YES, YES, NO!
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john Pazmino
NYSkies Astronomy Inc
www.nyskies.org
nyskies@nyskies.org
2022 May 16
Introduction
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The lunar eclipse of 2022 May 15-16 was a late evening thru owl
hour event in New York. With the slow and erratic relaxation of
coronavirus constraints this would be the first major celestial event
for public enjoyment. It was also an event for personal observing
within convenient hours.
Weather forecast
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Weather prospects were iffy. On Friday the forecast was for cloud
with probably showers for the weekend. It was cloudy on Friday with a
thin mist. Saturday was mostly cloudy but no rain fell. some observers
standed down from eclipse preparations and I suppose some observing
rallies were called off.
Sunday, eclipse day, started out cloudy. Near noon the Sun came
out, the sky cleared. The afternoon gave blue sky and warm Sun.
his shift of weather was a surprise!
I until Sunday afternoon was taking a casual interest in this
eclipse on account of the anticipated cloud or rain. As Afternoon
rolled along it sure looked to me that there will be a clear night for
the eclipse. I got binoculars and camera ready for viewing the show
from my yard.
Selenehelion
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So promising was the sky on May 15th that I did watch the
selenehelion.
I watched the Full Moon come up over landscape in southeasr while
trees were srill in sunlight. I did not get the full experience ecause
I could not see both Moon and Sun together from in or around my house.
Timetable of activity
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TIMETABLE FOR NEW YORK, 2022 MAY 15-16
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Magn = 1.414; 1st-4th = 3h27m; 2nd-3rd = 1h25m
Moon radius = 0.267 deg deg; umbra radius = 0.759 deg
1st/last paenumbra, 15 min from contacts
---------------------------------------
EDST | event | alt-az | comments
------+----------------+--------+---------
19:50 | Moon rises | 00 115 i selenehelion
20:06 | Sun sets | 02 117 | full daylight ends
20:37 |civil dusk | 06 123 daytime work ends
21:16 | nautical dusk | 12 131 | full night begins
22:13 | first penumbra | 19 142 | first shading on Moon
22:28 | first contact | 21 144 | partial phase begins
23:32 | second contact | 27 150 | totality begins
00:00 | midnight | 28 166 | May 15 -> May 16
00:12 | mid totality | 28 169 | deepest in umbra
00:54 | Moon transits | 29 180 | highest diurnal altitude
00:54 | third contact | 29 180 | totality ends
01:56 | fourth contact | 27 196 | partial phase ends
02:11 | last penumbra | 26 199 | last shading on Moon
04:28 | nautical dawn | 12 229 | full night ends
05:06 | civil dawn | 06 225 | daytime work begins
05:38 | Sun rises | 02 241 | full daylight begins
05:48 | Moon sets | 00 242 | moonlight ends
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All hours are Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Altitude & azimuth
for the Moon are those as seen from New York.
Uh-Oh
---
In early twilight, after having seen the selenehelion I noticed
the twilight in the west had obvious pink mixed in it. The effect was
like that from heavy dust from a volcano. The Moon higher in east was
sharp and clear with no diffusion.
The eclipse ill be saved!
Yes, the eclipse is coming
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I went to my yard at 22:20 EDST.The sky was hazy and the Moon had
a glow around her. The disc was sharp and clear with hard surface
texture visible. There may have been a bit of paenumbra shade, not for
sure.
The air was mild and calm.
Yes, the eclipse started
----------------------
At 22:35 I saw the umbra creeping onto the Moon. The sky was more
hazy than before. The Moon was still well defined, now with a larger
brighter flow around her. The air remained mild and calm.
No, the eclipse is clouded out
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I next looked at 26:00, about half thru the partial phase.
No Moon!
I skipped around the yard to see if the Moon was hidden behind
foliage or house. No, the Moon was gone.
The sky was filled with textured solid cloud all over! There
wasn't even a glow spot where the Moon should be!
The air was still mild and calm.
Still clouds all over the Moon
----------------------------
I hoped to see the second contact at 23:20. The sky was totally
clouded over. The clouds had hard texture on them. The air now was a
bit cool ut still calm.
Last look at the clouds
---------------------
I made ny final observation at 23:45, when the Moon was deep into
totality. The sky was still covered by textured clouds. The air was
cool with now a bit of moist in it.
Conclusion
--------
I did my thing, saw selenehelion, saw first contact, and then saw
the rest of the eclipse swallowed by cloud! This was my luck from
Brooklyn.
I looked outside at the sky generally when I turned in for the
night. It was 02:00 on May 16th, just when fourth contact occurred. In
the stead of a moonlithted scene, the sky was still thoroly clouded
over.
The next lunar eclipse for the City is on 2022 November 8 in dawn
thru sunrise. This is a strong selenehelion, a lunar eclipse in
progress at sunrise.