Last One

I spotted this morning's Moon immediately when I stepped outside.  Here is what I saw.

This picture was taken on Friday, September 14, 2012 from the deck on the back porch of my house in Moody at 5:15am.  In the black sky, this tiny sliver jumped right out at me.  I observed it as being bright white in color and believe that the flash from my camera is giving it the red color that you see here.  This is a view of the Moon giving off its smallest illumination.  Tomorrow will be the New Moon with no illumination. 

Check It Out

This morning I saw the Moon after several attempts as I waited for the clouds to disperse.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Thursday, September 13, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 5:05am.  This sliver represents one of the last days of the waning Moon before it reaches the New Moon Phase where there will be no illumination.  There were clouds all around the Moon this morning, but eventually I was able to get a good picture.

Got It

After searching for about an hour, I finally got a picture of the Moon.  Here it is.

This picture was taken on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 5:35am.  It is a very cloudy morning with limited visibility in the sky.  The Moon is crescent shaped and continues to wane.  I caught a break in the clouds and was able to get a clear view of the Moon.

A Few Clouds

Finding the Moon this morning proved a little more challenging that I thought it would be.  Here is what I saw.

This picture was taken on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 4:30am.  There were some clouds in the sky, and I had to wait a few minutes to get a good shot.  The waning Moon was buried in that sea of clouds, but it was still pretty to see.

Right There

When checking for the Moon tonight, I found it immediately.  It was right there in the sky.  Here is what I saw.

This picture was taken on Monday, September 10, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 2:10am.  It is a clear night with not a cloud in sight.  The only thing to see is the Moon and a few stars and planets in the very far off distance.  The Moon continues to wane in illumination.

Crystal Clear

It is a crystal clear night making viewing the Moon very easy.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Sunday, September 9, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 12:45am.  There were no clouds in sight, and I had a perfect view.  The Moon looks as if someone has taken a bite out of it.  It is pretty though.  The illumination is continuing to decrease as the Moon moves toward the New Moon phase later this week.

There It Was

After several attempts to see the Moon, I was finally able to get a decent picture.  I watched the Moon gradually rise, and while I could see it behind a bunch of clouds, there was no way to get a good picture.  And then, all of a sudden.....there it was!!  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Saturday, September 8, 2012 from the deck on the back of  my house in Moody at 12:30am.  The Moon was surrounded by clouds but was clearly visible.  Tonight, we are able to see the Last Quarter Moon as it continues to wane giving less and less illumination. 

Easy Find

Finding the Moon tonight was easy, for a change.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Thursday, September 6, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 11:40pm.  There were no clouds or stars near the Moon tonight.  Once again, the picture is orange while the Moon appeared a very bright white as I actually viewed it.  The Moon continues to be waning as we approach the Last Quarter Moon.  I can tell that the Moon rise is getting later because each night I am able to see the Moon at a lower point in the sky when looking at approximately the same time.  I still have not been able to find the Moon in the morning hours and am looking forward to being able to see that view as well. 

A Clear Night

Finally - a clear night!!  I found the Moon with ease tonight.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 10:20pm.  The illumination continues to be waning, and the Moon is becoming less and less visible.  The orangish color is from the camera's flash.  It was bright white as I observed it.

A Flash

It is another very cloudy night.  I happened to be looking outside for the Moon after numerous attempts, and in a flash, it appeared.  Unfortunately, within seconds it was gone again.  I got the best picture that I could.

This picture was taken on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 from the deck on my back porch in Moody at 11:30pm.  The clouds are very thick tonight, and this view was only visible for a few seconds.  I will try to see it again in the morning before it sets.  Hopefully some of the clouds will have dissipated by then allowing for a better view.  

Finally Found It

After being unsuccessful at locating the Moon last night due to storms in the area, I wasn't holding out much hope for tonight.  We are still experiencing rain showers.  But, I finally found it.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Monday, September 3, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 11:25pm.  You can see the clouds surrounding the Moon, and I was very fortunate to be able to see it as the clouds briefly dispersed.  This waning Moon view shows the Moon's illumination lessening from the Full Moon a few nights ago.  It is still beautiful despite the clouds.  After only one night of missing it, I am amazed at the difference from my last picture!  It certainly doesn't look like a Full Moon anymore.

