Moonchaser

I love the full moon.
It took me until I was living in Saudi Arabia, where a fellow Kiwi (and desert 4WDer and astronomy enthusiast) taught me that on the night of full moon, as the sun sets in the west, so does the full moon rise in the east (within minutes). Since learning that, I have been fascinated each full moon and when and where possible, I endeavour to be in a position to photograph it.
And so on the evening of 06 May 2012 I headed for the New Brighton Pier - but was thwarted by the clouds - yet again - this happens so often!
But wait, don't rush off with your bottom lip out, thinking you will have to wait yet another month. Something good might just happen - and invariably it does. It just requires a wee gap in the clouds and some patience!

A lunar month later, this time Queen's Birthday weekend at the beginning of June, Chris and I headed out of town for the day, bound for North Canterbury and a few places we had never visited. The stipulation was that we had to be at the New Brighton Pier by 1644, sunset being at 1700.
We arrived with 15 minutes to spare - a brew was made and camera set up on the tripod. And what happened next - nothing. You guessed it - cloud!! But patience won out again and ~15 minutes later this appeared....................

............ but look, no-one on the pier has even noticed. The next 10-15 minutes were just magic as the moon continued to rise................

There is another reason the moon became important whilst living in Saudi Arabia. There, they  operated on the Hejra calendar - the lunar months. and we were paid at the end of each lunar month. So at full moon, one knew they were half way through the lunar month and it was only two weeks until the next pay!! And in 12 lunar months there are ~354 days (which equates to 12.4 lunar months in the Gregorian [solar] year - bonus!)
There endeth the astronomy lesson - and my obsession with the moon. Until next time.......................!!