Solar Chromosphere and Corona Revealed in a Unique Image Captured During Total Solar Eclipse 2024
Since I started in solar photography, I imagined how incredible it would be if we could capture both the solar chromosphere and the beautiful solar Corona, knowing that at first sight it seems to be an impossible task, indeed I thought it could be possible, not in a single capture, of course, but with special techniques and during the unique occasion of a total solar eclipse. So the opportunity came up on 8th April 2024 with the Total Solar Eclipse 2024 visible across US. I already had planned to capture an HDR image in white light of the Solar Corona from Texas, so I challenged my friend James Sinclair to capture at the same time a few images of the solar chromosphere immediately before the eclipse starts (C1) and immediately after ending, to avoid the presence of the moon while covering the sun. So my idea was being able to produce a real image – as much as accurate as possible – of the solar chromosphere with its filaments, active regions and prominences aligned along with its corresponding loops and streamers of the solar corona captured and visible at approximately the same time. We knew that this was a huge challenge with so many factors that could go wrong, but fortunately everything went well and we finally could produce a charming unique image, probably never seen before.
Making an high resolution HDR image like that represents an enormous amount of personal and professional efforts, as well as an incredible financial investment, and everything started many months before the Eclipse itself happened. To read to full story, please read the article of my Sun’s Aura, featuring the original HDR image in white light.
Technical processing and Color
After processing my HDR image of the Sun’s Corona (extensive article about it), I then processed the solar disc in Ha captured by James Sinclair from Southern Utah, with a Lunt LS130 and a camera Apollo M Max from Player One Astronomy, as result of a stack of 200 best frames for the single disc image. I used the inversion techinque with curves to better display the details of the sun’s chromosphere. The colors of the solar corona, are showed in orange/brown hues to match with the solar chromosphere for an aesthetic pleasent transition. Important to mention though that corona is not possible to see in Ha emission as we see the solar chromosphere through an Ha filter. The corona was captured in white light through our earth atmosphere which scattered the light giving a bluish appearance during Totality. But the sun corona in space should look like white light, as well as our Sun star.
The Sun’s Corona
The Corona is extremely hot and dynamic, being the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, it reveals intricate fine structures of delicate details distorted by the strong magnetic fields. Specially, close to the Solar maximum expected for 2025 (peak of 11 years cycle of activity), the plasma of the Sun’s corona features a lot of loops and wispy white streamers radiating into space. But due to an immense level of brightness it is only possible to see when the Moon is perfectly covering the Sun. Safe enough to enjoy with our naked-eyes, much more well prepared and efficient to comprise and accommodate a larger high dynamic range, than our cameras, which even nowadays can’t do it at once. This is why we need to cover around 14 stops in the dynamic range and probably even more would be best, but bracketing can help achieve this milestone.
And why this image is so special ? Because not even SOHO in space, from NASA, can watch the inner corona of the Sun. It only can see the most extensive part of the outer corona, using a coronagraph, from two solar radii distant of the Sun’s centre.
Why Eclipse HDR is so Challenging
Photographing a Total Solar Eclipse, is probably to most advanced and complex task in all of astrophotography fields, not only from preparing and planning which requires a bit of Math to find the correct set of exposures according to your gear combination, ISO, lens aperture, right place to be, right time to start etc, etc, as well as from executing it in a stressful short amount of time. But also very hard and difficult to process in a time consuming task. First, because the Sun, the Moon and the stars have all different motions across the sky, which are evident in long focal distances and long exposures. Images must be aligned not on the Moon’s disc, not on the stars, and not even on the prominences (as it only works in shorter exposures), so to reveal the corona in full glory, images must be aligned on the coronal structures which are very hard and tricky, as they are faint, subtle and lacking of contrast, and they keep moving too on a lower speed. Noticeable though over the course of all bracketing, but inevitably negligible, for the final fusion in order to naturally reduce the presence of noise. And probably the most difficult final achievement, is to keep as much as possible, everything looking natural without overcooking it. It is a delicate balance between, contrast, light flow, color and detail which I tried to keep in mind and respect until the very end. I hope I did it!
Equipment and Exposures for Corona
The High Resolution image was captured with a Sigma lens at 600mm at f6.3, and a Nikon D850 modified (Ha sensitive – not relevant for this type of TSE images) on a Vixen portable mount. I did more than 163 photos (bracketed exposures), but I’ve only selected 72 images (8 bracketed sequences of 9 shots each) to process, where the sky was crystal clear without any high cloud visible. The exposure time for each sequence bracketing was ranging from 1/125s, 1/60s, 1/30s, 1/15s, 1/8s, 1/4, 1/2s, 1s, 2s at ISO100, plus additional fast exposures of 1/4000 for C2 and C3 (Prominences and Baily’s Beads). 93GB of images were acquired just for this setup, being 1446 calibration frames such as flats, darks and bias (in a total of 65GB). Images used were captured during 1 minute and 28 seconds of the Maximum, during the 4 minutes and 19 seconds of Totality as seen from my location in Clarcksville, Texas.
Fine Art Prints – Available to ORDER
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and if you still want to support my work as an independent artist, you can buy this image as a Fine Art Print, a piece of Art to bring some magic to your sweet home! I will be deeply grateful for your kind support. I have created a special limited Edition of this Print supplied with a signed & numbered Certificate of Authenticity, global delivery with tracked & insured shipping, in a carbon neutral sustainable production, packaging and shipping. Explore the size options and prices by clicking on my Print gallery. Meanwhile, you can sign-up my newsletter to get early access of future Print releases.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Whispers of Totality
The video reveals the most incredible moments of the Total Solar Eclipse from 8th April 2024, as seen from Clarcksville in Texas, US. It shows the begining of first C2 contact, when Diamond Rings starts to appear from a wide view, until the last glimps of sun rays while crossing mountains and valley’s on the Moon surface revealing the Baily’s Beads, the last seconds before starts the magical moment of Totality when the Sun’s Aura turns visible. The Solar Corona is extremely hot and dynamic, being the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, it reveals intricate fine structures of delicate details distorted by the strong magnetic fields. The plasma of the corona features a lot of loops and wispy white streamers radiating into space. But due to an immense level of brightness it is only possible to see when the Moon is perfectly covering our Sun.
Whispers of Totality not only shows the beauty of the Total Solar Eclipse in all it’s glory, but also the recorded whispers of our Portuguese voices and the emotions we were living during the Maximum of Totality. This was the most stressful time of our lives, without knowing until the very end, if we could make it. Me and my wife Apolónia, we travelled from Portugal to Pearsall, in Texas, as planned, but the forecast was indeed terrible almost in the entire US, or at least where the path was located. So after many hours driving from Dallas to Houston and then to Pearsall, with the rest of the week monitoring with several different models the evolution of the weather forecast, we have decided – even with a certain risk -that we must need to move back to north, again, to be more close to Oklahoma state. So on the day before the Eclipse, we had to drive back to Dallas during five or six hours and in the morning of the Eclipse, we did an extra two hours drive, to reach a small city called, Clarksville, in the northeast of Texas. At 10 AM the sky was still cloudy, and I only had 2 hours before the Eclipse starts, which means, to prepare the entire setup of 6 cameras with lens, tripods, mounts, filters, cables etc. Fortunately, like a miracle, just 5 minutes before totality starts, the sky cleared up where the Sun was located and during the Maximum it was completely crystal clear, at least, for around 1min and 30 seconds, calm and windless until the end. It was just…Magical!!
Licensed Music from Envato: 80s Wave by MARIAN
Captured and Edited by Miguel Claro.
Taking an high resolution HDR image like that represents an enormous amount of personal and professional efforts, as well as an incredible financial investment! I released an extensive article on my website with all the technical details here.
