You've likely heard already that tomorrow (or today, depending on which side of sleep you're on) is this year's super moon. The super moon is the nearest full moon. This year the moon is officially full 25 minutes before it's at its perigee, its closest point to Earth, so like last year expectations are high for something spectacular. But unlike last year, I want to see if I can do more than find the right camera settings for a nice super moon photo.
What I know about the moon this year is that it's bright. If you want to see details on the moon instead of a glowing white circle, you can't let too much light into your camera. But if you wait until it's too dark out, all you'll get is the moon and everything else will be black. So what you want to shoot for is the "blue hour," which is that time when the sun is down but there's still some light in the sky.
You also want the moon as low as possible on the horizon. Not only will this give you the buildings or mountains or trees you need to make the photo interesting, but you can take advantage of an optical illusion that makes the moon seem even bigger.
So we need to know what time is going to be right and where the moon is going to be at that time. Thanks to my colleague Andy Dallos we have a bit of a cheat for knowing the time. He took the photo below at around 7:45 p.m. ET Friday.
Andy Dallos
That looks like a good amount of ambient light and it's not too high in the sky. But if you really want to plan your shot, or at least consider your possibilities, we have to know where in the sky it's going to be at that time.
It's about to get nerdy up in this muh-fuh...
Astronomers call the moon's path across the sky its azimuth. Actually, I guess anything's path across the sky is called an azimuth, and really, the azimuth only describes the horizontal arc it makes. To get the actual path you have to add in the altitude. Luckily, there are online calculators to figure this out for us. I've been using this one from the Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Plug in your location and the date and it gives you the incremental path of the sun or moon.
For the time range we're looking at, the calculator gives us this:
19:30 6.3 121.1 1.00
19:40 7.9 122.8 1.00
19:50 9.3 124.6 1.00
The first column is the time. The next column is the altitude from the horizon (90 would be straight up). Next is the azimuth, which is measured in degrees east of north, and last is the fraction of the moon illuminated at that time. 1.00 means 100% full.
Incidentally, the sun path at this point looks like this:
19:40 -8.2 300.3
That negative number for the altitude means it's below the horizon - it has set.
There's probably a smart way to know how to figure the azimuth in the real world, but I do it with Photoshop. I took a 120° angle with one side lined up vertical (north) and put it on top of a Google map of my area. Andy and I had been talking earlier about getting the moon when it's behind the Empire State Building, so I moved the angle such that my 120° line passes across 34th Street where the Empire State Building is.
It looks like standing on one of those overlook streets in Weehawken, NJ would do the trick.
But look at what else. The line doesn't just pass across 34th Street, it traces it! An astronomical event that aligns with the Manhattan street grid? IT'S MOONHATTANHENGE!!!
Sure enough, the Manhattanhenge Wikipedia entry explains that the midtown streets "are laid out in a grid offset 29.0 degrees from true east–west." We're measuring from true north, so add another 90 degrees: 90+29=119°! Ok, I realize Manhattanhenge is about the sun setting and we're talking about the moon rising, but c'mon.
For the sake of finishing the math, we could add 180° to our street angle to find it in the westerly direction: 119+180=299°. According to the calculator, the moon set a few minutes ago pretty far from 299°:
04:00 1.2 247.7 0.99
I know from experience that some of you reading this know a lot more about it than I, so maybe you can help me with a question I haven't been able to work out. From my kitchen in North Brooklyn, I can see Lower Manhattan. Periodically I see the moon set behind the skyline and I always think it'd be great to catch the moon rising at that point - if it ever does.
So with my Photoshop trick I can figure out the rough azimuth. Say, 255°. And a relatively low altitude would be fine, like.... 8? But how do I work backward from those numbers to get the date on which those conditions will be met? I need some kind of reverse calculator.
FOLLOW-UP: Well, I got nothing this weekend. New York City was totally overcast. Better luck next time. I tried again tonight, but the moonrise was almost an hour and a half later (never would have guesed that) and it was way too dark for the kind of contextual shot I was hoping for.
