Further clarification: Proven moon exposures

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

At 11:05 PM 9/25/97 -0700, I wrote:
>
>Proven moon exposures:
>
>Full moon, clear night, sea level, =sunny 16. Same at altitude, no lights
>reflecting in the local atmosphere, basically no local atmosphere =sunny
>22. Quarter moon =+3 stops. Thin crescent =+5 stops. Ref: "Astrophotography
>for the Amateur" by Michael Covington.
>
>Jim
>

I should add some explanation. The full moon is 100% bright, no dark part,
except the man-in-the-moon's face :-) . Like a photographer with the sun at
your back. No shadows. So depending where you are, sunny-16 to sunny-22.
When you have half or quarter moon, it is side light. Bright light on one
side, shadow on the other. To make it look like a moon, you need to open-up
to register the gray transition area and, possibly the fact that the moon
is a complete sphere. A crescent moon is back light. The sun is coming from
behind, skimming the moon. To show that it is indeed a moon, the exposure
is like a backlight (bright sun) portrait of a blond with the sun streaming
through her hair. Use sunny-16 and you have a great picture of nothing but
hair. No face. Same with the moon.

So, if you want just the bright part of the moon, no transition area or you
don't care that it is a sphere, use only sunny-16/22. To register the
transition area, and the fact that it is a sphere against the blackness of
space, open-up accordingly.

Bracket and record what you did so you will know what you like... for next
time.

Jim

ps... I'll stop now. I'm sure you are sick of moon stuff!