Big Moon, or Why You Need a Tripod In Low Light

We were excited to hear about the news of the larger than normal full moon last night, March 19. So, my son and I (and half the town) went to the beach around moon rise and waited to see the spectacle. It was a beautiful, clear night and we were not disappointed in the sight. The moon was especially large and seeing it near the horizon made it appear even larger. And it was tinted red which made it even more thrilling. But I also brought my camera along and thinking that since the full moon rises at the same time as the sun sets, it would still be light enough to not need my tripod.

As you can see in this picture, I was wrong. It gives us a reminder of the big event but it's not going to end up as a picture in The National Geographic or even our local paper. And now that I see it again, I see that the tripod would have probably helped me take a level picture, too. It looks like the ocean is tilted. Don't worry. The ocean isn't draining to the south.