Some things I've learned since yesterday:
- There's an app called The Photographer's Ephemeris that calculates and maps this sort of data. It's $4.99 for Android (presumably the same from the Apple store), which is not .99, but still not so bad.
- Ephemeris, by the way, is the word for a table that shows dates and the positions of heavenly bodies.
- I'm never going to see the moon rise over lower Manhattan from my kitchen in North Brooklyn. If I do it's because Earth has spun off it's axis and I have more to worry about than shutter speed. BUT, now that I've been looking at ephemerides (yes, that's how it's pluralized) I see that it might be possible to catch a moonset taking place while the sun is near enough to rising that it won't just be a moon-on-black photo. We'll see if I can find when that timing will work with my azimuth.
- Among those ephemerides, this sun/moon chart is pretty straight-forward. (Adjust for your location.)
- Also it bears mentioning that I may have been a bit cavalier in seeing an azimuth of 122.8°, rounding down to 120° for the sake of drawing my diagram and then declaring that the same as 119°. I assumed that for picture-taking purposes there's a fudge-factor that makes "close" good enough, but obviously there's a very precise science behind all of this, so it's important to remember our respect for that.
Thanks very much to everyone who offered comments and insights.
Leave a Comment:
Will (whomever you are) Femia. This is a very interesting, well thought out blog post. Aren't you disappointed with (previously) zero comments? I would be. I can't believe there aren't some comments. If there really aren't, you may have to consign yourself to never blogging anything of scientific or mathematical substance again, Will. Are you up to that?
Or, rather...you should have posted this terribly good take on the super moon somewhere else where it would have been more appreciated.
Anyway, thanks. I am a sky enthusiast, a Maddow fan and a Manhattan lover...so I liked this.
And a mathematics/science observer and fan.
Step away from the camera. (try not to get so wrapped up in getting that perfect shot that you miss the awe of the moment It would be a shame to realize you got the shot but missed the show)
Sounds like artillery lessons. Shooting azimuths and such.
Pictures are cool but they can never come close to showing what your own eyes see.
Unless you're a photographer, that is. LOL
HI--maybe it's my psychological make-up, but I don't feel like I really truly saw something unless I took a picture of it. And I'm strictly an amateur photographer. Maybe it's a need for a trophy or something.
IIRC the Japanese took moon viewing up to an art form. I'm attending a very large outdoor party this evening and this info will enhance everyone's experience. Perfect timing.
I'm not good with a camera but, I have been doing some serious moon bathing for the last month it's wonderful If you point your feet towards the moon it encourages sleep and good health. I can hardly take my eyes off of it at night.
I have difficulty sleeping with my feet pointed towards the moon...especially when the moon is overhead...but I will give it another try. I need to put my bed on some sort of rotating tripod to keep up with the movement of the moon across the overhead sky.
It is interesting on the discussion of the differences between people of science only and people of the far right, since they are in reality both being somewhat narrow minded. People of science are strictly of science, because they have seen no proof that there is something more or of an intelligence. People of the far right just blatantly don’t want to believe anything beyond what has been said on a limited basis from the past. And in essence both are running on a wrong path, because in the end it will be where science and religion will eventually merge someday. I cannot disprove that there is something greater with intelligence referred to as God, because I have seen too much proof that there is and does do a direct interaction with people and the world. On the other hand, science is a good tool to help understand our world and should always be used to help confirm what is true.
Deb, I have to disagree with your assessment of scientific-minded people as being narrow-minded. Religious people of any stripe narrow their view, understanding, and interpretation of the world based on the sole point of view from their religion: this happened to me, so it must be proof of the God that I believe in. Science-minders, on the other hand, tend to be much more open to other possibilities: everything from there being other intelligent beings in the universe, to there possibly being dimensions we don't understand. For a perfect example, check out this clip by Neil DeGrasse Tyson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rr-jyg0MyI
Oxidizer, I really have to take exception to your comment about "religious" people. I'm a very spiritual person, but my B.S. is in biological science. My spirituality has not narrowed my view, nor my interpretation of the world. My God gave me a brain and reason, and expects me to use it. When I look at the world, I am filled with awe at how science and exploration has enhance our lives. I eagerly await every scientific breakthrough. Universes and quarks, vaccines and cures, things once mysterious, now common place. There simply is no conflict between my faith and exciting new discoveries, including multiple dimensions and other forms of sentient life in the universe.
