The 2007 March 3 Total Lunar Eclipse

Observers are requested to try the following observations during the lunar eclipse and to report them to the Editor or Planetary Notes Sub-Editor for collation and publication in TA. Scientifically there is probably far more interest now in a total lunar eclipse than in a total solar eclipse due to the information that the eclipse can give on the state of the Earth’s atmosphere.

The projects below can be carried out with any available instrumentation from naked eye to a large telescope.

(1) Contact timings, including first visibility of the penumbra

(2) Danjon scale estimates of the umbra brightness

(3) Crater contact timings (see table of predictions below)

(4) Light curve, either of the Moon (through reversed binoculars) or the Naked Eye Limiting magnitude during the eclipse (see below).

(5) Visual impressions.

Predicted timings

First contact with umbra – 21:30:22UT

Start of totality – 22:44:13

End of totality – 23:57:37

End of eclipse – 01:11:28

Danjon scale estimates

L=0 Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-totality.

L=1 Dark eclipse, grey or brownish in coloration. Details distinguishable only with difficulty.

L=2 Deep red or rust-coloured eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer 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.

Naked eye limiting magnitude during the eclipse

This can be estimated at 5 to 10 minute intervals by counting the number of stars (including the corner stars) in the trapezium of Corvus. Please record the time and the number of stars seen, including at least one estimate before and/or after the eclipse.

Crater Timings During the March 3^rd 2007 Lunar Eclipse

The following is a list of crater contact timing predictions from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. However, the exact size of the umbra and hence the times of contacts are unpredictable.

Crater	Immersion	Observed	Crater	Emersion	Observed
Grimaldi	21:35		Grimaldi	00:06
Billy	21:37		Aristarchus	00:06
Campanus	21:43		Kepler	00:13
Kepler	21:49		Billy	00:13
Tycho	21:49		Plato	00:17
Aristarchus	21:54		Pytheas	00:19
Copernicus	21:57		Timocharis	00:22
Pytheas	22:02		Copernicus	00:22
Timocharis	22:08		Campanus	00:26
Dionysius	22:13		Aristoteles	00:28
Manilius	22:13		Eudoxus	00:30
Menelaus	22:17		Tycho	00:36
Plinius	22:21		Manilius	00:37
Goclenius	22:22		Menelaus	00:41
Plato	22:23		Dionysius	00:45
Taruntius	22:27		Plinius	00:45
Langrenus	22:27		Proclus	00:56
Eudoxus	22:28		Taruntius	00:59
Aristoteles	22:31		Goclenius	01:01
Proclus	22:31		Langrenus	01:07