On the morning of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, a fascinating celestial spectacle unfolded above one of the most significant landmarks in eastern Slovakia, the St. Elizabeth's Cathedral in Košice: a partial lunar eclipse. This phenomenon offered a unique opportunity to observe cosmic events against the backdrop of historic architecture. It was not only an astronomical encounter but also a chance to experience an unusual moment that combined the beauty of nature with the majesty of human creativity.

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, but the Sun, Earth, and Moon are not perfectly aligned. This means that only part of the Moon's surface enters the Earth's shadow, while the rest remains illuminated by the Sun. During this phenomenon, we can observe how the Earth's shadow gradually covers a portion of the Moon, creating a fascinating sight as the celestial body appears to "disappear" partially into darkness.

Unlike a total lunar eclipse, which is known for its deep red color (sometimes called a "blood moon"), a partial eclipse is less dramatic, but still impressive. The dark portion of the Moon's surface gradually increases, while the rest of the Moon remains bright and luminous. This combination of light and shadow creates a special atmosphere that attracts the attention of not only amateur astronomers but also those who simply enjoy the beauty of the night sky.

This eclipse was observed by the photographer, Róbert Barsa, above the largest church in Slovakia, which is not only a spiritual center of the city but also an architectural treasure that attracts thousands of tourists every year. The St. Elizabeth's Cathedral, located in the heart of the historic center, is an unmistakable landmark of the city. Its towers rise high above the surrounding buildings, forming an impressive silhouette that becomes even more breathtaking when observing celestial events, such as a partial lunar eclipse. Witnessing this astronomical phenomenon above the Gothic towers of the Cathedral was undoubtedly a unique experience. And it was perhaps not just about seeing the Moon itself, but also about connecting with the history and atmosphere of the ancient city.

Even today, in the age of modern science, eclipses continue to fascinate us with their rarity and visual beauty. We take a moment to pause from our daily routines to reconnect with the universe and remember that, even though we are part of a technologically advanced world, we are still subject to the ancient laws of nature. When we watch the Earth's shadow slowly pass over the face of the Moon, it brings many people a feeling of humility and respect for the forces of the universe.

"The photographer has once again reminded us that, even in our fast-paced world, where even astronomers are often rushing to make impressive discoveries and detailed observations of unknown objects in the sky, it is worth taking a moment to allow even the most well-known astronomical objects to create irresistible views of the world around us, together with the creations of human creativity." The judges of the "Czech Astrophotography of the Month" (ČAM) competition, sponsored by the Czech Astronomical Society, and certainly all lovers of the sky and architecture, would like to thank the photographer and congratulate him on his victory in the September competition. And of course, we wish him many more equally amazing photographs," concluded Marcel Bělík of the Úpice Observatory, on behalf of the ČAM jury.

Author: Róbert Barsa

Title: Partial Lunar Eclipse over St. Elizabeth's Cathedral

Location: Košice, Slovakia

Date: September 18, 2024

Camera: Sony A7IIIa

Lens: TSamyang 135mm, f/2

Mount: Tripod

Description: This sequence was created using images taken with a 135mm lens (21x Moon + panorama), with exposure bracketing. The panorama consists of 9 shots, with an exposure time of 0.1 seconds. The Moon shots were taken at 1/80s. All images were taken from the same location using a tripod, with the same camera and lens. The image preserves the actual positions and relative sizes of the objects, as visually observed. Adobe Camera Raw was used for the base panorama, and Photoshop was used to combine the Moon images with the base panorama, aligning them automatically (using the common foreground area).

You can view the winning images for each month and more information at http://www.astro.cz/cam/.

(za)/ gnews - RoZ