The Moon, Last Night and This Morning

This cold days are yielding great skies for taking moon photos.

How I Shoot the Moon

The moon through my Nikon viewfinder.

A version of this post was originally published on my Facebook page on September 23, 2020.

Out with the crickets shooting the #moon tonight. I’ve been asked how I take my moon photos. It’s very low-tech and unscientific. About six years ago Art and Julie, my inlaws, gave me a #nikoncoolpixl820. After I’d had it for a few months I went out on a clear night and just pointed it at the moon. I learned that if I pushed the focus into the yellow and held very still (I typically don’t use a tripod), I could get a fairly crisp image if I snapped fast. I upgraded a couple of years back to a #nikoncoolpixb500, again thanks to a generous Christmas gift from Art and Julie. The technique and results are similar. There are much better cameras, some even have a “moon” setting. And there are many better photographers. But I enjoy getting what I get the way I get it. It’s also fun to capture things in front of the moon, like trees or power lines. Tonight I just missed capturing a bird flying in front of the moon.

Here are the dates of the upcoming full moons for 2021:

• Oct 20 Hunter's Moon

• Nov 19 Beaver Moon

• Dec 18 Cold Moon

Grab your camera and point it at the moon. I’d love to see your photos.

The moon over East Dundee, Illinois, September 23, 2020.

Worm Moon Over East Dundee, Illinois

The moon over East Dundee, Illinois, March 29, 2021. Mike Barzacchini photo.

The last two nights, the sky over East Dundee has been perfect for viewing the full moon. Photos take with a Nikon Coolpix B500. No filter or tripod.