Total Lunar Eclipse, 10th December/11th December 2011 Submitted: Monday, 7th February 2011 by Mike Salway

The Total Lunar Eclipse on December 10, 2011 will be visible in its entirety from all of Australia and New Zealand, and Asia. For North Americans, the eclipse is in progress as the Moon sets, while observers in Europe and Africa will miss the early stages of the eclipse as they will be in progress as the Moon rises. South America misses this eclipse entirely.

For Australians and New Zealanders this will be a well-placed eclipse, with the entire eclipse visible starting around midnight AEDST, but will change depending on your timezone. Check the table further below for timings in a city near you.

This eclipse is quite a short one, with totality lasting 51 minutes.

The below map shows visually where the eclipse can be seen from around the world (large version here). Read on below for what it means to you, more information, local timings, and hints and tips for viewing and photographing the eclipse.

We'd love you to register at the IceInSpace Forums and don't be afraid to ask if you have any questions. To see images and read reports after the event (and to post yours too!), check regularly in the Observational Astronomy and Solar System sections.



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Eclipse Chart, courtesy NASA



Use the links below to find the information you're after:

What is a Lunar Eclipse?

A Lunar Eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon passes into Earth's shadow. This doesn't happen every Full Moon though, because the Moon's orbit is actually tipped about 5° with respect to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that during most Full Moon's, the Moon is actually above or below the Earth's plane and therefore not in the shadow of the Earth.

The diagram below shows the basic geometry of a Lunar Eclipse. The Earth's shadow has two parts - the Umbra, which is the darker inner shadow, and the Penumbra, which is the fainter outer shadow. Please contact me if you'd like a larger version of the diagram below.

Two to four times per year, the Moon passes through some or all of Earth's penumbral and umbral shadow, causing one of the three types of Lunar Eclipse:

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse is when the Moon passes into the Earth's penumbral shadow. This type of eclipse accounts for 35% of all Lunar Eclipses. The difference in visibility on the moon during this phase is very subtle and difficult to observe.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

A Partial Lunar Eclipse is when only a part of the Moon passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. This type of eclipse accounts for 30% of all Lunar Eclipses. During this phase, a "chunk" or portion of the moon goes into shadow.

Total Lunar Eclipse

A Total Lunar Eclipse is when the Moon passes completely into the Earth's umbral shadow, described as "Totality". Total Lunar Eclipses account for the other 35% of all lunar eclipse. These are the most spectacular type of Lunar Eclipse, as during totality the moon can take on a range of striking colours. Scattered sunlight passes deep through the Earth's atmopshere which filters out most of the blue light. The remaining light renders the Moon in shades of red, orange, yellow and brown - depending on the amount of dust and volcanic ash in the Earth's atmosphere.

All Total Lunar Eclipses start with a Penumbral, followed by a Partial and then the Total Lunar Eclipse. Finally, a Partial followed by a Penumbral completes the event. All types of Lunar Eclispe are completely safe to observe with the unfiltered and unaided eye.

The images below show what each of the types of Lunar Eclipse can look like.



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Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, 24/04/2005. Credit: Mike Salway



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Partial Lunar Eclipse, 17/10/2005. Credit: Mike Salway



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Total Lunar Eclipse Montage, 28/08/2007. Credit: Mike Salway



When and Where Can I See it?

The Total Lunar Eclipse on December 10, 2011 will be visible in its entirety from all of Australia and New Zealand, and Asia. For North Americans, the eclipse is in progress as the Moon sets, while observers in Europe and Africa will miss the early stages of the eclipse as they will be in progress as the Moon rises. South America misses this eclipse entirely.

For Australians and New Zealanders this will be a well-placed eclipse, with the entire eclipse visible starting around midnight depending on your timezone. Check the table further below for timings in a city near you.

This eclipse is quite a short one, with totality lasting 51 minutes.

Use the table below to find the city closest to you, which shows the timings for the various phases of the Eclipse. The times are given in local time for that city. The altitude of the moon at that phase is shown, and if it's in red, it means it's below the horizon and that phase will not be visible in that city. You should generally look at the times for the partial eclipse before you start seeing noticeable changes in the Moon. eg: just before midnight AEDST for Sydney, an hour earlier for Brisbane.

City Pen.

Mag. Umbral

Mag. Pen.

Begins Moon

Alt. Partial

Begins Moon

Alt. Mid

Eclipse Moon

Alt Partial

Ends Moon

Alt Pen.

Ends Moon

Alt AUSTRALIA Adelaide 2.186 1.106 22:04 18° 23:16 26° 01:02 32° 02:48 27° 04:00 20° Brisbane 2.186 1.106 21:34 31° 22:46 38° 00:32 38° 02:18 27° 03:30 16° Darwin 2.186 1.106 21:04 27° 22:16 40° 00:02 53° 01:48 51° 03:00 41° Hobart 2.186 1.106 22:34 16° 23:46 22° 01:32 23° 03:18 17° 04:30 9° Melbourne 2.186 1.106 22:34 19° 23:46 26° 01:32 29° 03:18 22° 04:30 14° Perth 2.186 1.106 19:34 5° 20:46 17° 22:32 30° 00:18 35° 01:30 32° Sydney 2.186 1.106 22:34 25° 23:46 31° 01:32 32° 03:18 23° 04:30 13° Somerset 2.186 1.106 21:34 37° 22:46 49° 00:32 56° 02:18 46° 03:30 34° Cairns 2.186 1.106 21:34 35° 22:46 45° 00:32 50° 02:18 39° 03:30 27° Canberra 2.186 1.106 22:34 23° 23:46 29° 01:32 31° 03:18 23° 04:30 13° NEW ZEALAND Auckland 2.186 1.106 00:34 29° 01:46 29° 03:32 21° 05:18 7° 06:30 -5° Wellington 2.186 1.106 00:34 25° 01:46 25° 03:32 18° 05:18 4° 06:30 -7° Christchurch 2.186 1.106 00:34 22° 01:46 23° 03:32 17° 05:18 4° 06:30 -6° FIJI ISLANDS Suva 2.186 1.106 23:34 48° 00:46 47° 02:32 34° 04:18 15° 05:30 0° PAPUA NEW GUINEA Port Moresby 2.186 1.106 21:34 42° 22:46 53° 00:32 57° 02:18 44° 03:30 31° INDONESIA Denpasar 2.186 1.106 19:34 16° 20:46 31° 22:32 50° 00:18 58° 01:30 54° MALAYSIA Kuala Lumpur 2.186 1.106 19:34 8° 20:46 24° 22:32 47° 00:18 67° 01:30 70° JAPAN Nagasaki 2.186 1.106 20:34 41° 21:46 56° 23:32 76° 01:18 73° 02:30 59° Osaka 2.186 1.106 20:34 46° 21:46 60° 23:32 77° 01:18 68° 02:30 54° Tokyo 2.186 1.106 20:34 50° 21:46 63° 23:32 77° 01:18 64° 02:30 50° SOUTH KOREA Pusan 2.186 1.106 20:34 41° 21:46 55° 23:32 74° 01:18 72° 02:30 59° Seoul 2.186 1.106 20:34 39° 21:46 53° 23:32 71° 01:18 71° 02:30 60° CHINA Beijing 2.186 1.106 19:34 31° 20:46 44° 22:32 63° 00:18 72° 01:30 66° Hangzhou 2.186 1.106 22:34 33° 23:46 48° 01:32 70° 03:18 81° 04:30 68° Shanghai 2.186 1.106 19:34 34° 20:46 49° 22:32 71° 00:18 79° 01:30 66° Wuhan 2.186 1.106 22:34 28° 23:46 43° 01:32 65° 03:18 82° 04:30 72° Zaozhuang 2.186 1.106 22:34 31° 23:46 46° 01:32 66° 03:18 77° 04:30 68° INDIA Ahmadabad 2.186 1.106 17:04 -9° 18:16 5° 20:02 27° 21:48 51° 23:00 67° Bangalore 2.186 1.106 17:04 -10° 18:16 6° 20:02 29° 21:48 53° 23:00 69° Bombay 2.186 1.106 17:04 -11° 18:16 4° 20:02 27° 21:48 50° 23:00 67° Calcutta 2.186 1.106 17:04 3° 18:16 19° 20:02 42° 21:48 65° 23:00 82° Delhi 2.186 1.106 17:04 -3° 18:16 11° 20:02 33° 21:48 55° 23:00 71° Canada Halifax 2.186 1.106 07:34 0° 08:46 -10° 10:32 -20° 12:18 -24° 13:30 -21° Toronto 2.186 1.106 06:34 9° 07:46 -2° 09:32 -15° 11:18 -23° 12:30 -25° Vancouver 2.186 1.106 03:34 40° 04:46 28° 06:32 12° 08:18 -3° 09:30 -11° USA Los Angeles 2.186 1.106 03:34 37° 04:46 23° 06:32 3° 08:18 -15° 09:30 -25° San Francisco 2.186 1.106 03:34 41° 04:46 27° 06:32 7° 08:18 -10° 09:30 -20° New York 2.186 1.106 06:34 5° 07:46 -7° 09:32 -20° 11:18 -27° 12:30 -27° Milwaukee 2.186 1.106 05:34 15° 06:46 3° 08:32 -12° 10:18 -22° 11:30 -25° BOTSWANA Gaborone 2.186 1.106 13:34 -69° 14:46 -54° 16:32 -31° 18:18 -9° 19:30 5° MADAGASCAR Antananarivo 2.186 1.106 14:34 -49° 15:46 -33° 17:32 -10° 19:18 12° 20:30 25° SOUTH AFRICA Durban 2.186 1.106 13:34 -65° 14:46 -50° 16:32 -28° 18:18 -7° 19:30 7° Johannesburg 2.186 1.106 13:34 -68° 14:46 -52° 16:32 -30° 18:18 -8° 19:30 6°

