Geologic Lunar Researches Group
preliminary report (analysis by R. Lena, G. Di Iorio, C. Fattinnanzi)
 
 

data by Raffaello Lena, G. Di Iorio, Cristian Fattinnanzi and Rodrigo Viegas , Paolo Lazzarotti , Ed Crandall
 
 
 

On the evening of  January 8-9, 2003, a total eclipse of the Moon was visible .

How the eclipsed Moon looks depends on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere. Total eclipses tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions, which expel large quantities of ash into the atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of December 1992, volcanic dust from Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines rendered the Moon nearly invisible.

Our results are reported below:

Video Clip

Here is a video of the eclipse taken by Cristian Fattinnanzi during the eclipse.

Images below were taken by C. Fattinnanzi at 23:15 UT  8 november 2003 and
 00:05 UT ,  01:05 UT , 01:45 UT ,  02:30 UT ,   03:05 UT  9 november 2003 respectively.
 

Another image was taken by P. Lazzarotti (below)

Raffaello Lena, refractor 10 cm f/15 kodak Gold Elite 200 ISO image taken at 1:05 UT (5 sec.)
 
 
 

During the Totality an orange color of the eclipsed Moon was very apparent. The observations showed the umbral shadow had a bright rim with a bluish coloration most
conspicuous to the lunar ESE , near Mare Fecunditatis and some "orange copper" at
the south-western regions.
All Maria and other bright lunar features were visible also during totality.

Raffaello Lena states "Bright eclipse from Rome, L= 4 Danjon scale; the umbral shadow had a bright rim with a bluish coloration at E- SE and orange coloration  at
the south-western regions."

Rodrigo Viegas states"Bright eclipse from Montevideo, copper-orange colour. At
00:50 UT, 09 11 2003, the umbral shadow had a bright rim with a bluish coloration most
conspicuous to the lunar ESE , L= 4 Danjon scale".
 

Ed Crandall states "During totality, and sometime before, the moon was a orange-brownish color and L= 4 Dajon scale would best describe the coloration" (USA, Winston-Salem, North Carolina).

Giorgio Di Iorio and Cristian Fattinnanzi stated " During totality, and sometime before, the moon was a red  color  most conspicuous to the lunar N and L= 3 Dajon scale would best describe the coloration  (Italy Monte D’Aria – Serrapetrona – MC )"

Danjon proposed a useful five point scale for evaluating the visual appearance and brightness of the Moon during total lunar eclipses. 'L' values for various luminosities are defined as follows:

L = 0 Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-totality.
L = 1 Dark Eclipse, gray or brownish in coloration. Details distinguishable only with difficulty.
L = 2 Deep red or rust-colored eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer edge of umbra is relatively bright.
L = 3 Brick-red eclipse. Umbral shadow usually has a bright or yellow rim.
L = 4 Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse. Umbral shadow has a bluish, very bright rim.

Several observers in Italy  recorded a bright eclipse at L=3 and L=4 Danjon scale.

Same data were send us from Belgium and Netherland.
Danny Caes, RUG-Public Observatory "Armand Pien" Ghent - Belgium steted" We observed the same colors as those described by Raffaello Lena (a little bit of "soap blue" near
Langrenus and Mare Fecunditatis, and some "khaki" at the south-western regions).
 

From 10 Observers  We obtained a L=3, 55
Compared to the last lunar eclipse (november 2001) we  think this one was brighter, but it was further away from the centre of the shadow.

Visual aspect of craters and albedo
 In order to study the effects of the eclipse,  GLR group has carried out a study  to observe several  craters.  During the eclipse  were not  recorded  albedo changes.

Lena and Di Iorio   were  able to see : Aristarchus , Kepler, Plato , Copernicus  and Tycho .

-Aristarchus  no  anomaly was recorded (During the totality at  1:25 and 1:37 UT low brigthness estimated like 2 Elger scale)

- Kepler  no  anomaly was recorded (During the totality at  1:25 and 1:37 UT low brigthness estimated like 2 Elger scale)

-Plato  no  anomaly was recorded (During the totality at 1,37 UT it was estimated like 1 Elger scale)

-Copernicus  no  anomaly was recorded (During the totality low brigthness estimated like 2 Elger scale)

-Tycho  no  anomaly was recorded (During the totality at 1: 37 UT it was visible . Tycho and its rays were  estimated like 6 Elger scale)
 

Our Images show  Tycho  very bright against background surface. Aristarchus was easily visible too.
 
 

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Aristarchus  23:17  UT

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Serenitatis 23:58 UT

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Serenitatis  00:00 UT
 

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Tranquillitatis 00:07 UT

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Tycho 00:13 UT

G. Di Iorio, frame taken with a webcam and refractor 102 mm f/10 Tycho 00:26 UT
 

Lunar Flashes

inspection of our video and images  reveals no lunar  flashes.