Fine Art Prints of my Sun’s AURA – Thank you for supporting my work as an independent artist while buying one of my Prints below:
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
The Sun’s Aura – Solar Corona Revealed in All It’s Glory During Total Solar Eclipse 2024
Behind the Trip, from Portugal to Texas
Taking an high resolution HDR image like that represents an enormous amount of personal and professional efforts, as well as an incredible financial investment, and everything started many months before the Eclipse itself happened. Planning the trip to be on the right path, booking accommodation several months in advance, before prices went crazy, renting a car to be as much mobile as possible, and all of it without knowing if the weather will collaborate on the place we have choose to be for the special moment. Me and Apolónia, we travelled from Portugal to Pearsall, in Texas, as planned, but the forecast was indeed terrible almost in the entire US, or at least where the path was located. So after many hours driving from Dallas to Houston and then to Pearsall, with the rest of the week monitoring with several different models the evolution of the weather forecast, we have decided – even with a certain risk -that we must need to move back to north, again, to be more close to Oklahoma state. So on the day before the Eclipse, we had to drive back to Dallas during five or six hours and in the morning of the Eclipse, we did an extra two hours drive, to reach a small city called, Clarksville, in the northeast of Texas. At 10 AM the sky was still cloudy, and I only had 2 hours before the Eclipse starts, which means, to prepare my entire setup of 6 cameras with lens, tripods, mounts, filters, cables etc…. We found a nice green calm farm to setup everything. The owner kindly authorised us to stay with our car near by, thanks Ed. This was the most stressful time of our lives, without knowing until the very end, if we could make it, trying to focus and center the sun in between the clouds brought an extra difficulty to my task. Additionally, I only had 3 solar filters for 6 cameras. Fortunately, like a miracle, just 5 minutes before totality starts, the sky cleared up where the Sun was located and during the Maximum it was completely crystal clear, at least, for around 1min and 30 seconds, calm and windless until the end. It was just…Magical!!
Technical preparation and processing
My inspiration came from some of the most finest images I´ve seen so far, from pioneering Dr. Miloslav Druckmuller, and the incredible work of Nicolas Lefaudeux, as well as and the notable results achieved by my friend Petr Horalek. Just few months before the Eclipse I started going deep, researching and studying the processes involved in those kind of HDR Eclipse images. I red some of the papers by Dr. Miloslav, many other articles…and I knew it would be a very hard task. Specially some critical steps, as calibration and precise sub-pixel alignment in the linear stage, must be done using phase correlation, using correlated image structures to align them perfectly, which is done by non-available softwares, mainly developed by each of the authors, programmed and implemented themselves to apply the correct algorithm in a proper way. I don’t have access to a program with such capabilities and I didn’t wrote my own code – at least for now — so I had to find a different alternative for the critical steps. After many weeks testing and learning, I found the proper way to do it manually with pixel precision, using also calibration frames in the linear stage, but aligning and blending the seamless high dynamic range (HDR), free of artifact in the non-linear stage. There were helpful articles and tutorials along the way…from Fred Espenak, Alan’s Dyer (Books), Sean Walker (S&T article), and more recently by Bray Falls tutorial, but anyone was completely perfect on covering every aspects in case you plan to do both (Calibration, Aligning and HDR in Linear and non-linear stage). The image I’m presenting is the result of many hours of study and practice and a refined fusion of some of the techniques I’ve learned over the last years with some of you, so I’m thankful for that knowledge and want to show my deeply appreciation for that. I think that learning is the most beautiful thing, after…a Total Solar Eclipse :). With patience and knowledge, I tried to refine and improve some of the them, while integrating as part of my won developing workflow. It proved to be very efficient, as an example, after aligning all the brackets, and to achieve a perfect HDR merging while matching each exposure brightness levels, totally free of any artifact, I didn’t had to do, one single luminance mask during this non-linear stage, in order to get a well natural balanced light flow, ready for further enhancements of the corona details, such as removing the lowest spatial frequencies. It was incredible simple and it works like magic, I just need to check if also works so well on other different sets of Eclipse images, taken with different setups and exposures. Also important to say, specially nowadays, that this image, or part of it, was not AI generated, it’s of course, the result of a real hard amount of work captured and processed manually by myself. I’ve not even used during the processing stage, any AI fancy softwares, nor even to reduce noise, like Topaz. I used only PixInsight and Layering techniques in Photoshop.
The Sun’s Aura
The Corona is extremely hot and dynamic, being the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, it reveals intricate fine structures of delicate details distorted by the strong magnetic fields. Specially, close to the Solar maximum expected for 2025 (peak of 11 years cycle of activity), the plasma of the Sun’s corona features a lot of loops and wispy white streamers radiating into space. But due to an immense level of brightness it is only possible to see when the Moon is perfectly covering the Sun. Safe enough to enjoy with our naked-eyes, much more well prepared and efficient to comprise and accommodate a larger high dynamic range, than our cameras, which even nowadays can’t do it at once. This is why we need to cover around 14 stops in the dynamic range and probably even more would be best, but bracketing can help achieve this milestone.
And why is so special ? Because not even SOHO in space, from NASA, can watch the inner corona of the Sun in white light. It only can see the most extensive part of the outer corona, using a coronagraph, from two solar radii distant of the Sun’s centre.
Why Eclipse HDR is so Challenging
Photographing a Total Solar Eclipse, is probably to most advanced and complex task in all of astrophotography fields, not only from preparing and planning which requires a bit of Mat to find the correct set of exposures according to your gear combination, ISO, lens aperture, right place to be, right time to start etc, etc, as well as from executing it in a stressful short amount of time. But also very hard and difficult to process in a time consuming task. First, because the Sun, the Moon and the stars have all different motions across the sky, which are evident in long focal distances and long exposures. Images must be aligned not on the Moon’s disc, not on the stars, and not even on the prominences (as it only works in shorter exposures), so to reveal the corona in full glory, images must be aligned on the coronal structures which are very hard and tricky, as they are faint, subtle and lacking of contrast, and they keep moving too on a lower speed. Noticeable though over the course of all bracketing, but inevitably negligible, for the final fusion in order to naturally reduce the presence of noise. And probably the most difficult final achievement, is to keep as much as possible, everything looking natural without overcooking it. It is a delicate balance between, contrast, light flow, color and detail which I tried to keep in mind and respect until the very end. I hope I did it!
Equipment and Exposures
The High Resolution image was captured with a Sigma lens at 600mm at f6.3, and a Nikon D850 modified (Ha sensitive – not relevant for this type of TSE images) on a Vixen portable mount. I did more than 163 photos (bracketed exposures), but I’ve only selected 72 images (8 bracketed sequences of 9 shots each) to process, where the sky was crystal clear without any high cloud visible. The exposure time for each sequence bracketing was ranging from 1/125s, 1/60s, 1/30s, 1/15s, 1/8s, 1/4, 1/2s, 1s, 2s at ISO100, plus additional fast exposures of 1/4000 for C2 and C3 (Prominences and Baily’s Beads). 93GB of images were acquired just for this setup, being 1446 calibration frames such as flats, darks and bias (in a total of 65GB). Images used were captured during 1 minute and 28 seconds of the Maximum, during the 4 minutes and 19 seconds of Totality as seen from my location in Clarcksville, Texas.
I merged the images from contact C2 and C3 in a single final photo, to reveal the best of all prominences visible around the Sun’s limb. This allowed to show the solar prominences and their associated magnetic loops on the final HDR image.
Moon Earthshine
Normally well seen one or two days after the new moon, the Earthshine phenomenon was described and drawn for the first time by the great Leonardo Da Vinci about 500 years ago on his book Codex Leicester, Leonardo da Vinci explained the phenomenon known as Earthshine in the early 16th century, when he realised that both Earth and the Moon reflect sunlight at the same time. Light is reflected from the Earth to the Moon and then back to the Earth as Earthshine. During Totality the Moon is in front of the Sun and can be seen in a long exposure. Indeed, it’s the only moment when is possible to capture the full disc of the Moon during New Moon phase. I was gladly surprised with the level of detail that could be seen, after a stack of the 0,5s, 1s and 2s exposures of all 8 bracketing combined together, comprising a total amount of 28s. The level of detail was then enhancement using a Local Histogram Equalisation with a large scale. Again, is interesting to show that a stack aligned on the moon, reveals the trails of background stars as the moon is moving much more faster then sidereal, and solar motion. Below: The image on the left, shows the natural Moon’s disc after the 28s stack, and before any further detail enhancement. Startrails are shown on the right image as the result of the stack.
Background stars up to 10.8 mag
The stack of the long exposures aligned on the stars, comprises a total amount of 28 seconds too, and can reveal stars down to magnitude 10.8. Interesting to note that the brightest star visible close to the left side of the Moon, – landscape version or upper in the portrait one – is indeed a variable double star in Pisces named: Zeta Piscium (86 Psc).
Coronal motion on finest structures
Loops in the inner corona are normally more slow and tend to not reveal obvious motion in such short amount of time (88 seconds), but streamers and small scale features seems to reveals some noticeable movement in the background. Some of the most interested features that my eyes could caught are highlighted with arrows at the lower left corner, showing what seems to be a displacement of a small scale structure. Besides the evident Moon’s motion, is also possible to notice some subtle radial motion on large scale features, visible in the background. Even not being as precise as sub-pixel phase correlation algorithm, the animation can also attest the high accuracy of manual alignment. Images used for this animation were acquired during 1 minute and 28 seconds of the Maximum during Totality in between 13h45m46s and13h47m14s Local time (-6 UT). Each successive 9 exposures set of images was aligned and processed independently to get 8 successive final composites of the solar corona. Then, the lowest spatial frequencies was removed and all composites were animated as a final Gif at a speed of 0,05 seconds each. Captured from Clarcksville, Texas, US, during Totality on April 8, 2024 with a 600mm lens f/6.3 on a Nikon D850. Note – you might feel seek if you focus your attention for a long period of time on the same spot. Make a few seconds pause, and then look back.
Acknowledgments
To produce a photo like that your investment may easily achieve the amount of a small entry level car, so fortunately, I had some extra support of some good friends that helped to make this possible. They know who are and their place in our thankful hearts. This image is dedicate to them, but specially to my dear girlfriend/wife Apolónia, as she not only planned every detail of the travel and ground trip alone when I was immersed in planning the technical stuffs, gears, cameras, lens etc…as she helped overcome all the single obstacles in our way that we faced since last year…and that, almost…made me give up of making this expensive trip to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. Last but not the least, to our lovely Sun, for being just mesmerisingly Beautiful and make it appear in between the clouds, for long enough, to make every drop of sweat count! To summarize the beauty of this event in a 1 minute video, I’ve created the Whispers of Totality.
Fine Art Prints – Available to ORDER
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and if you still want to support my work as an independent artist, you can buy this image as a Fine Art Print, a piece of Art to bring some magic to your sweet home! I will be deeply grateful for your kind support. I have created a special limited Edition of this Print supplied with a signed & numbered Certificate of Authenticity, global delivery with tracked & insured shipping, in a carbon neutral sustainable production, packaging and shipping. Explore the size options and prices by clicking on my Print gallery. Meanwhile, you can sign-up my newsletter to get early access of future Print releases.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Dark Moon Disc Against the Solar Chromosphere During the Partial Phase of Annular Solar Eclipse 2023
I was not in the path of the last Annular Solar Eclipse, but in collaboration with my friend James Sinclair which captured the data in US, I could then process it to achieve the result I’m sharing, something a bit fancy, different and less conventional, so I hope you enjoy it. The image shows a singular moment during the last annular solar eclipse, when the moon started to cover the disc of the sun. The entire disc of the moon is normally not possible to capture during partial phases, due to the fast shorter exposures we can only see the part of the disc visible in front of the solar disc, by contrast. So in order to reveal all the details of the chromosphere as well as the ambient light surrounding the limb’s disc that features all the prominences and spicules visible during the Eclipse, I did a fancy technique, which was to carefully remove the entire real silhouette shadow of the lunar disc captured during the maximum moment, to re-align and combine it again with this partial phase shot, this time, revealing in artistic way all the moon silhouette against the background light.
PT: Eu não estava no caminho do último Eclipse Solar Anular, mas em colaboração com meu amigo James Sinclair, que captou as imagens a partir dos EUA, pude processá-las para alcançar o resultado que aqui partilho, algo um pouco sofisticado, diferente e menos convencional, por isso espero que gostem. A imagem mostra assim um momento singular durante o último eclipse solar anular, quando a Lua começou a cobrir o disco do Sol. Normalmente não é possível captar todo o disco da lua durante as fases parciais, devido às exposições mais curtas e rápidas, só podendo ver a parte do disco visível na frente do Sol, por contraste. Assim, para revelar todos os detalhes da cromosfera, bem como a luz ambiente que envolve o limbo solar e que apresenta todas as proeminências e espículas visíveis durante o Eclipse, fiz uma técnica sofisticada, que consistiu em separar e remover cuidadosamente toda a silhueta real do disco lunar captado durante o momento máximo do Eclipse, para realinhá-lo e combiná-lo novamente com esta foto da fase parcial, desta vez revelando de forma artística toda a silhueta da lua contra a luz de fundo.
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
Lunt Solar System LS60| ASI 174MM | Stack of 200 frames for each single image, captured in average seeing conditions from USA.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
A Golden Full Moon After a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
The image shows a golden full moon immersed in a layer of thin high clouds, while was rising after a penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5, which last for only a couple of minutes as it was seen from a marble exploration, in Alandroal, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: A imagem captada a 5 de Maio, mostra uma lua cheia dourada imersa numa camada de nuvens altas e finas, enquanto esta se elevava após um eclipse lunar penumbral que durou apenas alguns minutos, visto a partir de uma exploração de mármore, no Alandroal, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Earth Shadow – The Beauty of a Total Lunar Eclipse in Motion
A video time lapse in 4K shows what is the deepest feeling of experiencing the incredible moment when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue during a total lunar eclipse. The stars around the moon are again visible as the light of the moon drops drastically, giving rise to a unique moment of seeing the mesmerising presence of the Milky Way but at the same time, the shinning moon reflecting a low reddish light for being immersed inside the Umbra of the Earth shadow. The movie also intend to reveal the emotional feeling and ambience which surround us during this celestial event, when we are under the real darkness of a pristine starry sky like Mértola, in Dark Sky® Alqueva territory, Portugal. All the images were captured during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 16th May, 2022. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Blood Moon”. According to timeanddate.com next Lunar Eclipse it will happen in 2023, on 5-6 May and will be a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Antarctica. Close to the end of the year, on 28-29 October 2023, it wil be visible a Partial Lunar Eclipse, seen from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Much of South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica.
PT: O vídeo time lapse em 4K mostra qual é a sensação mais profunda de experimentar o momento incrível em que a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao satélite natural um tom vermelho-sangue durante um eclipse lunar total. As estrelas ao redor da lua são novamente visíveis à medida que a luz da lua cai drasticamente, dando origem a um momento único, o de poder apreciar a presença hipnotizante da Via Láctea, e ao mesmo tempo, a lua brilhando e refletindo uma luz avermelhada por estar imersa na Umbra da sombra da Terra. O filme também pretende revelar de alugma forma o forte sentimento e emoção que se experiencia no ambiente que nos rodeia durante este evento celestial, quando estamos sob a verdadeira escuridão de um céu pristino estrelado, como o de Mértola, no território Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal. Todas as imagens foram captadas durante o Eclipse Lunar Total de 16 de maio de 2022. Por estar perto do ponto mais próximo do nosso planeta Terra, a lua também foi apelidada de “Super Luar de Sangue”. De acordo com timeanddate.com o próximo Eclipse Lunar acontecerá em 2023, de 5 para 6 de maio e será um Eclipse Lunar Penumbral visível na Europa, Ásia, Austrália, África, Pacífico, Atlântico, Oceano Índico e Antártica. Perto do final do ano, de 28 para 29 de Outubro de 2023, será visível um Eclipse Lunar Parcial, visto da Europa, Ásia, Austrália, África, América do Norte, grande parte da América do Sul, Pacífico, Atlântico, Oceano Índico, Ártico , Antártida.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Partial Solar Eclipse with an Airplane Crossing in Front of the Sun’s Disc
I travelled to Antalya, in Turkey, to have a better weather and a larger percentage of the Partial Solar Eclipse visible, and bring with me my portable ED80 equipped with a Daystar Chromosphere filter. I was in the coastline and not farway from the airport, but didn´t imagine to have a lucky moment of capturing a nice plane crossing the only piece of the Sun which was not eclipsed by the Moon silhouette. Captured half an our before its ending, when was 11h38m UT (+3h Antalya) the image shows a single run of a few seconds in slow motion, revealing the waves of heat produced by the plane jets, causing turbulence in the atmosphere and distorting the moon’s limb. Another interesting phenomenon is visible, the contrails left behind from the aircraft, which in this case appeared as dark clouds for being against the bright disc of the sun. According to a BBC article: “Three things are needed for them to form: water vapour, cool air and particles on which the water vapour can condense. Water vapour is produced by planes as the hydrogen in its fuel reacts with oxygen in the air. In cold conditions (typically below around -40C (-40F)) it can condense, typically on the soot particles also emitted from aircraft engines, to a fog of droplets, which then freeze to form ice particles. The process broadly resembles frozen breath on a cold winter’s day. Not all aircraft produce contrails – they are estimated to occur in about 18% of flights. The air needs to be cool enough for the water to freeze, which is why they usually only appear above certain altitudes – typically 20,000ft (6km). In clear, cloudless air, contrails disappear quickly, as the dry ambient air makes the ice particles sublimate (pass from a solid to a gas). But if the atmosphere is humid, the ice particles cannot sublimate and contrails can linger for far longer.”