Thank-You
I can see the moon in 3D, I am farsighted. How can we be so possessive and territorial over something that is not ours. We may have landed on it and put our flag on it But, the moon is not owned by anyone except perhaps Father Time and Mother Nature. I haven't met anyone yet who has traveled to the far side of the moon. Except myself on occasion when I fell asleep under it. Someone else must have a more perfect view. My view suits me just fine. And no I'm not crazy Merlin, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years.
Sorry, Will. 255 degrees is South-West (actually close to West South-West). Unless the rotation of the earth changes directions, the moon will never rise there. It might be there when the sun goes down, though, and you can get the blue sky photo you want? Does the optical illusion apply at sunset?
John:
Yeah, the illusion would work on the western horizon at sunset as well (It'll also work at sunrise in both directions -- I have a beautiful poster of the moon setting over San Francisco). The illusion is merely that the moon looks huge near the horizon because we have objects which to compare it to, while it looks small up in the sky. However, if you take and hold a dime at arm's length, it should cover the moon in either place.
IOW, the moon doesn't change size, merely our perception of it.
I wish I could help with the math, but I'm only a layman astronomy geek.
-kat
The Photographer's Ephemeris does all this for you and plots it on a Google map. I use it all the time for outdoor shoots. Also comes in iOS and Android flavors.
My Google-fu seems to be alive this morning. For "moonrise New York City" as a search string, I get: "Moonrise and Moonset Calculator" at http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/moonrise.html and "Rise and Set, New York, New York" at http://www.almanac.com/sun/rise/zipcode/10001 . Hope this helps your quest.
When I lived in the "U.P." of Michigan, I use to know a guy who was a Great Lakes Mariner and "That blue hour" He referred to as Nautical twilight. But he was always full of Christian Brothers, so I have no idea if that is actually it or not. But he did have some stories. And at the time of his mention, we were just trying to determine when the sun set and when it was the best time to turn on the TV. Where we were Analog did not reach during the day. and it was 1976. Hope he is alright.
Yes, there are three levels of twilight - civil, nautical and astronomical. Each is a different degree for the sun to be below the horizon line. You can use this site to calculate those for US, Canada, England and a few international cities. Along with the azimuth location - www. sunrisesunset. com/ (take out the spaces) - so you know which way to look for the event.
The significance of nautical twilight is that you can see both the navigational stars and the horizon (in order to measure their altitude above the horizon using a sextant). If you're interested in the basics of how position is calculated using a sextant (without the math), see http://www.qmss.com/article/celestial.html
There's an app for your iPhone or Android called "The Photographer's Ephemeris" which uses your location to show you exactly where the daily moonrise/set and sunrise/set will be, with the exact time for where you are standing. Much easier than breaking out the ol' protractor.
Thank you, your brains and nerdiness enhances my appreciation for what is to me, only beauty and mystery.
I am at a high spot in Queens I am going to check it out from the big cemetery down the street from me. I hope it's clear enough tonight!!
Will, you'll hopefully never see the Moon rise over lower Manhattan from Brooklyn. If you do then we're in really deep doo-doo and not even Mitt's connections with Jesus will pull our fat out of the fire. But the Republicans would still probably blame it on Obama.
Fascinating! I have no idea how to do what you explained ... being one of those "visual" learners. BUT, since I do want to try for a photo, I thank you for the suggestion of an evening, rather than a late night, picture is best. Will give it a try :)
I think this will finally give people something else to think about.
Peace
This is terrific. Thanks for posting. I have my timetable plus a star chart from http://www.heavens-above.com and plenty of time to set up. See you out on the roof!
"Periodically I see the moon set behind the skyline and I always think it'd be great to catch the moon rising at that point - if it ever does." If I understand your question, it never will, because the moon follows the same path as the sun: rises in the east, sets in the west. The angle of the arc shifts back and forth according to the seasons, further south in winter, straight up in summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. Thanks for the blog. I'll definitely be outside with my camera this evening, and your information will help me decide what time to set up. It brings back fond memories of the astronomy course I took years ago. Nerds are the best teachers because they are passionate about their subject.
