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Tonight: Year's Biggest Full Moon, Mars Create Sky Show
National Geographic ^ | Jan. 29, 2010 | Andrew Fazekas

Posted on 01/29/2010 2:08:21 PM PST by La Enchiladita

The biggest full moon of 2010 will rise in the east tonight, and it'll appear with a bright sidekick: Mars will cozy up just to the left of the supersize moon.

January's full moon is also called the wolf moon, according to Native American tradition associating this month's full moon with wolves howling in the cold midwinter. (Take a moon myths and mysteries quiz.)

The 2010 wolf moon will appear 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than any other full moon this year, because our cosmic neighbor will actually be closer to Earth than usual.

The moon will be at its closest perigee—the nearest it gets to our planet during its egg-shaped orbit—for 2010 at 4:04 a.m. ET Saturday, reaching a distance of 221,577 miles (356,593 kilometers) from Earth.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalgeographic.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science; Weather
KEYWORDS: fullmoon; mars; moon; wolfmoon
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Aaahhhhhh-rrooooooooo!!!!
1 posted on 01/29/2010 2:08:22 PM PST by La Enchiladita
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To: La Enchiladita

Rain and clouds tonight...just damn.


2 posted on 01/29/2010 2:09:10 PM PST by Dallas59 (President Robert Gibbs 2009-2013)
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To: La Enchiladita

Photographers: Help!

What is the proper exposure to get the face of the moon exposed correctly so you can see the “Man in the Moon”?

Everything is translatable, so give it to me in whatever form you know to be correct.

My equipment is Nikon F3HP, 300mm f4.5, with Velvia 50 on a Manfrotto 55.

If you have any advice on capturing that “face,” I’d sure appreciate it.


3 posted on 01/29/2010 2:11:55 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Liberal Massachussetts says: "FUBO!")
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To: La Enchiladita

Took this early Wednesday morning 27th, when Mars was at close approach 99.3 million kilometers away.
4 posted on 01/29/2010 2:16:07 PM PST by messierhunter
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To: La Enchiladita

Should be crystal clear, here. It’s been bloody COLD! -5 this morning when I got up. Brrrrr!

I can’t wait to see it! Thanks for the reminder. The dogs and I will bundle up and take an evening stroll to ‘The Back Forty’ for the show. :)


5 posted on 01/29/2010 2:17:32 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.)
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To: La Enchiladita

6 posted on 01/29/2010 2:19:15 PM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: messierhunter

It’s a little fuzzy. You should’ve waited until it was only 99 million kilos away; that .3 makes all the difference, LOL!

Just kiddin’ ya! That’s a BEAUTIFUL shot! :)


7 posted on 01/29/2010 2:19:29 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.)
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To: La Enchiladita
Aaahhhhhh-rrooooooooo!!!!


8 posted on 01/29/2010 2:23:20 PM PST by VR-21 (Bring me my broadsword, and clear understanding. Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman.)
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To: La Enchiladita

9 posted on 01/29/2010 2:27:08 PM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: VR-21

Excellent!


10 posted on 01/29/2010 2:28:20 PM PST by CrosscutSaw
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

To be honest it’s not my best shot of mars ever, but you can just start to make out the white clouds on the left and right sides of the planet. In 2003 it about half the current distance at close approach, but I wasn’t good enough at astrophotography then to seriously attempt a photo. The next opportunity that will be almost as good as 2003 won’t be until 2018. Perhaps the good news is that by then we’ll have someone new in the oval office, hopefully conservative, and perhaps the economy will have recovered to the point that I can afford a newer, better camera ;).


11 posted on 01/29/2010 2:30:43 PM PST by messierhunter
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To: La Enchiladita
Looking forward to it


12 posted on 01/29/2010 2:40:50 PM PST by Lucky9teen (A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is just putting on its shoes.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

The intensity of sunlight hitting the moon is the same as it is hitting the earth on a bright sunny day, actually a little less due to atmospheric interference but you will have the same interference shooting through the atmosphere to the moon. Set your exposure accordingly.

Old rule of thumb with ‘film’ for bright sunny day was 1/asa at f16 as in ASA400 film would be 1/400sec at f16, round up to 1/500. Your asa50 film would be 1/60sec, bracket two up and two down.

Of course it has been a lot of years since I shot ‘film’.


13 posted on 01/29/2010 2:40:57 PM PST by 11Bush
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To: Dallas59

“Rain and clouds tonight...just damn.”

Snow and sleet here in northern Alabama tonight. First I missed the blue full moon and now this one. Arrgghh!!!


14 posted on 01/29/2010 2:41:40 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Liberals are mentally ill.)
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To: JoeProBono

Wow! What a great pic! Where can I get a copy of it?


15 posted on 01/29/2010 2:42:53 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Liberals are mentally ill.)
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To: All

Totally amazing. Largest moon I have ever seen.
greetings from smalbany NY


16 posted on 01/29/2010 2:47:17 PM PST by wheninthecourse
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To: Dallas59

The view from Carville's home planet.

17 posted on 01/29/2010 2:49:43 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: La Enchiladita

Beautiful moon rising here tonight. Very clear, very, very cold night. It’s gorgeous.


18 posted on 01/29/2010 2:50:58 PM PST by tropical
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To: Dallas59
Rain and clouds tonight

Ditto.

19 posted on 01/29/2010 2:52:35 PM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: messierhunter

I’m just glad I’m living on the planet that actually supports LIFE...and not on some barren rock looking down at our pretty green and blue MIRACLE. :)


20 posted on 01/29/2010 2:53:28 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save the Earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.)
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