Viewing Guide

Lunar Eclipses (unlike Solar Eclipses) are completely safe to observe with the unfiltered and unaided eye - no special equipment is needed.

Telescope observations can be done, however at full moon the lack of contrast due to absence of shadow regions means that visible features are limited.

Binoculars can help improve the view, giving you more magnification and intensifying the colouration. A pair of 7x50 or 10x50's are best - any larger than that and you'll need a steady tripod to mount them on.

Sometimes a Total Lunar Eclipse is best viewed without any optical aid, and just lying under the stars watching the change as the Moon first gets slightly darker (penumbral phase), then starts to get eaten away (partial phase), finally turning deep red as it enters totality.

For something different, try predicting the Danjon Brightness Scale - a measure of the colour and brightness during totality.

For Australians and New Zealanders the entire Eclipse is visible starting just before midnight AEDST. Check the table above for the times in your local timezone. For Sydney-siders, the Moon will be reasonably low in the North (about 30deg altitude) but this will change depending on your latitude (it will be higher in the sky for Brisbane, lower in the sky for Hobart).

However you choose to view the Eclipse, we'd love to hear about your experiences! Please register and post your observing reports in the Observational Astronomy section.

Photography / Imaging Guide

Photographing a Lunar Eclipse is quite easy, and doesn't need any special equipment or filters. The whole event can last quite a while as well, so you've got time on your hands. From the start of the partial phase, you have approximately an hour as the shadow gradually creeps across the Moon until it covers the whole Moon. Totality lasts approx 1.5 hours, followed by another hour of partial as the shadow moves off the Moon.

For Australians and New Zealanders the entire Eclipse is visible starting just before midnight AEDST. Check the table above for the times in your local timezone. For Sydney-siders, the Moon will be reasonably low in the North (about 30deg altitude) but this will change depending on your latitude (it will be higher in the sky for Brisbane, lower in the sky for Hobart).

If you're using digital, this gives you time to preview your images and make sure your composition and exposure is correct, and to re-shoot if needed.

There are many ways to photographically present a Total Eclipse of the Moon. Following are a few ideas. These ideas will be focused on digital imaging - if you still use film then the techniques will be similar, but you lose the ability to preview your shots and re-shoot if needed!

1) Short Focal Length Telescope View

As mentioned before, high-resolution high-magnification views through a telescope are likely to be quite disappointing due to the lack of contrast during a full moon. The same applies if you're trying to image the Eclipse using normal high-resolution imaging techniques. If you're using a telescope, the best results will be obtained where you can fit the whole Moon in the Field Of View (FOV) of your telescope and imaging device. Some examples of this could include:

AFocal Imaging with a low-power/wide FOV eyepiece. Simply attach your camera to the eyepiece using a camera adapter, or hold the camera pointing into the eyepiece and click away.

Prime Focus imaging using the Telescope as a long focal length lens. This is where the imaging device (DSLR or webcam) sits in the focuser in place of the eyepiece.

You can take images during various stages of the eclipse to present a final composite showing all phases on the same image, or you could simply use a single totality image (for example) to present the Moon during a Total Lunar Eclipse. An example of both of these methods is seen in the images above.

