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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2311      2007 Mar 02 15.30UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, 2007 MARCH 3
Mark Kidger: Observers are requested to try the following observations 
during the lunar eclipse and to report them to the Editor and Planetary 
Notes Sub-Editor for collation and publication in TA. Scientifically 
there is probably far more interest now in a total lunar eclipse than in 
a total solar eclipse due to the information that the eclipse can give 
on the state of the Earth's atmosphere. The projects below can be 
carried out with any available instrumentation from naked eye to a large 
telescope:
(1) Contact timings, including first visibility of the penumbra
(2) Danjon scale estimates of the umbra brightness
(3) Crater contact timings (see table of predictions below)
(4) Light curve, either of the Moon (through reversed binoculars) or the 
Naked Eye Limiting magnitude during the eclipse (see below).
(5) Visual impressions.
Predicted timings
First contact with umbra         - 21:30:22UT
Start of totality                - 22:44:13
End of totality                  - 23:57:37
End of eclipse                   - 01:11:28

Danjon scale estimates
L=0 Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-
totality. L=1 Dark eclipse, grey or brownish in coloration. Details
distinguishable only with difficulty. L=2 Deep red or rust-coloured
eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer umbra is relatively
bright. L=3 Brick-red eclipse. Umbral shadow usually has a bright or 
yellow rim. L=4 Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse. Umbral shadow 
has a bluish, very bright rim.

Naked eye limiting magnitude during the eclipse
This can be estimated at 5 to 10 minute intervals by counting the number 
of stars (including the corner stars) in the trapezium of Corvus. Please 
record the time and the number of stars seen, including at least one 
estimate before and/or after the eclipse. Crater Timings During the 
March 3rd 2007 Lunar Eclipse The following is a list of crater contact 
timing predictions from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 
However, the exact size of the umbra and hence the times of contacts are 
unpredictable.

Crater  Immersion   Observed Crater     Emersion        Observed
Grimaldi    21:35            Grimaldi     00:06
Billy       21:37            Aristarchus  00:06
Campanus    21:43            Kepler       00:13
Kepler      21:49            Billy        00:13
Tycho       21:49            Plato        00:17
Aristarchus 21:54            Pytheas      00:19
Copernicus  21:57            Timocharis   00:22
Pytheas     22:02            Copernicus   00:22
Timocharis  22:08            Campanus     00:26
Dionysius   22:13            Aristoteles  00:28
Manilius    22:13            Eudoxus      00:30
Menelaus    22:17            Tycho        00:36
Plinius     22:21            Manilius     00:37
Goclenius   22:22            Menelaus     00:41
Plato       22:23            Dionysius    00:45
Taruntius   22:27            Plinius      00:45
Langrenus   22:27            Proclus      00:56
Eudoxus     22:28            Taruntius    00:59
Aristoteles 22:31            Goclenius    01:01
Proclus     22:31            Langrenus    01:07
Guy M Hurst