Last chance to shoot Supermoon Thursday

Our last chance to photograph a Supermoon this year occurs this Thursday night, March 21. That evening the moon will be within 224,439 miles of the Earth, according to timeanddate.com. 

Actually, the moon will be full the night before and if the sky is clear, I’d suggest you play it safe and take some pictures then. The reason being that you can’t be sure what the weather will be like the next night.  If it should be clear Thursday night, the moon will still appear full and be closer due to its traveling through space at 2,288 mph.

According to timeanddate.com, the moon should rise almost due east of Van Wert on both nights at about 7:35 p.m. on the 20th and 8:49 p.m. on the 21st. Since there’s an illusion that the moon is larger than it really is when it’s near the horizon, position your camera with something interesting in the foreground for a more unique photo.

Start with an ISO setting of 100 or 200, a lens opening of f-11, and a shutter speed of 1/00th or 1/200th of a second. You want to end up with the smallest lens opening for sharpness and the fastest shutter speed to avoid motion blur. Because the camera’s light averaging system will burn out the moon, under expose it 2 stops and check your results. Bring a flashlight for illumination while you change settings until you are satisfied with the results.  Remember to use manual focus.

To minimize camera shake, select image stabilization, use a cable release, timed release, or mirror lock up. If wind is a factor, attach a heavy weight to the tripod. If you’re going to use a mobile phone, see if the holder on your Selfie Stick will attach to a tripod.

Pick your spot and good luck!