Blood Moon Photos to Celebrate Chris Duggleby’s New Electro Baroque Album – BAROQUE TRANSFORMATION

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When I awoke this morning just before 4:00 a.m. my initial thought was that I had overdone it the previous evening while sampling my €1.99 bottle of red wine from the local supermarket. The bedroom had an unusual red glow. As I did not have a headache my second thought was that I had stumbled across a friendly lady’s parlour in the local red light district.

However, here in Germany, ladies of the night do not usually do business with gentlemen who only pay under 2 euros for a bottle of 2014 Australian Shiraz Cabernet from Penny Markt. (If you don’t believe me here are some of their other cheapo vino specials – I am angling after further discounts for the free advertising!!!).

The reason for the red glow in my bedroom was this morning’s full moon:

The cause of my red bedroom - a full blown Blood Moon eclipse — The cause of my red bedroom – a full blown Blood Moon eclipse

Just in case you slept through this rather early event – or perhaps you had a cloudy sky this morning – I managed to capture some photos of this unique event. The red colour of the moon was caused by an unusual eclipse in which the Earth sticks itself between the sun and the moon. By doing so the earth stops any direct sunlight getting from the sun to the moon so the only light which gets to its surface is made up of rays which are bent by the earth’s atmosphere. As a result the moon gets much darker and appears a deep red colour (yes a bit like a bottle of Shiraz!).

The effect which causes this colouration of the moon is the same as that which sometimes creates beautiful red sunsets (and sunrises). Again this is due to our eyes receiving more light from the red end of the spectrum as the main source of light disappears over our horizon. Just before the moon becomes fully dark one side shows a crescent of light as in the photo below:

Crescent of light on the edge of the moon just before it becomes totally eclipsed

Here is a slightly larger picture as the moon gradually became darker:

The crescent of direct sunlight gradually disappears from the moons surface

This is the point where a professional photographer would have used a tripod to try and avoid his rather shaky hands (no it had nothing to do with the wine – it was rather cold despite wearing my thermal onesie). Here is a picture as the moon became fully bathed in diffused red light – taken with your’s truly trying to steady his hand on the balcony wall.

Gradually no direct sunlight reaches the moon, it becomes darker and is only illuminated by diffused red light 'bending' around the earth. — Gradually no direct sunlight reaches the moon, it becomes darker and is only illuminated by diffused red light ‘bending’ around the earth.

Here is a larger picture of the moon totally illuminated by the red rays coming from multiple sunsets and sunrises around the Earth’s surface:

Larger version of the moon illuminated only by rays from multiple sunrises and sunsets at the Earth's surface — Larger version of the moon illuminated only by rays from multiple sunrises and sunsets at the Earth’s surface

Regular visitors to this site will know I have a bit of a fetish about full moons (another reason why the ladies in the red light district prefer to keep their distance!). You may remember a couple of months ago when I presented a photo of the ‘blue’ moon taken from the kitchen window next to my Bavarian recording studio:

Blue Moon taken from the windows next to the V&LIUMM recording studios in the Alps

Here is a closer version of the blue moon which was taken on the evening of 31st July 2015 (You can see more blue moon pics in the blog here):

Larger version of the blue moon over Bad Feilnbach in Bavaria taken on 31st July 2015

Knowing I have a weakness for the moon you will probably not be surprised to hear that I have used this heavenly body on the cover of my new album ‘Baroque Transformation’ which this week became available in iTunes (more stores to follow soon). The iTunes link is here. Below is the cover I finally decided on:

It probably will not surprise you that someone who pays less than €2 for a bottle of wine has a picture on his album cover which was taken from his own kitchen window (yes I am from Yorkshire and no we don’t like spending money). However I like the photo and whenever I raid the fridge for a supply of dark chocolate I am reminded of the album. Here are the 12 tracks:

Four Seasons – Summer Concerto (part 3) by Antonio Vivaldi
Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach
Miserere Mei Deus by Gregorio Allegri
What Power Art Thou from Henry Purcell‘s King Arthur
My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home by John Dowland
Hallelujah Chorus from George Frideric Handel‘s Messiah
Air on a G string by Johann Sebastian Bach
Fac Ut Ardeat from Giovanni Battista Pergolesi‘s Stabat Mater
Eja Mater from Antonio Vivaldi‘s Stabat Mater
Brandenburg Concerto Nr 2 by Johann Sebastian Bach
The Canon by Johann Pachelbel
The Baroque Anthem by Chris Duggleby

In addition to sampling them on the iTunes sampler you can also see the videos which I have uploaded to my YouTube ‘Electro Baroque’ playlist – just click on the arrow below:

More info about my musical activities can be found on the website of the TRANSFORMATES 變 Music Project using the link here.

So I think that is enough ‘moonlighting’ for today. Let me leave you with one last picture of this morning’s blood-red moon before I finish. Have a great week.

Chris Duggleby