Last night, September 27th, the Sun + Earth + Moon lined up in a row to put on a magical show. People all over the world looked up to watch the lunar eclipse.
Super Moon + Blood Moon + Lunar Eclipse
Why was it special?
It was a special one for at least two reasons. First, it was a super moon + blood moon. It happened to be at perigee, the spot in its orbit that brings it closest to the Earth. Some call the totally eclipsed moon a “blood moon” for the red-orange color, which happens once it’s completely in the Earth’s shadow.
Second, this lunar eclipse was the last in a series of four in two years. It can happen a couple of times in a century, or they can skip over a few centuries.
The last supermoon total lunar eclipse was 33 years ago and the next isn’t due until 2033.
Long exposure + night photography
My mom and I took the dogs on a walk searching for the moon through the clouds last night. As we walked by one apartment a guy yelled down, “Did you see the eclipse? It’s pretty amazing right?” We got a glimpse of it right across the street from him and stopped to watch for a few minutes. I knew it would be a long exposure so went to grab my tripod and headed back out.
Still working on long exposures/night photography but here’s the best shots out of the bunch.
Around the world
Watching the eclipse was amazing in itself, but as I stood in the park I started to think about how many people were staring up at the same moon. How many people, all with different stories and locations, were coming together to watch. In the surrounding complexes by me in Lakewood, CO you could see everyone on their balconies + the sidewalks were full of people walking away from the street lights and trees, making their way to the park.
It’s pretty incredible thinking about how many people from all over the world were witnessing the same beautiful thing, at that same moment. It’s a way of connecting us to the universe at large. It reminds us, like traveling, that there’s a bigger picture than just what we’re concerned with in our daily lives.
What about you, where were you last night and did you see this stunning sight?
Today’s tidbit
“The moon stays bright when it doesn’t avoid the night.” ― Rumi