Something very special will be seen in the Eastern sky on Thanksgiving morning: a true Old Moon, that is, if you're lucky. Everyone is familiar with the Full Moon, but not many people have seen a Moon less than an hour before new, otherwise known as an Old Moon. However, Thursday morning offers the opportunity to catch theultra-thin Moon in that magic time frame.
On Valentine's Day, 2010, the Moon was visible at dusk at a mere 17 hours past new, less than 1% lit, which mirrors the illumination of Thursdays event, albeit on the opposite side of the day. While I managed to grab a photo of that Moon, it was very difficult. The same will be true this time except for the fact that the Moon will be in the dawn, rather than dusk sky.
To catch the show, head out and look due East at about 7:15am. The Moon will be about 3 degrees (three little finger's widths at arm's length) above the horizon just about right between East and southeast, so get your directional bearings first! Obviously, a good horizon is a must, the farther away and lower the horizon, the better.
Now comes the hard part: seeing a Moon that's less than 1% lit!
Needless to say, high power binoculars (15x or up) or a telescope will be a must. For binocular observers, grab the tripod, you'll need it! Telescope users, use a low power eyepiece, you don't want too narrow a field of view, which could hinder rather than help you in your search for the wire-thin Moon. However, if you can find the Moon, feel free to crank up the power at that time.
Now for an even bigger challenge: photographing the Moon!
SLR users: Grab a long telephoto lens (400mm+) or your T-ring/adapter setup and telescope. Optics chosen, focus on a far away object until satisfied with the result. As a tip, it is good to do this ahead of time and take a few test shots just to make sure that focus is correct. Next, swing the camera or camera/scope rig to where the Moon is located. Next, grab the remote or set the self timer and you're all set and ready to go.
Point and shoot users: Zoom in your lens, equip the self timer, focus on a far away object, swing the camera toward the Moon is, and hope for the best!
Whatever you plan to do in regards to the Old Moon, best of luck, this is really tough!As inspiration, here's my shot from Valentine's Day. Equipment used: Canon 30D and Orion ED80 600mm FL scope (960mm crop equivalent).
Now for viewing. The Cleveland area weather forecast is looking very iffy for the next week. So, for an even more up-to date, hour-by-hour forecast, check out the Cleveland Clear Sky Clock to see what the night will bring. Live somewhere else? Find a clock near you.
Good luck and clear skies to all.
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National Space News Examiner
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