, only indirect sunlight is able to make its way towards the Moon, thus causing the Blood Moon.
Check out this graphic below which better illustrated this phenomenon.
©Wikimedia Commons, author: Sagredo
And even better, check out this timelapse by Matt Smith (@instertastronomynamehere) on Instagram which shows the entire Eclipse Sequence from First Contact to Blood Moon.
And of course, check out the Eclipse Path from the May 26 2021 Total Eclipse to see if it was visible from your region.
May 26 2021 Total Lunar Eclipse Path of Totality ©Timeanddate.com. Click the image to interact.
And now onto something a little more personal.
You see, in the beginning of the year, I got all giddy and excited about the possibility of traveling out west to photograph the Eclipse setting into the Eastern Sierra mountains. Using the techniques described in my planning tutorial here, I found a few spots where the landscape of the mountains would compliment the Moon perfectly. One spot in particular featured the tallest mountain in the entire continental U.S., Mt. Whitney.
Well, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to make the plan come to fruition. With that in mind, there was only one person I could think of who I think would be able to pull this off. That man is Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background)
Andrew and I discussed the possibility of meeting up for the Eclipse, but due to me being a dingus I bailed, but left Andrew with all of the info I think he needed to nail it at this point. I am so happy to say that Andrew delivered, and I personally think he produced some of the best shots from the event. I am absolutely thrilled Andrew took my location advice and went out to produce a banger. Even though I was unable to make it out with him, what he produced allows me to connect with his photography as if I really was there.
Andrew, you rock. These shots are awesome. You are awesome. Thank you dude.
But wait, there is more! I am so happy for what so many other photographers I follow on Instagram have captured, so without further adieu, below are some of my other favorite images from the Eclipse. If you like any one of these shots, click on the image to explore each respective Artist’s profile.
