Total lunar eclipse on October 8, 2014 in Hanoi – Photo: Hoang Quoc Phuong – HAS
On the evening of January 31, 2018, Vietnamese and many parts of the world will be able to admire an amazing astronomical phenomenon: a total lunar eclipse. Moreover, this period is also one of the supermoons of this year and according to some cultures it is also considered a blue moon, but this name is not the name of an astronomical phenomenon.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the Moon is blocked by the Earth and cannot be illuminated by the Sun. When the Moon passes completely into the shadow of the Earth, a total lunar eclipse is observed.
As the Moon sinks deeper into the Earth’s shadow, the Moon will gradually change color from silver to orange or red. The cause comes from the very atmosphere of the Earth. Earth’s atmosphere, which varies in density and temperature with altitude, resembles a prism and contains many dust particles that scatter short-wavelength light, allowing long-wavelength light to pass easily (it is red-orange), red is the color that is deflected towards the center of the Earth’s shadow. When the Moon enters the Dark Region, it’s actually not completely dark, but that area is lit up with red rays, resulting in a dark red Moon that the press often calls a “blood moon.” This phenomenon is physically similar to the fact that the Sun is red at sunset.
Observation area of the total lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018
The moon is on the horizon during this eclipse, it can be seen everywhere in Vietnam. Don’t miss this rare event! 
Viewing guide
The progress of the lunar eclipse in Vietnam is as follows (according to VN UTC+7):
– The moon enters the semi-dark zone: 5:51 p.m.
However, in the semi-dark phase, it is difficult to see the Moon’s color change with the naked eye.
– Partial start of the infusion: 18:48
– Start full infusion: 19:51
– End of complete phase: 21:07
– End of partial phase: 22:11
– The moon comes out of the penumbra: 11:08 p.m.
Video illustrating the course of the total lunar eclipse on the evening of January 31, 2018:
The last time Vietnam observed a total lunar eclipse was on April 4, 2015. We also just witnessed a partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 7 in the morning of August 8, 2017. The good news for you is that on the morning of July 28, 2018, we will be able to see the total lunar eclipse again 
Choose a location that’s as spacious and cool as possible, as far away from city lights as possible. It is an astronomical phenomenon that can be seen with the naked eye but is more interesting if you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope. The Moon is very large, so it is easy to locate when observing.
Observer organization
Telescope
Let me show you how to make a simple refractor telescope in a few notes from readily available materials for viewing lunar eclipses. 
https://deepsky2000.net/forum/showt…a-Major-60F900
photography guide
It is not enough to observe, you may want to record this interesting phenomenon so that you can share it with your friends and the world. If you already have a camera, it’s very simple, here are some small shares that can help you save the best photos.
– For phone cameras:
To capture images on your mobile device, you need to equip the included telephoto lenses that can be attached directly to the back, which will partially support the camera’s magnification capabilities. Or you can also shoot indirectly through binoculars or telescopes, the resulting images will be quite amazing. If you don’t have the supporting tools, you can still shoot with your bare hands. The configuration is as follows: for live view shooting, it is recommended to place the phone on a firm support or on a tripod, this will avoid hand shaking and have a camera capable of shooting at very low speed the image is not blurred. You should not use your phone’s zoom mode as this will do nothing but reduce image detail – just take a picture as normal and zoom in later in post. Prefer the manual mode in this case. Since full-phase lighting conditions are very low, you should slow the shutter speed as low as possible and gradually increase the speed as the Moon begins to get brighter in the partial phase (the shooting time shot can be calculated in seconds or longer depending on the camera model, so it is extremely important that you keep the camera steady while shooting), set the ISO level between 200 and 400 to limit noise . Set white balance to daylight mode (between 5000-6000k), select manual focus mode to best focus on very distant object (like building or distant lights , for example), and if the camera is capable, shoot in Raw, which is ideal for post-production.
– For travel cameras:
Travel cameras have an advantage over phones in terms of optical zoom capabilities (from 3x to 60x depending on the type). Set it to fully manual or semi-automatic mode. The iso changes flexibly from 100 to 800 depending on the brightness in the phases of the Moon, place the camera on a fixed face or a tripod so that you can take pictures at low speeds, focus at infinity, shooting with self-timer after a few seconds to avoid hand shake. Changing the aperture of a travel camera doesn’t make much difference, so let the camera take care of that and shoot raw files if possible. There are several types of adapters that allow the camera to be attached to binoculars or spotting scopes, so if you want excellent image quality, buy these for use with a spotting scope.
+ First set your camera to Manual (or any mode to customize settings).
+ Turn off the flash or it will ruin the moonlight!
+ Set focus mode to infinity. On travel cameras, this usually takes the form of landscape mode (Decor-Landscape) with the symbol RCS or mountain.
+ Then you need to transfer Measurement mode in regards to Place. It helps to make the Moon image clear and not blurry like a light bulb ^^ Try to find this icon in your device!
+ Finally point the camera at the Moon and zoom in all the way To prevent blurry photos due to hand shake, you should use a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, you can set the camera to take multiple photos at once to choose the best one. Let’s practice capturing the Moon from now on so we can capture those rare moments in the universe! Try to do 
– For mirrorless (DSLR) models:
It really is a perfect device for any subject and the Moon is no exception. There’s nothing better than having a 200-400mm telephoto lens, a sturdy tripod and a moon filter (if you have one). DSLRs are too smart, so shooting in Av aperture priority mode is recommended. Close the aperture to f8-f11 to ensure sharpness, the light will be ISO and the shutter speed will be supported. You need to turn off the noise reduction mode on the camera to get a true picture, and you may need to subtract a few Ev’s because the scene you are going to shoot will be very clear, use spot metering mode to allow the camera to measure at best . Disable lens stabilization if you place the camera on a tripod. And of course, shoot Raw. Use a soft strap or take a photo after 2 seconds to avoid shaking, if you are more demanding, lock the mirror before shooting. For DSLRs there is an advantage that you cannot use the camera lens but attach it directly to the telescope, at which point the telescope will become a super telephoto lens with a focal length of 500-1500mm. For this you need an adapter made from a convertible M42 mount and another small part that is very simple to make in the parts workshop. Astrophotography will become more professional if you have a tripod with dynamic tracking function. Take one minute intervals for each photo so that when you’re done you have a short footage of the eclipse process.
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