Total Lunar Eclipse

I’ve always been intrigued by astronomy, so I was excited when I learned that there would be a total lunar eclipse last week. If you don’t know much about lunar eclipses don’t feel bad, neither did I. After doing a little web research at Wikepedia and NASA, I learned that a total lunar eclipse occurs only when the full moon passes into the Earth’s shadow, blocking the sun’s rays from illuminating the moon. During the eclipse there is total alignment of the sun, moon, and earth. Incredible. Anyway, that was the dumbed down version, so if you want to learn more about lunar eclipses be sure to check out both of the links above.

Last Wednesday’s lunar eclipse was visible in North America, South America, western Europe, Africa and western Asia. I’ll bet that astronomers and photography geeks all over the world were staring up into the sky, hoping for a cloudless night. I know I was. In fact, I completely zoned out at work all day, mentally rehearsing where I would setup my camera to get the best possible shots. My yard has too many trees so I had get creative and setup down by the road… That’s right, I am officially the neighborhood freak now. It’s not often that you see a guy out after dark in 0˚ weather, standing in a foot of snow, wearing a ski mask and headlamp, bundled from head to toe in artic gear, and standing behind a tripod while staring into the sky for almost two hours. I kept waiting for the police to show up, but they never did. Fortunately, we got a rare break in the snowy weather, and the sky cleared up for the duration of the eclipse. Here’s a few of the images I was able capture…

I don’t know much about astronomy, but it seems to me that it’s a lot like outdoor adventure, in fact in many ways it is outdoor adventure. The night sky is accessible to everyone, and you certainly don’t have to be an accomplished astronomer with a massive telescope to enjoy it. And like any outdoor adventure, it can be a very awesome and humbling experience.

This was the last total lunar eclipse until 2010, however, in August of this year there will be a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse, so mark your calendars and start planning now. All you need is patience and a clear view… oh, and maybe some thermal underwear (for really cold temps I recommend Patogonia’s R1 Pants and Cloudveil’s Run Don’t Walk Zip Neck).

Petzl Zipka Plus… The Best Just Got Better

How many times have you found yourself fumbling around in the dark with a traditional flashlight?  Nothing is more frustrating than trying to juggle a flashlight while setting up a tent, reading a map, changing a flat, etc.  I cringe when I think about all the backpacking miles I’ve logged with a heavy mag-lite in my pack.  Sure, it never failed me, and I could probably fight off a bear with it (or at least an angry squirrel), but it weighed a ton.  Thankfully Petzl makes a fantastic option that will free up your hands and provide you with more than enough light for most applications – the Petzl Zipka Plus. 

Headlamps have been around for ages, but I’m not talking about your grandfather’s old coal mining headlamp.  Today’s headlamps are light, powerful, durable and affordable.  I’ve been using Petzl Headlamps since the early 90’s and they keep getting better.  I was originally drawn to them for night hiking, but quickly found them useful for many other activities.  As manufacturers continually manage to squeeze more power into smaller lights, their usefulness continues to expand.  Being an avid nature photographer I am often shooting in lowlight conditions and I find that a headlamp is crucial.  I also use my headlamp for mountain biking, backpacking, working on my Jeeps, and the list goes on.

For years my favorite headlamp has been the original Petzl Tikka.  It’s small, lightweight, bright enough for navigating a trail at night, and the LED bulbs seem to last forever.  I didn’t think the Tikka could get any better, but I was wrong.   I recently upgraded to the newer Petzl Zipka Plus and it is simply amazing.  The Zipka Plus offers all the features of the Tikka, while weighing less and packing more power via additional LED bulbs.  Not only is it lighter, it features an elastic retractable headband, which enables it to be fastened to just about anything (I’ve attached it to tripod legs and bike handlebars).  Conveniently, the Tikka and Zipka operate on standard AAA batteries, offer three different lighting levels, are water resistant, and come with a three year warranty.

To my knowledge, Petzl was the first to produce mini headlamps and I’ve been using them ever since.  I’ve looked at other brands (Black Diamond and Princeton Tec) but I’ve had no reason to switch. My Zipka Plus rotates between my camera bag and my Camelbak at all times, and my Tikka now serves as a trusty backup.  I rarely go anywhere outdoors without my Zipka Plus, it’s that good.  Plus its green, the perfect color for an adventure!