ANSEL ADAMS MOON AND HALF DOME

DECEMBER 28, 1960 4:14 p.m. PST

photograph at: Ansel Adams gallery poster at: Ansel Adams gallery

The date December 28, 1960,

was calculated by our Texas State

group in an article published in:

Sky & Telescope (December 1994),

pages 82-86.

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MOON AND HALF DOME “ENCORE”

NOVEMBER 28, 2009 4:04 p.m. PST

A celestial "encore" is approaching for Moon and Half Dome in the sky east of Ahwahnee Meadow, Yosemite National Park. The lunar nodes and other factors conspire to create an almost-perfect encore that falls almost exactly a month "early."

The Moon will be a fraction of a degree to the north of where it was on December 28, 1960. By standing a very short distance to the south of the precise Ansel Adams position, the Moon and Half Dome should come back into the same relationship seen in the Adams photograph.

Also, it is necessary to back up a bit farther from Half Dome, because trees have grown up and partly block the view from the precise Ansel Adams tripod spot.

The Sun will be within about 1.5 degrees of its 1960 position, so the shadows should be pretty similar, if the weather cooperates and the Sun is out this year.