PT: Viajei até Antalya, na Turquia, à procura de melhor clima e de uma maior percentagem de visibilidade do Eclipse Solar Parcial, tendo trazido comigo um ED80 portátil, equipado com um filtro Daystar Chromosphere. O local escolhido foi junto à costa do Mediterrâneo e não muito longe do aeroporto, ainda assim, não imaginara ter a sorte de captar um avião de passageiros cruzando o único pedaço do Sol que não foi eclipsado pela silhueta da Lua. Captado meio hora antes de seu término, quando eram 11h38m UT (+3h Antalya) a imagem mostra um vídeo (sem stacking) de alguns segundos em câmera lenta, revelando as ondas de calor produzidas pelos jatos do avião, causando turbulência na atmosfera e distorcendo o limbo lunar. Outro fenómeno interessante visível são os rastros – contrails – deixados para trás pela aeronave, que neste caso apareceram como nuvens escuras por estarem em contraste contra o disco brilhante do sol. De acordo com um artigo da BBC, “Três coisas são necessárias para que eles se formem: vapor de água, ar frio e partículas nas quais o vapor de água se possa condensar. O vapor de água é produzido por aviões quando o hidrogénio em seu combustível reage com o oxigénio no ar. Em condições frias (normalmente abaixo de -40C (-40F)) ele pode condensar, normalmente nas partículas de fuligem também emitidas pelos motores das aeronaves, em uma névoa de gotículas, que então congelam para formar partículas de gelo. O processo é similar ao que ocorre com a nossa respiração num dia frio de inverno. Nem todas as aeronaves produzem rastos – estima-se que ocorram em cerca de 18% dos voos. O ar precisa estar frio o suficiente para que a água congele, e é por isso que eles geralmente só aparecem acima de certas altitudes – normalmente 20.000 pés (6 km). Num céu límpido e sem nuvens, os rastos desaparecem rapidamente, pois o ar num ambiente seco faz com que as partículas de gelo sublimem (passando de um sólido para um gás). Mas se a atmosfera estiver húmida, as partículas de gelo não podem sublimar e os rastos podem permanecer por muito mais tempo.”
Technical details | Detalhes Técnicos
William Optics 80ED | Star Adventure portable mount | Daystar Quark Ha Chromosphere filter| Player One Apollo-M Max | Single run without stacking captured from Antalya, Turkey.
Important Note | Nota Importante: Never look and point a telescope or any other optical equipment directly to the sun without a proper and specialized safty filters! It can blind you forever. PT: Nota Importante – Nunca aponte um telescópio ou qualquer equipamento óptico directamente para o sol e observe através dele sem filtros especializados e seguros. Causará cegueira irreversível!
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Kicking the Moon Right on Target During a Partial Solar Eclipse
The image shows the entire sequence of last Partial Solar Eclipse of the year in October 25, 2022, seen above the Mediterranean Sea, from Antalya, Turkey. The background captured in the morning twilight of the same day, shows the Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus visible in the back, while my own silhouette was giving a kick…like if the Moon was a black ball crossing in front of the solar disc. The solar disc was captured with a baader filter using a 14-24mm lens set to 22mm. As well as the the foreground image (without the solar filter), which was taken with the same focal distance at approximately the same place. If you want to see another version while throwing the Moon into the Sun, click here.
PT: A imagem mostra o último Eclipse Solar Parcial do ano – ocorrido a 25 de Outubro de 2022 – visto acima do Mar Mediterrâneo e a partir de Antalya, na Turquia. A imagem em pano de fundo foi captada ao crepúsculo náutico do mesmo dia, mostrando a “Sombra da Terra e o Cinturão de Vénus” (faixa azul escura e rosa, visível logo acima do horizonte) enquanto a minha própria silhueta dava um chuto bem forte…na nossa querida Lua, como se esta fosse uma pequena bola preta que subiu tão alto, que cobriu um pedaço do Sol. O disco solar foi captado com um filtro baader usando uma lente 14-24mm ajustada para 22mm. Assim como a imagem de primeiro plano (sem o filtro solar), que foi captada com a mesma distância focal e aproximadamente no mesmo local. Se me quiser ver noutra versão, a lançar uma lua ao Sol, clique aqui.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Sungazers Enjoying the Sequence of the Last Partial Solar Eclipse of the Year
The image shows the entire sequence of last Partial Solar Eclipse of the year in October 25, 2022, seen above the Mediterranean Sea, from Antalya, Turkey. The background captured in the morning twilight of the same day, shows the Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus visible in the back, while a couple of sungazers (me and my girlfriend) were enjoying the sky and simulating to point to the path. The solar disc was captured with a baader filter between 13:40h and 18:00h (+3h UT), when the sun was in the Meridian and until it was setting behind the Bey mountains, using a 14-24mm lens set to 22mm. As well as the the foreground image (without the solar filter), which was taken with the same focal distance at approximately the same place.
PT: A imagem mostra toda a sequência do último Eclipse Solar Parcial do ano – ocorrido a 25 de Outubro de 2022 – visto acima do Mar Mediterrâneo e a partir de Antalya, na Turquia. A imagem em pano de fundo foi captada ao crepúsculo náutico do mesmo dia, mostrando a “Sombra da Terra e o Cinturão de Vénus” (faixa azul escura e rosa, visível logo acima do horizonte) enquanto um casal de sungazers (eu e minha namorada) aproveitavam o céu e simulavam apontar o caminho descrito pelo Sol. O disco solar foi captado com um filtro baader entre 13:40h e 18:00h (+3h UT), quando o sol estava no Meridiano e até este se pôr atrás das montanhas Bey, usando uma lente 14-24mm ajustada para 22mm. Assim como a imagem de primeiro plano (sem o filtro solar), que foi captada com a mesma distância focal e aproximadamente no mesmo local.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Sequence of Partial Solar Eclipse as seen Above Mediterranean Sea from Antalya in Turkey
The image shows the entire sequence of last Partial Solar Eclipse of the year in October 25, 2022, seen above the Mediterranean Sea, from Antalya, Turkey. Captured between 13:40h and 18:00h (+3h UT), when the sun was in the Meridian and until it sets behind the Bey mountains.
PT: A imagem mostra toda a sequência do último Eclipse Solar Parcial ano, ocorrido a 25 de Outubro de 2022, visto acima do Mar Mediterrâneo, a partir de Antalya na Turquia. Captada entre as 13:40h e as 18h00 (+3h UT) desde que o sol se encontrava no Meridiano e até este se pôr por de trás das montanhas Bey. No canto superior esquerdo é possível ver cerca de 35% do disco lunar a cobrir o Sol.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
A Meteor and a Eclipsed Moon in the Twilight
A wide angle image is the result of a team work between me and my dear Apolónia. Captured few minutes before the morning starts, it shows the reddish glow of an eclipsed moon for being under the Earth shadow cone, mixed with the colors of the twilight in the background. luckily at the precise moment that Apolónia Rodrigues was pressing the camera button – by hand, we didn’t had more cables available as I was running 4 other cameras, a bright shooting star was crossing the field below the Milky Way, visible in the lower left edge. In the foreground, an old mine structure from Mina de São Domingos, in Mértola, at Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve, is visible in the shadow.
PT: Esta visão grande angular é o resultado de um trabalho de equipa entre mim e a Apolónia. Captado poucos minutos antes do início do crepúsculo matinal, mostra o brilho avermelhado de uma lua eclipsada por estar sob a influência do cone de sombra da Terra, misturado com as cores do crepúsculo em pano de fundo. Felizmente no preciso momento em que Apolónia Rodrigues estava a premir o botão da câmara – à mão, não tínhamos mais cabos disponíveis pois eu estava a trabalhar com outras 4 câmaras, uma estrela cadente brilhante atravessava o campo abaixo da Via Láctea, visível na parte inferior da extremidade esquerda. Em primeiro plano, é visível na sombra a silhueta de uma antiga estrutura mineira do complexo da Mina de São Domingos, em Mértola, na Reserva Dark Sky® Alqueva.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Arch of Summer Milky Way Shining Bright During a Total Lunar Eclipse

The image reveals a panoramic scene of single shots where the arch of Summer Milky Way shines high and bright above the wonderful century old mine of São Domingos, in Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky® Alqueva – Mértola, Portugal. In the background, Summer Triangle highlights the center of the image, with blueish star Vega near the top. Left lower center – in the beginning of the Milky Way faintest path – a bright elliptic and diffuse dot is the light coming from Andromeda Galaxy. In the lower center and between the two strcutures are shining planets Jupiter and Mars, being Saturn visible as well, but more to the center right. On the right edge, shines the dusty core of Milky Way galaxy full of emission nebulae and close to Rho Ophiuchi clouds complex, an unusual bright orange glow belongs to an eclipsed super moon for being under the Earth shadow cone.