Last night I got to Datil just after the sun went down and the last light left the peaks of the Magdalenas. The nearly-full moon was rising over the Magdalenas and I was looking down on the Plains of St. Augustin with the VLA pointing northwest.
And I had no camera.
This afternoon $HERSELF and I will head over there in time to catch both last light and the same scene. Watch for the upload.
07 5:44 209 21:15 -30 0.873 56.64
08 6:45 210 22:14 -29 0.732 57.30
09 7:51 208 23:04 -26 0.555 58.14
Will, here is the path for the next few days (including the distance - last column) taken from your approximate Latitude and Longitude.
211 is as far as it will go ... but if you shoot the points above on your map, you will see where it "will be" and can then move the base of your line across the map to line up your shot before hand (working from the moon to you instead of you to the moon).
Good luck! I look forward to seeing your photo!
Wait ... I was focusing on moonset...
Okay, here's how the data plays out...
Angle of rising or setting: 0 = east, 90 = north, 180 = west.
Moonset Moonrise
Time Angle Time Angle fullness distance
05 4:05 201 18:52 -24 0.999 56.03
06 4:51 206 20:06 -28 0.965 56.20
07 5:44 209 21:15 -30 0.873 56.64
08 6:45 210 22:14 -29 0.732 57.30
09 7:51 208 23:04 -26 0.555 58.14
10 9:00 205 23:46 -22 0.355 59.09
11 10:08 200 0.146 60.08
12 11:14 194 0:21 -16 -0.063 61.02
13 12:17 188 0:51 -10 -0.263 61.85
14 13:17 181 1:19 -4 -0.447 62.53
15 14:16 175 1:45 1 -0.611 63.05
16 15:15 169 2:12 7 -0.751 63.39
17 16:13 164 2:39 12 -0.862 63.58
18 17:11 159 3:09 17 -0.943 63.65
19 18:08 155 3:41 22 -0.989 63.63
20 19:03 153 4:18 25 -0.999 63.53
21 19:56 151 4:59 27 -0.973 63.36
22 20:45 151 5:46 28 -0.911 63.10
23 21:29 153 6:38 27 -0.814 62.73
24 22:09 156 7:34 25 -0.685 62.24
25 22:44 160 8:33 21 -0.526 61.62
26 23:17 165 9:34 17 -0.342 60.87
27 23:48 171 10:37 11 -0.138 60.03
28 11:42 5 0.079 59.15
29 0:18 176 12:49 -1 0.298 58.29
30 0:48 185 13:58 -8 0.509 57.50
31 1:21 192 15:10 -15 0.698 56.87
(the times are reported 5 minutes later than in almanacs - refraction through the atmosphere is not taken into account)
So, set 0 degrees as due East on your map and then count up or down (the angles are in positive and negative). This is all based on your approximate latitude and longitude.
Will, I have never seen an online program for calculating the date of moon's particular azimuth and altitude. Most ephemeris programs work the other way, based on a date entry, and any reverse hand calculation is beyond me.
But I find this site visually helpful determining when one may want to photograph the moon close to a particular azimuth, altitude, and illumination from a particular location, if one doesn't mind rotating through the charted dates.
dailymoonposition(dot)com; daily/monthly position data, chart links at bottom of page. (copyrighted, for personal use only)
Ok, without busting out the sextant and my ti-90 calculator for the calculus, your best bet to photograph the moon rising in the west, at it's closest to perigee, and closest to fullness in N.Y.C. should be about December 23rd, 2015. No I'm not using math to support this claim. I'm using a table at www.moonsighting.com/perigee-apogee to find the soonest date that perigee-full-winter solstice occurs as that's the most likely date the moon will rise in the west without using math. If the more math-scopic people out there want to prove or refute that time, be my guest.
I watched the super moon rise along San Francisco Bay out by Candlestick Park and Treasure Island. Absolutely beautiful tonight... #effyeahcalifornia