Witnessing a Lunar Eclipse from Tauranga, New Zealand

What an incredible morning it was! I had the privilege of capturing a breathtaking lunar eclipse as it graced the skies over Tauranga, New Zealand. This celestial event unfolded just as the sun began to rise, painting the horizon with warm hues while the moon embarked on its spectacular transformation.

The Capture

These images are a result of a timelapse I meticulously put together. As the sky grew lighter with the approaching dawn, I carefully feathered out the background of each frame, ensuring the colors of the moon remained true to the sky's conditions at that precise moment.

Here are the technical details of my setup:

• Camera: Canon R5
• Lens: Canon 100-500mm @ 500mm
• Aperture: F/9
• ISO: 1600
• Tracker: Skywatcher Star Adventure

The Processing Journey

The magic truly happened in post-processing. I utilized Adobe Lightroom for initial enhancements:

• Minor sharpening to bring out the lunar surface details.
• Minor denoising to clean up any noise.
• Minor dehazing to further enhance the moon's features.

Following this, Photoshop became my canvas:

• Each individual moon from the timelapse was meticulously cut out and composited onto the initial background – the pre-eclipse full moon against a stark black canvas.
• The final frame of the eclipse was placed with its accompanying light blue sky.
• To ensure a seamless and accurate representation, I blended a subtle fade at each moon's placement, referencing the original sky colors. (A small oopsie at the full eclipse stage, but the overall effect is still captivating!)
• Finally, the entire image received a gentle brightening to overcome the initial darkness.

The Experience

The early morning started at 3 AM to ensure everything was set up and aligned perfectly before the celestial show began. Monitoring the moon's brightness was a constant challenge as the sky brightened, requiring real-time adjustments. This was made even more dynamic by simultaneously running a livestream for our observatory club! Despite the complexities, it was a tremendously rewarding experience, offering a view I could never tire of.

It's moments like these that remind us of the vast beauty and wonder of our universe, and I'm thrilled to share this captured piece of it with you all.