Penumbral lunar eclipse 14 March 2006 г.

15 March 2006. Penumbral lunar eclipse.
Location: long. 82°57'E; latit. 54°57'N;
Site: NOVOSIBIRSK; Country:RUSSIA
Observer: MASLOV MIKHAIL;
Maximum umbral phase: -
Maximum penumbral phase: 105.7%
Maximum drop in brightness (empiric): not measured
Main events (Moon altitude, degrees), l.t. (UT+6h):
Penumbral phase begins: 03:21:27 (28.0)
Maximum eclipse: 05:47:28 (9.1)
Eclipse ends (at local Moonset), penumbral phase ~82%: 06:56:00

Eclipse duration: 03:34:33

Russia, Novosibirsk, The penumbral lunar eclipse on 15 MArch 2006. A couple of days before the eclipse the weather was not good, but on March 14, the eve of the eclipse, the sky cleared and all the day its was mostly sunny. Satellite maps were showing a little massive of clouds moving towards Novosibirsk and I only have to hope that it would come after the eclipse. Thinking in that way I went to the bed earlier than usual, as the eclipse was to begin in the second half of the night. After getting up at 3 o'clock I checked the sky - it was nice. The Moon was shining brigtly in its south-western part. It was about 20 minutes till the eclipse beginning. I put my clothes on, went out and set up the foot for my binoculars. Then I made several trial shots. After that from the moment of eclipse beginning I started making regular shots in nearly half-an-hour intervals. The first visual signs of penumblra appeared as a faint darkening on the south-eastern limb of the Moon about an hour after the eclipse began. The penubral phase was appr. 60% then. As the Moon countinued deepening in the Earth penumbra the darkening in its left lower limb became more and more distinct. In a final half-an-hour before the maximum the Moon was already quite low in the sky and the layer of clouds began spreading from the north-west. It was dawning. Due to this reason as well as the Moon staying completely in penumbra, the intencity of lunar shining significantly dropped. Now it was possible to watch it without eyes tension. The lower edge of the Moon was cosiderably darker and it had notably reddish color. The clouds were rapidly closing the sky. Noting that they are approaching the Moon I took the last series of shots - just at the eclipse maximum and a minute later the Moon was hidden. This happened an hour before the Moonset but there was no further chance to take photos. The sky cleared again only after Sunrise. The next day the clouds moved in with a blizzard and strong wind. As a whole, considering that I caught the main moments of the eclipse, I thing that the weather was lucky. Pics with different eclipse phases can be found here:

Eclipse photos: