Last month I missed the full moon rising at Concord Point, because I had assumed that the moon, like the sun (in the morning), rose at pretty much the same time on successive nights. I was wrong and was an hour early and didn't feel like waiting for it in the 14 degree cold.

So, this Sunday, February 16 is the next full moon, and by visiting the web site below, I have found that if I am there at 5:24pm, and it's not cloudy (and right now the forecast is for light snow ), I should be in luck.

This this will give you sunrise/set, moonrise/set and phases of the moon for years to come, so you can plan your photographing trips ahead of time. Pretty cool.

U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department

Here is another useful site I have used trying to pin down sunset times (sunrise is just too blasted early!) Also includes moon rise, and gives you the calendar for a month.

Custom Sunrise Sunset Calendar

I have also used the Naval Observatory site Larry mentioned above. Both can be very useful for helping to time your visit just right!

Dave

Try the moonset then Dave. It's late enough when there's a full moon that it's a little less early.. like about 8 AM last month if I remember. I sat here and watched it starting at about 6 AM when I got up but unforunatley, there were clouds moving in from the west so it wasn't worth driving out to the lake. May in another week...

Gary

BTW, Larry, when you set up your exposures for the full moon rise, don't go any longer than 30 sec max on your exposure or you'll get elongation of the moon due to its celestial motion.

Gary

I remember decades ago an article in a photography mag about calculating the position at which the sun/moon would rise (compass point) from a particular locale.

This would permit you to be in the right spot to have that moonrise over a the lighthouse, for example.

Thanks for the link! I compute that the moon will rise right behind the Marblehead Lighthouse because it rises right behind my house, and the sun rises right behind my house in the summer, and the sun rises right behind the lighthouse in the summer. I've yet to prove this theory with photographic evidence, however. :rolleyes:

Gary,
is there an offset exposure time for sunset also?

"light snow" can now be defined as 16-28". That is the current forcast through tomorrow afternoon!

Plebetkin, usually you don't have to worry much about the motion of the sun. If it's in the field of view it's going to dominate your camera's exposure meter reading and by default your exposure time will be short enough that it won't be an issue. I've gone as long as 30 sec, however, when shooting the sun dropping through layers of mist out over Lake Michigan wihtout any noticeable motion in the photo. Here's an example:



That photo was shot on Fuji Velvia (iso 50, which is slow) professional slide film. The exposure was 30 sec at f16. The layers of mist attenuated the light allowing me to go to an exposure this long although the lens was stopped fairly far down. Hope that this helps some!

Gary

Light snow, huh, Larry? Have fun, my friend. BTW, given that tomorrow is President's Day, your print, which left here yesterday, will be a delayed a bit. Hope you like it when it does arrive!

Gary

Did you send the 'mat it yourself' kit with it?