PT: A imagem revela um cenário panorâmico de disparos únicos onde o arco da Via Láctea de Verão se ergue alto e brilhante acima da maravilhosa mina centenária de São Domingos, na Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky® Alqueva – Mértola. Ao fundo, o Triângulo de Verão destaca o centro da imagem, com a estrela azulada Vega perto do topo. No centro inferior esquerdo – no início do caminho ténue da Via Láctea – um ponto elíptico, brilhante e difuso pertence à Galáxia de Andrómeda. No centro inferior e entre as duas estruturas estão os planetas Júpiter e Marte. Mais acima à direita, encontra-se o planeta Saturno. No extremo direito, brilha o núcleo empoeirado da Via Láctea cheio de nebulosas de emissão e próximo ao complexo de nuvens Rho Ophiuchi, uma luz incomum de tonalidade laranja brilhante, pertence a uma superlua eclipsada por estar sob o efeito do cone de sombra da Terra.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Milky Way with Scorpius and a Red Eclipsed Super Moon
A panoramic scene of 4 singles images captured with a 70mm lens and a Vixen Polarie U tracking mount, shows the moment of totality, when a Super Full Moon decreases its lights and starts to shine in reddish hues for being under the Earth shadow cone. When this happens, a dark starry sky like Alqueva, can show the magnificent presence of Milky Way galaxy at the same time we can enjoy an eclipsed moon. But another yellow-orange bright scource of light is visible in the scene, this light belongs to Antares, a super giant red star located in the heart of Scorpius constellation, which fullfils the entire background scene. The image was captured at 5h AM, when the moon was at about 12º above the horizon of Mina de São Domingos, in Mértola, Dark Sky© Alqueva Reserve, Portugal. For this shot I’ve used a Canon 6D at ISO1250, aperture of f/2.8 and 25 seconds exposure.
PT: Um cenário panorâmico de 4 imagens (single) captadas com uma focal de 70mm e uma montagem Vixen Polarie U, revela o momento da totalidade, quando uma Super Lua Cheia diminui a sua intensidade luminosa e começou a brilhar em tons de vermelho por se encontrar sob a influência do cone de sombra da Terra. Quando isso acontece, um céu estrelado e escuro como o do Alqueva, pode mostrar a magnífica presença da Via Láctea ao mesmo tempo que podemos desfrutar de uma lua eclipsada. Mas outra fonte de luz brilhante de um amarelo-alaranjado é visível nesta cena nocturna, esta luz pertence a Antares, uma estrela supergigante vermelha localizada no coração da constelação do Escorpião, que preenche assim toda a imagem em pano de fundo. A imagem foi captada às 5h da manhã, quando a lua se situava a cerca de 12º acima do horizonte da Mina de São Domingos, em Mértola, Reserva Dark Sky© Alqueva, Portugal. Para esta foto foi usada uma Canon 6D com ISO1250, abertura de f/2.8 e uma exposição única de 25 segundos.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Total Lunar Eclipse with a Super Red Moon Immersed in a Colorful Starfield
The image shows a close-up view of a red dark Moon immersed in a colorful field of stars, taken with a telephoto lens during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022, on 16th May, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Blood Moon”. Below is also possible to enjoy, a starless version, less distractive.
PT: A imagem mostra um close-up de uma lua cheia vermelha e escurecida, imersa num campo de estrelas colorido, captado com uma teleobjetiva durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 16 de Maio de 2022, a partir do complexo mineiro de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de “Super Blood Moon”. Em baixo, está também disponível uma versão sem estrelas, menos distractiva.
BUY THIS PRINT | COMPRAR ESTA IMPRESSÃO
Buy a Fine Art Print or Wall Decor of this Image – Make your order Now!
You can choose the best style of print do you preffer to decorate in a fashion way your walls. Metal Prints with durable and vivid colors, Acrylic, Canvas or the highest quality Gallery Print – a 6 colour UV direct printing on acrylic glass (2mm) including light colours and reinforced by an aluminium dibond plate (3mm). Those type of Prints can highlight the final work in an artistic way, showing the photograph as a piece of art. I work with two high quality specialized Labs in US and in Europe, using Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic papers and Fujifilm Crystal Archive DP II Professional. You can select the image above or freely navigate to more than 800 photographs available in my gallery – each one with their own story and magic – and choose the photograph you would love to have in your home or office.
How to Order – Simple and easy, just “copy and paste” the link of this page or the image you choosed and fill it in the form below, with the size you want and any detail you wish to include on the message, like your country, name and postal address. Free Shipping included to all prints (except frames). For US and Europe the delivery is 4-8 working days, while to Portugal and Spain is normally 2-6 working days. After submitting the order through the form, I will contact you for the payment method (Paypal available or bank transfer) and with other questions related to your print(s) or requests. Once payment is confirmed, your order is shipped within 24h. In case you wish, I can send you separtely with no additional cost, a postcard autographed and numbered of the same image you have just bought, as a seal and proof of art work authenticity from the author. Let me know what is your wish.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse and Anti-twilight Arch as Seen from Lisbon City
A cityscape view captured from the highest point of Lisbon, shows the first Full Moon of the year, rising above the capital of Portugal on 10th January, 2020, with Tagus River visible in the background. Even being partially eclipsed due to a Penumbral lunar eclipse – happening when the Moon passes through Earth’s faint outer shadow – during the nautical twilight is difficult to notice this faint shadow on the moon´s disk, although, a related phenomenon is visible almost every day known as the Earth’s shadow. This shadow is visible in the opposite half of the sky to the sunset or sunrise, and is seen right above the horizon as a dark blue band. Immediately above, where the evening air is still lit, glows a pink band called the anti-twilight arch, also known as “Belt of Venus”, and is caused by backscattering of refracted sunlight due to fine dust particles high in the atmosphere. While the first Eclipsed Full Moon of the year was rising above Lisbon, by coincidence, a flying seagull was luckily caught in the scene. The image also reveals a strong atmospheric turbulence happening, causing a clearly distortion on the “round” moon´s disc.
PT: Um cenário da paisagem urbana captado no ponto mais alto de Lisboa, revela a primeira Lua Cheia do ano elevando-se acima da capital, a 10 de janeiro de 2020, com o Rio Tejo visível em pano de fundo. Já nascendo parcialmente eclipsada devido a um eclipse lunar Penumbral – que ocorre quando a Lua atravessa a fraca sombra externa da Terra – durante o crepúsculo náutico é difícil perceber essa sombra fraca projectada no disco da lua, no entanto, um fenémeno relacionado pode ser visível quase todos os dias. Conhecido como “Earth Shadow” ou sombra da Terra. Essa sombra é visível na metade do céu oposta ao pôr do sol, ou ao nascer do sol. É visível logo acima do horizonte como uma faixa azul escura. Imediatamente acima, onde o ar da tarde ainda está iluminado, brilha uma faixa rosa chamada arco anti-crepuscular, também conhecido como “Cinturão de Vénus”, e é causada pelo retroespalhamento da luz solar refractada devido a finas partículas de poeira na atmosfera. Enquanto a primeira lua cheia eclipsada do ano se elevava acima de Lisboa, por coincidência, uma gaivota voou na direcção certa, alinhado-se em cena. A imagem revela ainda uma forte turbulência atmosférica, causando uma clara distorção no expectável disco “redondo” da lua.
Drone Footage of the Total Solar Eclipse 2019 from Chile
One of the most beautiful things about viewing and photographing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner corona which reveals fine structures and curved lines by the strong magnetic fields, as well as the faint white light that extends far out into space, known as the Sun´s outer corona. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc showing also some prominences visible around the limb and a phenomenon known as the Moon Earthshine, even not being visible with our naked eyes during an eclipse due to the huge difference of light, is the reflected light from our planet Earth that illuminates with a faint light, the moon´s dark disc and it can be revealed during a photographic long exposure. The final video is the result of a drone footage captured during totality and mixed with some still shots taken with different exposures over the course of 2 minutes and combined together to reveal a dramatic high dynamic range. The sequence was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile, using a Nikon D850 with a 600mm telephoto lens for still photos, with a Star Adventure portable mount and a drone Mavik Pro I for the aerial footage.
