Lunatic Lows

...She does not wane, but my fortune,
Which her rays do not bless,
My wayward path declineth soon,
But she shines not the less.

And if she faintly glimmers here,
And paled is her light,
Yet always in her proper sphere
She's mistress of the night.

- Selected verses by Henry Thoreau

Perhaps some of you will think - 'Aah what a typical Cancerian - governed by the Moon'. Others will tick me off as a lunatic. But after the memorable Solar eclipse; last night, I was really looking forward to the Partial Lunar Eclipse ... and greatly disappointed that I couldn't even see the Moon!

If you have ever snail walked with me some night you'd remember that I have pointed out the mesmerising, magical, playful Moon who's presence may not have registered in your mind. She excites even the mighty ocean....mine is but a mortal heart!

I'd been noting the movements of the Moon so that I'd know where to look for her on the 16th.
Last night both of us were really tired after a long day doing this and that. After a hurried dinner I wanted to catch the eclipsed Moon climbing. But I couldn't see her from the staircase in the building...which she too has been climbing past few days. So we both walked out on the desolate streets to become aware that it was drizzling & was quite cloudy!

With me singing -
Chand pe daag hai yeh jaante hum lekin
Raat bhar dekhe bina usko raha nahi jaata
...khoobsurat hai woh itna saha nahi jaata...

But the Moon did not greet us. Shadowed by the Earth....hidden by the clouds.

Ohh! Trophy of the Night ..where were you?
Upon whom did your gaze linger?
Could you not offer so much as one fleeting glimpse?

Seeking the Celestial

Last Friday I'd gone to the Royal Observatory to catch the Partial Solar Eclipse. It was truly an out of the world experience!

Left home at around 8am....takes about an hour to the Royal Observatory from home. They opened early that morning to let the public observe the eclipse.

The Royal Observatory from Greenwich Park

The atmosphere was fully charged. With children chanting a countdown in the moments before the eclipse started & screaming out that they were the first to spot the beginning of the eclipse!

The coverage was partial (12% by area) over London. Nevertheless, I was quite excited...to see the Moon orbiting the Earth orbiting the Sun! It was beautiful to see the Moon just glide across the face of the Sun.

The photo was taken using a Coronado telescope. The Coronado telescope has a 'hydrogen-alpha' filter - it lets through the red colour light emitted by the hydrogen gas on the Sun. The Observatory staff was really helpful and enthusiastic. Did remember Professor Yashpal & his coverage of the eclipse on Doordarshan !

It was a little difficult to get the shot of the eclipse for several reasons - there were many people wanting to observe through the telescope hence we got little time to take photos. So it was important that my eyes got the exact angle to catch the eclipse through the telescope & my hands didn't shake with excitement (& ya I do suck at photography!) and importantly.... no lazy cloud drifted by at that exact moment!

I suppose you can tell how thrilled I was about it !

PS - For MSB - Geographer & my eternal guiding star

View from the observatory
The London Eye, Queen's house, wings of National Maritime Museum, the towers of Citigroup, HSBC and others