Eclipse puzzle

I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse, in which the moon appears at
totality. There is a landmark in the foreground that will help me,
but I can't be completely sure of the angle at which it was shot.

I think I can pinpoint the exact spot the photographer was standing if
I can get the exact position of the moon as seen from San Francisco,
CA at both the onset of totality and the end of totality. By exact
position, I guess it would be the elevation from the horizon and
degrees north of due east.

I hope one of you can help me and I thank you in advance!

"The Silver Fox" requested:

I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse, in which the moon appears at
totality. There is a landmark in the foreground that will help me,
but I can't be completely sure of the angle at which it was shot.

I think I can pinpoint the exact spot the photographer was standing if
I can get the exact position of the moon as seen from San Francisco,
CA at both the onset of totality and the end of totality. By exact
position, I guess it would be the elevation from the horizon and
degrees north of due east.


The following were computed for San Francisco (W 122d 27' N 37d 45')
during the lunar eclipse on the evening of 27 October 2004 (PDT):

Event Local Time Angle north of due east Elevation

Start of Totality 07:23 p.m. PDT 5.8 13.6

End of Totality 08:45 p.m. PDT -6.2 * 29.4


* The negative angle value means that the Moon was _south_ of due east.

--
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mark Gingrich San Leandro, California

Thank you very much! Now to get an instrument to measure elevation.
What is that called, a clinometer? Is there a relatively inexpensive
way to do this?

Mark Gingrich wrote in message ...
"The Silver Fox" requested:

I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse, in which the moon appears at
totality. There is a landmark in the foreground that will help me,
but I can't be completely sure of the angle at which it was shot.

I think I can pinpoint the exact spot the photographer was standing if
I can get the exact position of the moon as seen from San Francisco,
CA at both the onset of totality and the end of totality. By exact
position, I guess it would be the elevation from the horizon and
degrees north of due east.


The following were computed for San Francisco (W 122d 27' N 37d 45')
during the lunar eclipse on the evening of 27 October 2004 (PDT):

Event Local Time Angle north of due east Elevation

Start of Totality 07:23 p.m. PDT 5.8 13.6

End of Totality 08:45 p.m. PDT -6.2 * 29.4


* The negative angle value means that the Moon was _south_ of due east.

One other question, Mark. How did you get those numbers? I would
like to be able to find this information about the moon's position on
any given date and time. Is it possible?

Mark Gingrich wrote in message ...
"The Silver Fox" requested:

I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse, in which the moon appears at
totality. There is a landmark in the foreground that will help me,
but I can't be completely sure of the angle at which it was shot.

I think I can pinpoint the exact spot the photographer was standing if
I can get the exact position of the moon as seen from San Francisco,
CA at both the onset of totality and the end of totality. By exact
position, I guess it would be the elevation from the horizon and
degrees north of due east.


The following were computed for San Francisco (W 122d 27' N 37d 45')
during the lunar eclipse on the evening of 27 October 2004 (PDT):

Event Local Time Angle north of due east Elevation

Start of Totality 07:23 p.m. PDT 5.8 13.6

End of Totality 08:45 p.m. PDT -6.2 * 29.4


* The negative angle value means that the Moon was _south_ of due east.

"The Silver Fox" wrote

Thank you very much! Now to get an instrument to measure elevation.
What is that called, a clinometer? Is there a relatively inexpensive
way to do this?

An altimeter should work. Its accuracy is dependent upon knowing the exact
atmospheric pressure at the time. An easier way may be with a GPS receiver
with an altitude function. That'll give you an accurate reading to within
about 50 feet or so. Numerous readings, taken over time, will get you even
closer if you average the readings.

Howard Lester




----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 06:36:06 -0700, "Howard Lester"
wrote:

"The Silver Fox" wrote

Thank you very much! Now to get an instrument to measure elevation.
What is that called, a clinometer? Is there a relatively inexpensive
way to do this?

An altimeter should work. Its accuracy is dependent upon knowing the exact
atmospheric pressure at the time. An easier way may be with a GPS receiver
with an altitude function...

Uh... he's looking for astronomical elevation, that is, an angle above the
horizon. So a clinometer is what he needs, not an altimeter.

You can knock together a fair clinometer with a protractor, meter stick, and
plumb bob.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

"Chris L Peterson" wrote

An altimeter should work. Its accuracy is dependent upon knowing the
exact
atmospheric pressure at the time. An easier way may be with a GPS
receiver
with an altitude function...

Uh... he's looking for astronomical elevation, that is, an angle above the
horizon. So a clinometer is what he needs, not an altimeter.

Oh, yes - wrong newsgroup. "Most embaddassing..."




----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

"The Silver Fox" wrote in message
om...
I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse,

why? (just curious).

"md" not given to avoid spam wrote in message ...
"The Silver Fox" wrote in message
om...
I am not an astronomer, amateur or otherwise. But I am hoping that
one of you can help me solve a little puzzle. I am trying to locate
the precise location from which a particular photograph was taken
during the recent lunar eclipse,

why? (just curious).


I have a friend who thinks that it was impossible for a particular
published photo of the eclipse to be taken during totality. He claims
that it must have been altered by moving the eclipsed moon in
Photoshop, a journalistic no-no. This photograph covered almost the
entire front page of the San Francisco Chronicle. I would like to
prove him either right or wrong. Do you know of any software with
which I can confirm the positions of the moon at the beginning and
ending of totality, given a specific viewing location?

(Don French) wrote in
om:

Do you know of any software with
which I can confirm the positions of the moon at the beginning and
ending of totality, given a specific viewing location?


Most any of the planetarium/starcharting programs. Cartes du Ciel is free:
http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

Some others are detailed he
http://astronomylinks.com/software/planetarium/

--
Colin J Denman
N 51º 54' 38" W 00º 29' 45" Elev: 125m
email: -- use my first name
home: http://www.cjdenman.freeserve.co.uk