Photos and Final Editing by Miguel Claro & Drone Footage by Apolónia Rodrigues | Drone Footage Edited by Martin Heck | Licensed Music Inspiring to Epic by Nikitsan
PT: Uma das coisas mais bonitas sobre ver e fotografar um eclipse solar total, é a luz da coroa interna que revela finas estruturas e linhas curvas pelos fortes campos magnéticos, bem como a fraca luz branca que se estende até o espaço, conhecida como a coroa externa do Sol. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar, revelando também algumas proeminências visíveis ao redor do limbo e um fenómeno conhecido como Moon Earthshine, que mesmo não sendo visível a olho nu durante um eclipse devido à enorme diferença de luz, é a luz refletida do nosso prórpio planeta Terra que ilumina com uma luz ténue, o disco escurecido da lua, que se torna assim visível durante uma longa exposição fotográfica. O vídeo final é o resultado de uma filmagem de drone captada durante a totalidade e misturada com algumas fotos tiradas com diferentes exposições ao longo de 2 minutos e combinadas com o intuito de revelar uma dramática gama dinâmica. A sequência foi captada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile, usando uma Nikon D850 com uma lente de 600 mm e uma montagem portátil Star Adventure, para as imagens close-up e um drone Mavik Pro I.
Moon Earthshine and Sun´s Corona in All of It´s Glory – Total Solar Eclipse 2019 in Chile
One of the most beautiful things about viewing and photographing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner corona which reveals fine structures and curved lines by the strong magnetic fields, as well as the faint white light that extends far out into space, known as the Sun´s outer corona. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc showing also some prominences visible around the limb and a phenomenon known as the Moon Earthshine, even not being visible with our naked eyes during an eclipse due to the huge differnce of light, is the reflected light from our planet Earth that illuminates with a faint light, the moon´s dark disc and it can be revealed during a photographic long exposure. The image above is a result of a series of shots taken with different exposures over the course of 2 minutes and combined together to reveal a dramatic high dynamic range. The sequence was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile, using a Nikon D850 with a 600mm lens and a Star Adventure portable mount.
Also interesting to know: “The maximum temperature inside of our star is about 16 million degrees (Celsius). The photosphere – the visible surface of the Sun – has a temperature of about 6000 degrees C. However, the temperature increases very steeply from 6000 degrees to a few million degrees in the corona, in the region 500 kilometers above the photosphere.”
PT: Uma das coisas mais bonitas sobre ver e fotografar um eclipse solar total, é a luz da coroa interna que revela finas estruturas e linhas curvas pelos fortes campos magnéticos, bem como a fraca luz branca que se estende até o espaço, conhecida como a coroa externa do Sol. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar, revelando também algumas proeminências visíveis ao redor do limbo e um fenómeno conhecido como Moon Earthshine, que mesmo não sendo visível a olho nu durante um eclipse devido à enorme diferença de luz, é a luz refletida do nosso prórpio planeta Terra que ilumina com uma luz ténue, o disco escurecido da lua, que se torna assim visível durante uma longa exposição fotográfica. A imagem acima é o resultado de uma série de fotos captadas com diferentes tempos de exposição ao longo de 2 minutos e combinadas para revelar uma dramática gama dinâmica. A sequência foi captada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile, usando uma Nikon D850 com uma lente de 600 mm e uma montagem portátil Star Adventure.
Também é interessante referir que: “A temperatura máxima dentro da nossa estrela é de cerca de 16 milhões de graus (Celsius). A fotosfera – a superfície visível do Sol – tem uma temperatura de cerca de 6000 graus C. No entanto, a temperatura aumenta drasticamente de “simples milhares” para a alguns milhões de graus na região denominada coroa solar, localizada a proximadamente 500 quilómetros acima da fotosfera “.
.
Inner and Outer Corona Shinning during a Total Solar Eclipse 2019 in Chile
One of the most beautiful things about viewing and photographing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner corona which reveals fine structures and curved lines by the strong magnetic fields, as well as the faint white light that extends far out into space, known as the Sun´s outer corona. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc showing also some prominences visible around the limb. This image above is a result of a series of shots taken with different exposures over the course of 2 minutes and combined together to reveal a dramatic high dynamic range. The sequence was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile, using a Nikon D850 with a 600mm lens and a Star Adventure portable mount.
Also interesting to know: “The maximum temperature inside of our star is about 16 million degrees (Celsius). The photosphere – the visible surface of the Sun – has a temperature of about 6000 degrees C. However, the temperature increases very steeply from 6000 degrees to a few million degrees in the corona, in the region 500 kilometers above the photosphere.”
PT: Uma das coisas mais bonitas sobre ver e fotografar um eclipse solar total, é a luz da coroa interna que revela finas estruturas e linhas curvas pelos fortes campos magnéticos, bem como a fraca luz branca que se estende até o espaço, conhecida como a coroa externa do Sol. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar, revelando também algumas proeminências visíveis ao redor do limbo. A imagem acima é o resultado de uma série de fotos captadas com diferentes tempos de exposição ao longo de 2 minutos e combinadas para revelar uma dramática gama dinâmica. A sequência foi captada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile, usando uma Nikon D850 com uma lente de 600 mm e uma montagem portátil Star Adventure.
Também é interessante referir que: “A temperatura máxima dentro da nossa estrela é de cerca de 16 milhões de graus (Celsius). A fotosfera – a superfície visível do Sol – tem uma temperatura de cerca de 6000 graus C. No entanto, a temperatura aumenta drasticamente de “simples milhares” para a alguns milhões de graus na região denominada coroa solar, localizada a proximadamente 500 quilómetros acima da fotosfera “.
.
Full Dome View of the Total Solar Eclipse 2019 in Chile
One of the most beautiful things about viewing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner and outer corona which starts to be visible showing fine structures and the lines from magnetic fields. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc and the atmosphere features a “U” shape, due to the low position regarding the horizon. This 8mm circular fish-eye view was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile.
PT: Uma das experiências mais incríveis ao testemunhar um Eclipse Total do Sol, é poder observar a luz da Corona interna e mais externa do Sol, que durante a totalidade se torna visível revelando estruturas finas e linhas que se curvam pelos inensos campos magnéticos. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar e atmosfera revela uma sombra em forma de “U”, devido ao facto do Sol estar relativamente baixo e próximo do horizonte. A imagem de cima exibe uma visão fish-eye ciruclar de 8mm captada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile.
Total Solar Eclipse with Diamond´s Ring above La Serena Mountains
One of the most beautiful things about viewing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner and outer corona which starts to be visible showing fine structures and the lines from magnetic fields. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. This image above is a sequence of three shots wich includes Totality and the beginning and end of Diamond ring phenomenon, which happens due to the rugged lunar limb topography of the moon that allows beads of sunlight to shine through. A shining diamond set in a bright ring around the lunar silhouette. The image above was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile.
PT: Uma das experiências mais incríveis ao testemunhar um Eclipse Total do Sol, é poder observar a luz da Corona interna e mais externa do Sol, que durante a totalidade se torna visível revelando estruturas finas e linhas que se curvam pelos inensos campos magnéticos. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar. A imagem acima é uma sequência de três disparos que inclui o momento da Totalidade e o começo e fim do fenómeno Diamond´s Ring, que acontece devido à topografia acidentada do limbo lunar da lua, que permite que os últimos feixes da luz solar brilhem por entre vales e crateras. Assim e visto a partir da terra, temos a perceção de se formar um diamante brilhante colocado em um anel de luz ao redor da silhueta lunar. A imagem acima foi captada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile.
Total Solar Eclipse 2019 from La Serena, Chile
One of the most beautiful things about viewing a total solar eclipse, is the light from the inner and outer corona which starts to be visible showing fine structures and the lines from magnetic fields. On 2nd July, 2019, thousands of people located in some parts of Chile and Argentina had the incredible opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. The image above was captured in Lambert, 30km northeast of La Serena, Chile.
PT: Uma das experiências mais incríveis ao testemunhar um Eclipse Total do Sol, é poder observar a luz da Corona interna e mais externa do Sol, que durante a totalidade se torna visível revelando estruturas finas e linhas que se curvam pelos inensos campos magnéticos. A 2 de Julho de 2019, milhares de pessoas localizadas em algumas partes do Chile e da Argentina, tiveram a incrível oportunidade de testemunhar o momento único e inesquecível em que a própria Lua bloqueia completamente o disco solar. A imagem acima foi capturada em Lambert, 30 km a nordeste de La Serena, no Chile.