Breathtaking!!

Tonight's Moon looks fantastic!!  It is difficult to distinguish it from the Full Moon from yesterday.  Here was my view tonight.

This picture was taken on Saturday, September 1, 2012 from the deck on the back of my house in Moody at 8:00pm.  The sky has sporadic clouds, but the Moon is clearly visible.  It almost looks like it is on fire.  Technically, this is supposed to be a waning Moon as it will gradually decrease in illumination.  I cannot detect any real difference from last night's Full Moon.  Regardless of the actual phase, this is a breathtaking view.

Blue Moon

The night is finally here!!  I have been looking forward to viewing the Full Moon since the beginning of this blog.  I was so fearful that I would not be able to see it because of the weather, but my fears have been relieved.  Here was what I saw tonight. 

                             


These pictures were taken on Friday, August 31, 2012 from the deck in the back of my home in Moody at 9:20pm.  The first picture shows the Full Moon peeking out from behind a cloud, while the second picture shows the Full Moon in its entirety surrounded by clouds.  Tonight is considered a Blue Moon because it is the second Full Moon of the month.  This does not occur very often.  There is nothing blue about the Moon, but its complete illumination does emit a great deal of light in the night sky.  It is a very cloudy night, but thankfully, the clouds are moving allowing for periods to actually view the Moon.

Neil Armstrong was laid to rest today in a private ceremony.  How appropriate that his service would coincide with the night that the Moon is most visible to the people on Earth.  I am remembering him tonight and his heroic "giant leap for mankind" that impacted not just America but all the world. 



Patience Pays Off

Tonight, my patience paid off.  I feared that I was not going to be able to see the Moon tonight because of all the clouds.  After numerous attempts, I finally saw it.  Here was my view.

I took this picture of the Moon on Thursday, August 30, 2012 from my backyard in Moody above the trees at 11:05pm.  The Moon was visible through a thin layer of clouds.  It looks completely illuminated, but the Full Moon is scheduled for tomorrow night.  I hope that it will be a much clearer night for Moon watching.  I would hate to miss it.

Overcast

I checked a couple of times for the Moon tonight and was not able to find it.  On my third attempt, this is what I saw.

I took this picture on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 on the street behind my house in Moody at 8:40pm.  It is a very overcast evening, and I observed the Moon through a sheer blanket of clouds.  It looks blurry because of the clouds.  Even though it is not a clear view, I can still see the illumination of the waxing Moon.

So Lucky!!

I got so lucky tonight.  When I went out to see the Moon, it was in the perfect spot.  Here is what I saw.

I took this picture on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 at 9:20pm on the street behind my house in Moody between some trees.  You can see the cloud cover surrounding the Moon.  I feel so lucky that I got the picture at all.  It was perfect timing to get this shot as the Moon was located just between the clouds.  You can also see the outline of the trees to the right.  The Moon is not quite a Full Moon, but it continues to be increasing in its illumination.

Getting There

We are getting close to the Full Moon that I have been waiting for.  Tonight the Moon was clearly visible.  Here is what I observed.

I observed the Moon tonight, Monday, August 27, 2012,  behind my house in Moody just above the tree line at 9:15pm.  The waxing Moon continues to increase in illumination moving toward the Full Moon which is scheduled to occur in a few days. 

Bittersweet

I am back home tonight, and I had a nice view of the Moon.  Here is what I saw.

This picture of the waxing Moon was taken on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 8:10pm in Moody.  I was able to go out my back door tonight and down to an adjacent street to see the Moon.  There were no clouds around.  I did see some stars, but none of them were close to the Moon.

