Total Lunar Eclipse 10 December 2011

No way we could see the eclipse with these clouds! Clouds, clouds and more clouds outside the airplane's window while we were descending towards Manila. We were even greeted with heavy rain upon touchdown. So, I could not blame myself when my bed was the primary object in my mind to go to instead of the Moon. I glanced at my wristwatch and said,"Its already eight and the eclipse had started". Looked outside and saw this blob of light stubbornly piercing through thick clouds. Well, It won't hurt lugging my camera and 70-300 lens outside just in case. Then, that bright blob of light took the form of an eclipsed moon. I aimed the camera and fired a few shots every time clouds thinned out. I had a stiff-neck afterwards but I felt a quiet satisfaction that all the pessimism before suddenly made an about turn. There was a moment when the sky became so clear that I was able to take a shot of the eclipsed moon with the gorgeous Orion. At around half past midnight, the moon exit totality and I entered the state of drowsiness. So, processing will have to wait the following day. I chose the better shots and combined it to form a collage of the last eclipse of 2011!

Triangulum Galaxy M33 and the Jellyfish Nebula

I have decided to push our intended astro session at Buso last Tuesday even though the weather was not promising. Disappointment was in the air after we were not able to camp at Caliraya last Saturday due to unforeseen events. So, nothing will be new if the same had gone that night. I lazily set-up my gears under the almost-quarter-moon glow, aligned the mount and waited for the moon to set. I slewed my scope to M33 and started shooting even as clouds threatened over the southwest horizon. And just what I had expected, clouds blanketed the sky as soon as the third sub was shot. I could almost sense the overpowering feeling of hopelessness that the sky would not clear the entire night. Even to the point of entertaining the option of packing up and heading home. But we stayed. And we were glad that we did. Clouds thinned out past 2 am and the Gemini-Orion region was clear. I hurriedly pointed the scope towards the feet of the Twins and shot the Jellyfish Nebula. I was able to shoot around an hour of total exposures and here are the images: