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Milk Moon Diamond

The Total Lunar Eclipse on 28. October 2004 in Dreieich-Dreieichenhain, Germany

Experience Report


Still in the morning of 27. October 2004 a nearly cloudless sky showed up over Dreieich, but in the evening a closed cover of low stratus-like clouds prevailed, which now and then however permitted a short view to the full moon. The course direction of the clouds was from southeast. Through the binoculars it was recognizable that the moon shone through thin far more high lying clouds.

Around 3 o'clock, shortly before beginning of the first partial phase the low stratus-like clouds were very much higher. It was unusually bright, a night in color: The blue moon light, orange the artificial light and the autumnally green yellow trees! The moon could be seen as weak washed-out small spot in the sky. In time at the beginning of the partial phase the clouds were however again thicker, the small spot no longer visible. Around 03:30 CEST the moon appeared again, now much clearer and also the missing corner within the range to the upper left well recognizable.

From the left below the moon, coming from direction Darmstadt, had a light bluish sky range has moved in, contrary to the tones in other places, rather orange by the electrical lighting. Since the cloud course direction was now rather a southern one, it seemed to be nevertheless still like that that it would be worthwhile to get the observation equipment out on the balcony.

Lunar Eclipse at 600mm

Milk Moon Diamond

First partial phase of the total lunar eclipse on 28. October 2004, around 03:39 CEST taken in Dreieich-Dreieichenhain, with a Canon EOS500N and Canon 75-300mm tele zoom with Canon 2x tele converter at 600mm and f5.6 (f11), 2 seconds exposed on Fuji400 negative film.

Lunar Eclipse at 1250mm

Milk Moon Diamond

First partial phase of the total lunar eclipse on 28. October 2004, around 03:45 CEST in Dreieich-Dreieichenhain, taken with a Canon EOS500N focally through a Celestron C5-telescope (f=1250mm, D=125mm), approx. 2 seconds exposed on Fuji400 negative film.

More and more clearly the approximately to the half partially eclipsed moon behind the clouds appeared. Best, however not good views on the eclipse did not prevail around 03:40 CEST. The milky moon shone diamond shapedly in the sky, accompanied by its own scattered light in the contourless clouds. Around 03:50 CEST the moon disappeared again. Before the clouds completely prevailed around 4 o'clock again a pale more contourless in the meantime clearly smaller light breath of the moon could be recognized for some minutes.

Around 04:30 CEST light rain began. The totality had already begun. It had become clearly darker. I brought the observation instruments back into the living room, about half an hour later also the C5 telescope still adjusting under a tarpaulin.

With this a set of 4 lunar eclipses within 2 years ended, from which I could at least partly observe each, all in all a good observation success.

Stephan Heinsius, 28. October 2004 (still during the no longer visible eclipse written and set online), addition by pictures on 21. November 2004.

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