[AZ-Observing] Total Lunar Eclipse from Fountain Hills

Last evening I snagged some good views of lunar totality from my balcony 
here in Fountain Hills with my short tube 5 inch f:4.6 refractor.  I 
noted one small crater that shown particularly bright white against the 
pale globe.  (This appeared in the upper right quadrant near the limb, 
in the inverted view through the refractor.)  I have not identified it 
yet. This is not so peculiar, as some craters and ray systems appear 
abnormally bright on the Full Moon.  The pale colors of the eclipsed 
globe appeared to me as though I was looking at a watercolor painting.  
The color was not uniform -- the upper northern limb appeared brighter 
and whiter than the lower part of the eclipsed globe (direct view).  At 
about 8:22 pm, I saw a bright white streak traverse the field vertically 
E-W to the North of the Moon -- likely a meteor.  I was viewing with my 
56mm Meade Super Plossl eyepiece, which has about a 3 degree field 
(gives approx. 10.4 X magnification), so there was plenty of sky all 
around the Moon.  Several stars were also visible in the field.  The 
later partial phases were only dimly visible through clouds.
The nearby McDowell Mountains were pretty hazy with mist before the 
eclipse.  Today it is very wet and rainy up here at 1900 ft.
Gene Lucas
(17250)

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