On a sad note, I learned today that Neil Armstrong passed away yesterday. He was the first man to ever land and set foot on the Moon back in 1969.  I thought about him tonight as I was looking up at the Moon.  It was a bittersweet moment.  My great uncle was a friend of Buzz Aldrin (co-pilot to Neil Armstrong and the second man to walk on the Moon).  My uncle had the highest respect for Buzz Aldrin who in turn always spoke highly of Neil Armstrong and his character.  We have lost an American icon and true hero.

Can't Find It

I am in Muscle Shoals visiting my in-laws and have searched for the Moon today and cannot see it.  It turned very gloomy, and we have had rain showers this evening blanketing the sky with clouds.  I am disappointed but will try again tomorrow.

First Quarter Moon

Tonight I observed the first quarter Moon.  I was happy to be able to see it because it was a little bit hazy.  Here is what I saw.

I am in Muscle Shoals visiting my in-laws, so this picture was taken from the main street in their neighborhood on Friday, August 24, 2012 at 9:15pm.  It was a hazy night, and the Moon looked a little eerie just above the tree line in the subdivision where my in-laws live.  Half of the side of the Moon facing Earth was illuminated.

 

Clear View

I had another clear view of the Moon tonight.  It was beautiful.  Here is the picture that I got.

This picture of the waxing Moon was taken on the street in front of my house in Moody on Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:50pm.  There were no surrounding clouds and no stars observed close to the Moon tonight.

Gorgeous!!

The Moon is absolutely gorgeous tonight!  I am thrilled to have gotten two good pictures today.  Here they are.

                          

Both pictures were taken on the street in front of my house in Moody on Wednesday, August 22, 2012. The first picture was taken at 7:10pm, and the second picture was taken at 8:15pm.  What a difference an hour makes!  I think that both are good pictures, but the second one is so much more vivid as the contrast between the darkness and the Moon's illumination is observed.  I can certainly see why viewing the Moon at night allows for more clarity.

No Clouds!!

I was so excited tonight because I was finally able to view the Moon with no clouds directly surrounding it.  There were clouds all around the Moon making it impossible to see any planets or stars near it.  Here is what I saw.

This view of the Moon came from the street in front of my house in Moody at 7:50pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012.  It is amazing to see the difference that one day can make in the amount of illumination observed.  The waxing crescent Moon's illumination is growing making it much easier to see.  

Success!!

Tonight, I finally saw the Moon.  It was a bit cloudy, but I was still able to capture the essence of the Moon phase.  I waited for the clouds to move so that the Moon's full illumination could be seen, but that never happened.  This was the best that I could do.

This picture was taken in my neighborhood in Moody, Alabama at 8:15pm on Monday, August 20, 2012.  Because of the clouds it doesn't really show how much of the Moon is actually illuminated.  The Moon phase is still considered a waxing Moon.  When actually viewing the Moon it was bright white in color.  I think that the flash somehow gives it the reddish tint.  The clouds can be observed extending across the Moon's illumination.  While it does distort the view of the Moon a little bit, it is still a pretty picture.   

Cloudy - Again!!

I watched the weather all day hoping that there would be a chance to see the Moon today, but it just didn't cooperate.  It was cloudy all day long with intermittent rain showers.  There was no way to view the Moon.  Here is a sketch of what the Moon should look like today.

The Moon is continuing to illuminate moving toward the Full Moon in a couple of weeks. The difference between yesterday and today is that the waxing Moon is a little bit larger.  The area of darkness is diminishing while the area of lightness is increasing. 

I am hoping that tomorrow will finally bring some success in terms of actually being able to visually see the Moon.  I am eager to take a photograph.

Welcome to My Moon Blog!!

Welcome to my Moon Blog!!  I am excited to be observing the Earth's Moon and its phases for the next 30 days.  I know that I am going to learn so much about the Moon that I will one day use in my future elementary classroom.

Unfortunately, it has been a very cloudy day making it impossible to view the Moon.  Based on what I have learned about the Moon's phases, I have drawn a sketch of what I believe the Moon looks like today.

Today's Moon is a "waxing crescent" meaning that it will slowly illuminate as it moves toward the next Full Moon. 

Hopefully the weather will cooperate tomorrow, and I will be able to actually see the Moon and document its phase with a photograph.