You could also take a sequence of images over the entire eclipse (for example, every 10 minutes), resize them down and present an animated gif showing a "movie" of the Moon diving into shadow, entering Totality and then coming out again. An example showing an animated gif like this, is one from Fred Espanek in January 2000.

2) Long Focal Length Camera View

Using a normal digital camera sitting on a tripod, choose your longest zoom setting or longest focal length lens (using a DSLR) and frame the Moon. Take test shots to check your composition and exposure. Make sure you use the histogram function on your camera to ensure that you're not clipping either end of the histogram (not overexposing or underexposing). Zoom in on the preview screen to check that your focus is sharp. Most cameras should be able to get an autofocus lock on a bright object like the Moon, so focus shouldn't be too much of an issue.

If your camera is able, once you've got a focus lock, change the focus to Manual so that it doesn't change between shots. As the weather gets colder and the Moon increases in altitude, the focal point may change so it may be worth re-checking focus once every hour or two. For a normal digital camera (not a SLR/DSLR) change the focus to the "infinity" setting and leave it there.

The exposure will need to change during the phases of the eclipse as the Moon dives into shadow. During totality, a longer exposure such as a few seconds may be needed while a fraction of a second is all that's needed when the Moon is not in shadow.

Keep your ISO setting low (eg: ISO100) to minimise the noise. It's also worth bracketing your shots or simply check the image afterwards and re-shoot if necessary. During haze, fog or high cloud you will need to increase the exposure.

You can take images during various stages of the eclipse to present a final composite showing all phases on the same image, or you could simply use a single totality image (for example) to present the Moon during a Total Lunar Eclipse. An example of both of these methods is seen in the images above.

You could also take a sequence of images over the entire eclipse (for example, every 10 minutes), resize them down and present an animated gif showing a "movie" of the Moon diving into shadow, entering Totality and then coming out again. An example showing an animated gif like this, is one from Fred Espanek in January 2000.

3) Widefield Camera View

This technique involves a digital camera with a wife field of view or short focal length lens, and would give the most natural "eyeball view" of the Eclipse.

Simply sit the camera on a tripod and take an image of the Moon in it's natural environment. The challenge is to present it with beautiful foreground interest - so put some thought into where you're going to photography from. A view of the Moon above some houses and trees might not be as spectacular as the Eclipsed Moon rising above the ocean or interesting architecture or structure. Be creative. Visit the location beforehand and take some test landscape shots so you can be sure the image will look aesthetically pleasing. Landscape photography is an art in itself, so practising will help!

Use a slow focal ratio (stop down the lens), for example f/9 or higher, to ensure that both the foreground and the Moon are captured in sharp focus.

Another interesting and beautiful way to present widefield images of the Eclipse is to take a sequence of images over the duration of the Eclipse (every 5-10 minutes) and make a composite of the Moon images over the foreground. It's important to keep the camera steady and make sure the tripod doesn't move throughout the night so you can ensure accurate position of the Moon when making the composite.

Fred Espanek has used this technique with great success by taking multiple exposures on the same piece of film. Some of his examples of this technique are here and here. You can see his full gallery on his website to get some more ideas. I also used this technique during the August 28th 2007 Total Lunar Eclipse; you can see my result here. My Lunar Eclipse Gallery is here.

However you choose to photograph the Eclipse, we'd love to see your results posted on IceInSpace so please register and post your images to the Solar System section.

Upcoming Lunar Eclipses

Here's a quick listing of the upcoming Partial and Total Lunar Eclipses visible from Australia and New Zealand over the next 10 years.

Year Date Type Visible From 2012 Jun 04 Partial Partial visible for all of Australia and New Zealand. 2014 Apr 15 Total Eclipse visible at Moonrise for Australians and New Zealanders. The further East you are, the more of the eclipse you'll see. 2014 Oct 08 Total Eclipse visible at Moonrise for Australians and New Zealanders. The further East you are, the more of the eclipse you'll see. 2015 Apr 04 Total Entire eclipse visible for all Australians and New Zealanders. 2017 Aug 07 Partial Small partial visible for all of Australia and New Zealand. 2018 Jan 31 Total Entire eclipse visible for all Australians and New Zealanders. 2018 Jul 27 Total Eclipse visible at Moonset for Australians and New Zealanders. The further West you are, the more of the eclipse you'll see. 2019 Jul 16 Partial Partial visible at Moonset for Australians and New Zealanders. The further West you are, the more of the eclipse you'll see.

Further Reading and Resources