A Close-up View of the Moon While Immersed in a Lunar Corona
The image shows a close-up view of a red dark Moon immersed in the blue hue from a Lunar Corona, taken with a telephoto lens during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, on 21th January, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Moon”. The next total lunar eclipse will be in 2021. A Lunar Corona is formed while bright moonlight is diffracted by water droplets in thin clouds, drifting in front of the lunar disk. Below is also visible a poster with this close-up view and a sequence of totality ending with a lunar corona.
PT: A imagem mostra um close-up de uma lua cheia vermelha e escurecida, envolta numa corona lunar captada com teleobjetiva durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 21 de Janeiro de 2019, captado a partir do complexo mineiro de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de Super Lua. O próximo Eclipse Total da Lua ocorrerá em 2021. A corona forma-se enquanto o brilho da lua é difractado por gotículas de água em nuvens finas, flutuando assim na frente do disco lunar. Acima, é ainda possível ver um poster com este close-up da Lua e uma sequência fotográfica da totalidade, a terminar com uma corona lunar.
The Path of Totality and a Lunar Corona
A photo time lapse sequence shows the path of totality during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, on 21th January, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal, ending with a Lunar Corona that was formed while bright moonlight was diffracted by water droplets in thin clouds, drifting in front of the lunar disk. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Moon”. The next total lunar eclipse will be in 2021. During a celestial event like that, is incredible to notice huge changes on the reflected light that illuminates the ground. Some stars are also reflected in a small puddle of acid water from Achada do Gamo, that was – since the beginning of modern mining activities in the São Domingos Mine – the center of metallurgical activities on extracted minerals. The areas of heaps, slag and channels of water, give the landscape a “lunar” aspect. The heaps are composed of different materials with high levels of metals, such as slag and ash, whose leaching through the rainwater leads to the production of acid mine drainage, usually with an ocher or reddish color. Below is also visible a poster with a close-up view of the Moon immersed in the blue hue from the corona.
PT: A imagem mostra uma foto-sequência onde é possível ver o caminho da Lua percorrido durante a fase da totalidade durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 21 de Janeiro de 2019, captado a partir do complexo da Mina de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. A sequência termina com uma corona lunar, que se forma enquanto o brilho da lua é difractado por gotículas de água em nuvens finas, flutuando assim na frente do disco lunar.. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de Super Lua. O próximo Eclipse Total da Lua ocorrerá em 2021. Durante um evento celestial como este, é incrível como se notam grandes mudanças na luz refletida que ilumina o solo. Algumas estrelas reflectem-se também nas águas ácidas da Achada do Gamo, que foi desde o início das atividades modernas de mineração na Mina de São Domingos, o centro das atividades metalúrgicas sobre os minérios extraídos. As áreas de escombreiras, escórias e canais de água, dão à paisagem um aspecto “lunar”. As escombreiras são constituídas por diferentes materiais com teores elevados em metais, como escórias e cinzas, cuja lixiviação através das águas das chuvas leva à produção de águas ácidas (‘acid mine drainage’), geralmente com uma cor ocre ou avermelhada. Acima, é ainda possível ver um poster com um close-up da Lua enquanto esta estava envolta pelo azul da corona.
Lunar Eclipse Trails
A startrail sequence shows the path of totality during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, on 21th January, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Moon”. The next total lunar eclipse will be in 2021. During a celestial event like that, is incredible to notice huge changes on the reflected light that illuminates the ground. Some stars are also reflected in a small puddle of acid water from Achada do Gamo, that was – since the beginning of modern mining activities in the São Domingos Mine – the center of metallurgical activities on extracted minerals. The areas of heaps, slag and channels of water, give the landscape a “lunar” aspect. The heaps are composed of different materials with high levels of metals, such as slag and ash, whose leaching through the rainwater leads to the production of acid mine drainage, usually with an ocher or reddish color
PT: A imagem mostra um startrail onde é possível ver o caminho da Lua percorrido durante a fase da totalidade durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 21 de Janeiro de 2019, captado a partir do complexo da Mina de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de Super Lua. O próximo Eclipse Total da Lua ocorrerá em 2021. Durante um evento celestial como este, é incrível como se notam grandes mudanças na luz refletida que ilumina o solo. Algumas estrelas reflectem-se também nas águas ácidas da Achada do Gamo, que foi desde o início das atividades modernas de mineração na Mina de São Domingos, o centro das atividades metalúrgicas sobre os minérios extraídos. As áreas de escombreiras, escórias e canais de água, dão à paisagem um aspecto “lunar”. As escombreiras são constituídas por diferentes materiais com teores elevados em metais, como escórias e cinzas, cuja lixiviação através das águas das chuvas leva à produção de águas ácidas (‘acid mine drainage’), geralmente com uma cor ocre ou avermelhada.
A Moon Sequence of the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019
A photo time lapse sequence shows the path of totality during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, on 21th January, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Moon”. The next total lunar eclipse will be in 2021. During a celestial event like that, is incredible to notice huge changes on the reflected light that illuminates the ground. Some stars are also reflected in a small puddle of acid water from Achada do Gamo, that was – since the beginning of modern mining activities in the São Domingos Mine – the center of metallurgical activities on extracted minerals. The areas of heaps, slag and channels of water, give the landscape a “lunar” aspect. The heaps are composed of different materials with high levels of metals, such as slag and ash, whose leaching through the rainwater leads to the production of acid mine drainage, usually with an ocher or reddish color
PT: A imagem mostra uma foto-sequência onde é possível ver o caminho da Lua percorrido durante a fase da totalidade durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 21 de Janeiro de 2019, captado a partir do complexo da Mina de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de Super Lua. O próximo Eclipse Total da Lua ocorrerá em 2021. Durante um evento celestial como este, é incrível como se notam grandes mudanças na luz refletida que ilumina o solo. Algumas estrelas reflectem-se também nas águas ácidas da Achada do Gamo, que foi desde o início das atividades modernas de mineração na Mina de São Domingos, o centro das atividades metalúrgicas sobre os minérios extraídos. As áreas de escombreiras, escórias e canais de água, dão à paisagem um aspecto “lunar”. As escombreiras são constituídas por diferentes materiais com teores elevados em metais, como escórias e cinzas, cuja lixiviação através das águas das chuvas leva à produção de águas ácidas (‘acid mine drainage’), geralmente com uma cor ocre ou avermelhada.
A Super Red Moon in a Field of Stars
The image shows a close-up view of a red dark Moon taken with a telephoto lens during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, on 21th January, as seen from Mina de São Domingos in Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. For being near the closest point to our planet Earth, this Moon was also called a “Super Moon”. The next total lunar eclipse will be in 2021.
PT: A imagem mostra um close-up de uma lua cheia vermelha e escurecida, captada com teleobjetiva durante o Eclipse Total Lunar ocorrido a 21 de Janeiro de 2019, captado a partir do complexo mineiro de São Domingos, no Dark Sky® Alqueva Mértola, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. Por se encontrar no ponto orbital mais próximo da Terra, esta Lua é também apelidada de Super Lua. O próximo Eclipse Total da Lua ocorrerá em 2021.
An Eclipsed Moon with Mars, Milky Way with Saturn, and a Satellite near Jupiter

Captured 15 minutes after the end of totality during the longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the Century, the scene shows the bright light of a partially eclipsed Moon very close to the red planet Mars. With the galactic core featuring planet Saturn above Sagittarius, the Milky Way is well visible crossing the center of the picture, while above its arched shape, a flare from Satellite FORMOSAT-2 (ROCSAT 2) showed up high in the sky not faraway – in this wide angle view – from the bright light of planet Jupiter, seen near the right edge of the photo. This single shot was captured from Campinho, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
PT: Captada 15 minutos após o final da totalidade durante o mais longo Eclipse Lunar Total do Século, a imagem mostra a luz brilhante de uma Lua parcialmente eclipsada muito próxima do planeta vermelho, Marte. Com o planeta Saturno no centro galáctico, a Via Láctea arqueada cruza o centro da imagem à medida que um flare do Satélite FORMOSAT-2 (ROCSAT 2) se trona visível por instantes, bem alto no céu. Por fim, à direita deste e já próximo do extremo da foto, é possível ver a luz brilhante do planeta Júpiter. Este disparo único foi captado no Campinho, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal.
Total Lunar Eclipse in the Twilight

The image shows a sequence of the red path left behind by the Moon during the longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the Century, as seen from Campinho, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, few minutes after the Moonrise and against a blue Twilight background. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue.

PT: A imagem mostra uma sequência do rasto vermelho deixado pela Lua durante o mais longo Eclipse Lunar Total do Século, captado a partir do Campinho, Dark Sky® Alqueva, Portugal, poucos minutos após o nascer da Lua e contra um fundo azul de Crepúsculo. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue.
The Longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the Century as seen from Portugal
The image shows a close-up view of a red dark Moon taken with a telephoto lens during the longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the Century, on 27th July 2018, as seen from Dark Sky® Alqueva region in Portugal. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, giving the natural satellite a blood-red hue. The image was capture few minutes after the end of occultation of the star HD195157 in Capricornus. With a visual magnitude of +8.93 it can be seen very close to the right limb of the moon (look at 3 o´clock).
PT: A imagem mostra um close-up de uma lua cheia vermelha e escurecida, captada com teleobjetiva durante o mais longo Eclipse Total Lunar deste Século, ocorrido a 27 de julho de 2018, visto a partir do Dark Sky® Alqueva, em Portugal. Durante um eclipse lunar, a lua passa pela sombra da Terra, dando ao nosso satélite natural uma tonalidade vermelho-sangue. A imagem foi captada alguns minutos após o fim da ocultação da estrela HD195157 em Capricórnio. Com uma magnitude visual de +8,93, pode ser vista muito perto do limbo direito da lua.
Partial Phase of the Eclipse – Moon´s Disc near Sunspots AR2671
On August 21, 2017, I and millions of people across the United States had the opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. The image above was captured in Stanley Lake, Idaho, during the partial phase after totality, where we could see the shadow of the Moon´s disc near the group of Sunspots – known as Active Regions (AR) – AR2671.
Shadow of Moon Projected in the horizon during Total Solar Eclipse
One of the most beautiful and deeply things that we can experience in nature, is viewing a total solar eclipse. When the diamond ring appears for the first time and the Baily’s beads phenomenon turns on, we start to listen people screaming and crying…immediately after that, the beautiful light from solar corona becomes visible, and the daytime becomes twilight, it´s really impressive! On August 21, 2017, I and millions of people across the United States had the opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc.
The image above, was captured in the beautiful Stanley Lake, Idaho, few seconds in the end of Totality, and when it seems to me that I have catch the similar phenomenon of Earth Shadow, but this time produced not by the shadow of Earth itself, but by the shadow of moon to be in front of the sun, and maybe intensified by the fact that the sun was starting to appear a little bit which means that could have projected well the shadow of the moon disc and due also the fact that in the ground the light was yet faint like twilight, allowing to be more well seen with naked eye. I also would like to add, that I only noticed this because I took another shot with the same setup and position, just few seconds later and the pink shadow near the horizon have vanished.
Baily’s beads shinning during America´s Solar Eclipse
One of the most beautiful things about viewing the solar corona during a total solar eclipse is the light from the corona itself with the fine structures and lines coming from magnetic fields. On August 21, 2017, I and millions of people across the United States had the opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. The image above was captured in Stanley Lake, Idaho, a beautiful scenario with an amazing atmosphere of happiness vs stress, for being controlling all the equipment.
The Baily’s beads effect, or Diamond ring effect, is a feature of total and annular solar eclipses. As the moon “grazes” by the Sun during a solar eclipse, the rugged lunar limb topography allows beads of sunlight to shine through in some places, and not in others. The name is in honor of Francis Baily who provided an exact explanation of the phenomenon in 1836. The diamond ring effect is seen when only one bead is left; a shining diamond set in a bright ring around the lunar silhouette.
Diamond Ring shinning during America´s Solar Eclipse
One of the most beautiful things about viewing the solar corona during a total solar eclipse is the light from the corona itself with the fine structures and lines coming from magnetic fields. On August 21, 2017, I and millions of people across the United States had the opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. The image above was captured in Stanley Lake, Idaho, a beautiful scenario with an amazing atmosphere of happiness vs stress, for being controlling all the equipment.
The Baily’s beads effect, or Diamond ring effect, is a feature of total and annular solar eclipses. As the moon “grazes” by the Sun during a solar eclipse, the rugged lunar limb topography allows beads of sunlight to shine through in some places, and not in others. The name is in honor of Francis Baily who provided an exact explanation of the phenomenon in 1836. The diamond ring effect is seen when only one bead is left; a shining diamond set in a bright ring around the lunar silhouette.
Solar Radiography – Sun´s Corona Shinning bright during a Total Solar Eclipse
One of the most beautiful things about viewing the solar corona during a total solar eclipse is the light from the corona itself with the fine structures and lines coming from magnetic fields. On August 21, 2017, I and millions of people across the United States had the opportunity to witness the unique and unforgettable moment when the Moon itself completely blocks the sun´s disc. The image above was captured in Stanley Lake, Idaho, a beautiful scenario with an amazing atmosphere of happiness vs stress, for being controlling all the equipment.
A corona (Latin, ‘crown’) is an aura of plasma that surrounds the sun and other stars. The Sun’s corona extends millions of kilometres into space and is most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but it is also observable with a coronagraph. The word “corona” is a Latin word meaning “crown”, from the Ancient Greek κορώνη (korōnè, “garland, wreath”).
The maximum temperature inside of our star is about 16 million degrees (Celsius). The photosphere – the visible surface of the Sun – has a temperature of about 6000 degrees C. However, the temperature increases very steeply from 6000 degrees to a few million degrees in the corona, in the region 500 kilometers above the photosphere.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in the Harvest Moon above Sesimbra Castle
On september 16h the disc of the moon has reached the 100% illumination exactly at the same time he was rising in the portuguese sky. This september Full Moon is known, according to folklore, as the Harvest Moon, “a bright orb that shines down on the ripening fields of the northern hemisphere, allowing farmers to harvest their crops late into the night”. Besides his normal brightness when it is Full, this particular Moon was a bit darker then normal, due to a penumbral lunar eclipse, that happens when the Moon passes through the pale outskirts of Earth’s shadow. It is much less dramatic than a total lunar eclipse. The final image is a sequence shot captured during 25 minutes, at the moonrise, with a 200mm lens at about 700 meters away from the Sesimbra Castle, in Portugal.
PT: Eclipse penumbral da Lua captada no dia 16 de Setembro. Nesta sequência de disparos combinada, é possível o nascer da Lua acima do Castelo de Sesimbra. Como o eclipse é penumbral, apenas a região superior da lua é ligeiramente escurecida pelo cone de sombra da terra.
The Red Moment of the Totality
The total lunar eclipse of 28th september was very unusual because coincided to the moon perigee (supermoon). A close-up view of the same moment, showing its dark red color. Because of its closeness to Earth, a supermoon passes deeper into the shadow of our planet.
Taken in Canary Island in 28/09/2015 at 4h AM. Canon 60Da – 400mm at F/5.6 Exp. 1 sec – ISO 2500. Vixen Polarie – Tracking mount.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015
As seen as Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), the total lunar eclipse of 28th september was very unusual because coincided to the moon perigee (supermoon). At left, Capturing the sequence of the totality in the Canary island of La Palma, this little planet shows also the approximate size of our Earth when compared to the Moon, that can be seen at the right side of the image, in a close-up view of the same moment, showing its dark red color. Because of its closeness to Earth, a supermoon passes deeper into the shadow of our planet.
Black Silhouettes
The Full Moon captured few hours after the partial lunar Eclipse, hidden behind the trees of the Noudar natural park, in Barrancos, Portugal. Above it, in the sky, is visible the planet Saturn.
Canon 50D – ISO800; f/7.1; Exp.1s; 92mm. 26/04/2013 5h12 AM
The Moon behind the trees
The Full Moon captured few hours after the partial lunar Eclipse, above the trees in the Noudar natural park, in Barrancos, Portugal.
Canon 50D – ISO800; f/32; 1/13s;300mm. 26/04/2013 5h06 AM
Total Lunar Eclipse 2011
Eclipse Total da Lua, visto a partir do Portinho da Arrábida. Em Portugal, a lua já nasceu eclipsada e na fase da totalidade, sendo possível ver a mudança de tom no rasto à medida que a Lua sai do cone de sombra da Terra, até ao termino do Eclipse. 15-06-2011 entre as 21h43 e as 22h49. Soma de 357 imagens cada uma de 10 segundos, totalizando uma integração de 59.5 minutos.
Canon 50D -ISO200 16mm F/5 Exp.10s por imagem.
Parcial Eclipse of the Moon
Eclipse Parcial da Lua-16-08-08. Canon 400D + Sigma APO 70-300- Soma de 18 imagens.
The Ring Eclipse
Mosaico da Sequência do Eclipse até à fase da Totalidade. Imagens obtidas com o ETX90 + Ocular de 30mm + HP 850. 03-03-07