Lunar Eclipse July 16: How to Photograph It and Events to Admire It

On July 16th there will be a Partial Lunar Eclipse visible also from Italy, an astronomical phenomenon always suggestive to admire and an excellent opportunity to observe our satellite. To make you experience these emotions live Astronomitaly has organized some evenings in different areas of Italy, in collaboration with local partners and with some structures certified among "The most beautiful skies in Italy", and has drawn up a mini guide with basic information on how to photograph this astronomical phenomenon. Events to admire the Eclipse of July 16th led by Astronomitaly

There are four events organized by Astronomitaly from the North to the South of Italy to explain and show the beauty of a suggestive event such as the lunar eclipse, to be observed both with the naked eye and through a professional telescope with the guidance of experts. Each event is intended as an opportunity to enhance the beauty of the territory through astronomy, in an ideal combination with food and wine and relaxation in enchanting places. In the North, you can admire the show in Val di Sole, at Malghet Aut in the province of Trento, with an evening dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing by Consorzio Dimaro Folgarida Vacanze and other local partners, to experience the emotion of observing the Moon at high altitude. Among the cellars and vineyards of Emilia Romagna, the Eclipse will show itself in all its beauty at the Marcello Experience Parma for an evening in contact with the earth and the sky of Val Parma, where guests can observe the stars while delighting their palate with local Emilian delicacies.

In Central Italy, the Moon takes center stage in Orvieto in the province of Terni, at the Castello di Titignano, a structure certified among “The most beautiful skies in Italy”, for a night of stars among typical Umbrian flavors and observation of the starry sky in a “timeless place”. In the South, the appointment is at Tenuta Gemi, in Monopoli in the province of Bari, where the “journey to the Moon” will be accompanied by the tasting of specialties from Puglia, with garden products and homemade delicacies, savoring the wines of the Itria Valley.

How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse

There are several ways to photograph the Lunar Eclipse, so the first thing to know is that each setting can vary depending on the equipment. First of all, you will need a tripod and a remote control for the remote shutter (if the camera is not already set up for the self-timer). The camera must have manual settings to be able to photograph the Moon without saturating it and finding the right combination of exposure time and ISO sensitivity.

You can use this handy guide to help you navigate shutter speeds, apertures, and ISO sensitivity: https://www.mreclipse.com/LEphoto/image/LE-Exposure1w.GIF

The simplest method is to equip yourself with a telescope or a long focal length lens that allows you to increase the magnifications. Unless you have an Astro-tracker, the rule is that at higher magnifications you will have to set shorter exposure times to avoid motion blur. For example, a setting of 1/250 and 400 ISO could be a good starting point. If you want to photograph our satellite overlooking landscape elements you will have to use a short focal length lens (therefore low magnifications). If you have a digital camera you could try with the combination of 200 – 400 ISO and 5 or 40 seconds. However, the longer the exposure time, the greater the possibility of motion blur. These settings vary depending on the camera, the lens used and the lighting of the area and therefore we recommend doing some tests a few days before.

If you want to photograph the path that the Moon will follow during the Eclipse, well this is certainly the most complex case: in the initial phase of the Lunar Eclipse we recommend placing the image of the Moon in one of the corners predicting the path that the Moon will take within the frame. You will then have to take a sequence of images at regular times to recompose the path and phases of the Moon. You could start with a basic exposure of 1/125 seconds at f5.6 and then increase the exposure times for example to 1/8 gradually as the Moon will be darker.

The images will then be added and composed into a single photo in post-production. In any case, you will have to follow the recommended table or do some tests to find the right combinations. Good planning will be essential for the success of the astrophotography session!

In-depth article on the phenomenon of the Lunar Eclipse by Astronomitaly: https://www.astronomitaly.com/blog/eclissi-luna-16-luglio-2019-spettacolo

CONTACTS ASTRONOMITALY
Website: www.astronomitaly.com | www.astrotourism.com
Email: info@astronomitaly.com – Tel and Whatsapp: 346.0246014

Astronomitaly is the National Network of Astronomical Tourism in Italy, winner of the “Premio Talento Italiano”, a national award promoted and conceived by Talenti Italiani and SL&A, and of the “Premio Italive” for the best food and wine event in Italy, supported by Legambiente Turismo, Associazione Italiana Turismo Responsabile, Vivilitalia, Luiss School of Government, Federparchi and Federturismo Confindustria.