Lunar Eclipse - How to photograph

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Lunar disc size at various focal lengths

How to photograph a lunar eclipse

Safety Issues

In comparison with the solar eclipse to view a lunar eclipse you don't need any protection for your eyes. The only potential danger is to stumble over something due to darkness.

Equipment

To phograph a lunar eclipse you need to use a (D)SLR camera attached to a telephoto lens or to a telescope. For a decent size of the lunar disc you need to use a focal length between 500mm to 2000mm. To get an idea of how the image will look using different focal lengths look at the pictures on the film strip attached.

See also my Astrophotography Calculator

Focal Length	Field of View	Size of Moon
28mm	46^o x 65^o	0.25mm
35mm	38^o x 54^o	0.3mm
50mm	27^o x 40^o	0.45mm
70mm	19^o x 29^o	0.6mm
105mm	13^o x 19^o	0.95mm
135mm	10^o x 15^o	1.2mm
200mm	7^o x 10^o	1.8mm
400mm	3.4^o x 5.1^o	3.7mm
500mm	2.7^o x 4.1^o	4.6mm
1000mm	1.4^o x 2.1^o	9.2mm
1500mm	0.9^o x 1.4^o	13.8mm
2000mm	0.7^o x 1.0^o	18.4mm

Calculating Exposures

Best way to determine the correct exposures for partial phases of the eclipse is by trial and error. The length of the totality phase of a lunar eclipse is long enough to allow you to try a large variety of exposure combinations.

Use the following table as rough guide to calculate the exposure:

Lunar Eclipse Exposure Guide (after Fred Espenak)
ISO		fNumber
25		1.4	2	2.8	4	5.6	8	11	16	22
50		2	2.8	4	5.6	8	11	16	22	32
100		2.8	4	5.6	8	11	16	22	32	44
200		4	5.6	8	11	16	22	32	44	64
400		5.6	8	11	16	22	32	44	64	88
800		8	11	16	22	32	44	64	88	128
1600		11	16	22	32	44	64	88	128	176

Subject	Q	Shutter Speed
Lunar Eclipse
Full Moon	8	1/4000	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15
Umbral Contact	7	1/2000	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8
Umbra: Mag=0.25	6	1/1000	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4
Umbra: Mag=0.50	5	1/500	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2
Umbra: Mag=0.75	4	1/250	1/125	1/60	1/30	1/15	1/8	1/4	1/2	1sec
Totality: L=4	-3	1/2	1sec	2sec	4sec	8sec	15sec	30sec	1min	2min
Totality: L=3	-5	2sec	4sec	8sec	15sec	30sec	1min	2min	4min	8min
Totality: L=2	-7	8sec	15sec	30sec	1min	2min	4min	8min	15min	30min
Totality: L=1	-8	30sec	1min	2min	4min	8min	15min	30min	-	-
Totality: L=0	-11	2min	4min	8min	15min	30min	-	-	-	-

Exposure formula: t = f²/(I*2^Q)

where:

t=exposure time (seconds)
f=f/Number or focal ratio
I=ISO speed (film speed)
Q=brightness exponent