And it's the first lunar eclipse to fall on the winter solstice in 372 years
Posted 12.20.2010 at 5:35 pm
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Lunar Eclipse
Ghewgill
For the first time since 1638, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from North America on the longest night of the year. That night just happens to be tonight, starting at 1:32 AM, so all you moon-oglers will have to stay up awfully late (or wake up perversely early) to catch it.
The eclipse, in which the Earth's shadow completely blocks out the moon, will last for a particularly long time tonight--it will start at 1:32 AM (Eastern Time), with the total eclipse beginning at 2:41 AM. (West coasters can do the time zone math themselves, and watch the eclipse in shorts with their movie star neighbors on the beach, or whatever they do out there.)
The total eclipse will last for a whopping 72 minutes, until 3:53 AM, during which the moon will appear to change colors, most noticeably to bright orange-red. But do not be alarmed! The moon is not on fire, functioning as some kind of pagan punishment to celebrate the winter solstice. It'll be changing colors due to the light filtering through Earth's atmosphere and reflecting on the moon's dull surface.
For their part, NASA will be hosting a live chat with Marshall Center astronomer Rob Suggs and researcher Mitzi Adams, and will also host a live feed, in case you live in a dungeon or something and can't see the moon (in which case, you should really look into moving once your dungeon's lease is up).
[via Wired]
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I was very much looking forwards to this tonight. But sadly a winter storm blew in and blocked up the sky. I don't think I'll be around to see this again in 2092.. sigh.
I'm looking forward to it. I'm not certain but I believe the longest night is tomorrow.
yeah it is raining here for 2 more days so we wont see it but tomorrow, the 21st is the longest night
Well I think I'm staying up for this one and do some time lapse photos, if the sky stays clear.
There is the beauty of technology, CodeZero, the whole thing is livestreamed and commentated by NASA. Like the Super Bowl, but without any of the fans or most of the action.
Soon, he will be ready to make his war...the last war, which will cover the moon in shadow...
About half now. We have cloud cover out here in Washington, but it's wispy and fairly thin so far...hoping for it to clear sometime during the full stage.
For a once in 372 year event, I feel like I should be doing something more scientific than just looking with 7X50 binoculars and eating homemade apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream; but I'd bet no one had anything that tasted this good last time...