The superbloodmoon and nachas

I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning. Sometimes I skip lunar eclipses, but I do try to see them if they’re total, and if I think the sky might be cloud-free (which it often isn’t in the Bay Area of CA, as low-lying marine clouds typically roll in overnight). My 8 year old is into astronomy and heard about the eclipse from one of his favorite Youtube science channels for kids (can’t remember the name of it or I’d share – I’ll ask him and update later on). Last night he asked me to wake him up, and I agreed, although last time I tried to do something like this he just grunted and went back to sleep.

So at 5:30 my alarm went off (and so did my husband’s – great minds think alike, although he went back to sleep once he realized I would deal with the eclipse business myself). I opened my front door, which faces west, and saw a beautifully clear night with a dark red moon hanging up there. Got out my binoculars with their tripod (I use them more than my telescope, as I like having a nice field of view and the use of both eyes). I set it up outside the front door and went to check on my kid. Yep, he was willing to get up (yay), so he put on his slippers and jacket, and we went out to have a look.

To the left is a not-so-great capture with my phone through the binoculars.

We sat on the front step and talked a bit while I took a few photos (the first photo, as often happens, was the best one). And then we went inside and made hot chocolate and ate some leftover cornbread muffins (mine with honey). I realized I had some of my favorite things all in one place. A lovely eclipse, a curious kid who’s into the same things I’m into, hot chocolate, cornbread and honey, and most of all I wouldn’t have to spend my usual 20 minutes later on bugging my kid to get out of bed for school. I’m so incredibly lucky, and for a brief moment, I really was able to feel it. All thanks to the super blood moon.