Eclipse it!
 

The Moon dips into the shadows
Sky watchers will get a chance to view a total lunar eclipse this weekend.
by Matt Quandt

On Saturday night, November 8, observers in eastern North America will be plunged into an unnatural darkness. No, we’re not predicting another extensive blackout. On that evening, one of the most dramatic sights in nature — a total lunar eclipse — will occur.

While East Coast observers will get to see the whole event just after dinner, West Coast viewers will see totality in the waning stages of evening twilight. Moon watchers in Europe and Africa will be perfectly positioned to see the eclipse, but there the event will occur during the early morning hours of November 9.


The first hint of the lunar eclipse arrives with the onset of the penumbral phase at 5:15 p.m. EST. First contact with the edge of Earth’s dark umbral shadow comes at 6:32 p.m. EST, followed by the onset of totality at 8:06 p.m. EST. Totality lasts only 25 minutes, with maximum eclipse occurring at 8:18 p.m. EST. Expect a fairly bright eclipse because the Moon doesn’t venture too deeply into the shadow. The partial phase ends at 10:04 p.m. EST, and the penumbral eclipse wraps up at 11:22 p.m. EST.

With the bright lunar surface in darkness, viewers will see that Earth’s shadow is not totally black, but a dim shade of red. Somewhat like the Cheshire Cat, the Moon’s southern limb will show a brighter smile because it lies nearer the shadow’s edge.

After this total eclipse of the Moon, North American residents will not have to wait long for the next one. The Moon will again dip into Earth's shadow on Wednesday, October 27, 2004.

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This type of celestial event is worth the candle of our time and attention. It's always a good thing to gaze skyward and observe our place in the cosmos. Early humans shuddered at the sight of the moon's discoloration by the earth's umbra. "Umbra" itself is a Latin word for "shade" or "shadow" but often used poetically and translated as "ghost."

i love seeing these kinds of things... i was really hoping to get to see it... but unfortuanatly its gonna be overcast here... :-(

Would really have enjoyed the show, but it,s solid overcast and raining here in the Texas Panhandle where I currently am. Maybe next time.

Yay! Nice and clear here in Arizona! And it's been cloudy all week.... the gods are smiling on us today!

my dad climbed halfdome a couple years ago and they summited the night of a lunar eclipse and they saw it from the summit... woulda been waaay cool to be there..

I just saw it. It was pretty cool. Then I went back inside after 30 seconds. My camera couldn't take a picture of it. I guess I'd need a telescope or something to take a good picture of it.

Yeah, I got out the old camera and took a few pictures of it. I don't know if they will turn out, but if they do, I will be sure to post them.

It was pretty cool here in Wisconsin. Second one this year. I like watching them.

And it was red tonight, at least where I live it was. Anyone know why its red?

Imagine you are standing on the moon at totality. Looking at the earth all you would see is a black disk, with a red glow surrounding it. The red glow in the eastern hemisphere is the sun rising and in the western hemisphere its the sun setting. You would seeing the first rays of sulight in the east and the last remnants of sunlight in the west.

Last lunar eclipse I saw I was standing on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Hale Bopp comet was in the northwest sky. Totally awesome.

We did not get to see it as this reference shows but what a sight it must have been.

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips...2003Nov09T.gif

The eclipsed moon in infrared.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ima...cl_msx_big.jpg


Why it looks like this.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~carlkop/maansv...lunecl_400.jpg

During a total eclipse the Moon
shines with a orange reddish glow.

Without Earth's atmosphere, the Moon would disappear completely once immersed in the umbra. Longer wavelengths of light penetrate Earth's atmosphere better than shorter wavelengths, which is why the rising or setting sun looks reddish. In essence, the ruddy tint of a totally eclipsed moon comes from the ring of atmosphere around Earth's limb that scatters a sunset-like glow into the umbra.

The hue actually changes from one eclipse to another, ranging from a bright coppery orange to brownish. The Moon may darken so much that it becomes all but invisible to the unaided eye. These very dark lunar eclipses often occur after exceptional volcanic eruptions.

Totality will end at 1:31 UT, when the moon's leading edge exits the umbra. The moon will leave the umbra completely at 3:05 UT, and the eclipse will end at 4:22 UT when the moon makes its last contact with the penumbra.

LINK FOR INFO

Beautiful night. It's a wonder the clouds held off, but they did.
Got some pretty decent shots with my digital camera. I'll post 'em here in a few. Gotta find the cord for my camera.

All clear skies here in Michigan, thankfully.

Son-of-a-grinch! I slept right through it. :(

I hope we have more warning next time, ART. ;)

I can hardly wait for next year.

Thanks for the info, ART.

I went up to the local observatory to go see it. Throughouly enjoyed myself, they had a nice 12 inch telescope which really brought out the full detail.
The reddish glow was really cool, and the varying colors gave the moon alot of visible depth. All in all a great experience.

I'm so pissed that it was cloudy out tonight and I couldn't see it!

Very cool pics !!

too cloudy here for me to see a thing in the sky tonight

Saw it tonight, but it wasn't red at all :( Just looked like a waxing or waning crescent on it's side. Glad I saw it though.

Almost totally eclipsed here, just a bare hint of white that traveled clockwise around the edge before the moon began to reappear from the earth's shadow. It was beautiful, very red. I brought my son outside just before it happened, and shouted, "I unleash the beast that will consume your moon-god! Make me your ruler and I will force it to regurgitate him later!". We both laughed pretty hard as it eclipsed.

Eclipsed!
 

We walked out into the brisk 30-degree air of early November and looked up to see a fingernail-shaped edge of glowing light sliding slowly off of the freshly reddened surface of the eclipsed moon. The earth’s umbral shade was about a half-hour from totality by the time we settled in to our preferred viewing location – the bleachers of the athletic field down the block. Mostly dark and surrounded by trees, it’s an open amphitheater we use for viewing celestial events.

Even though these occurrances are well-publicized, we’re typically alone in this best place to see cosmic shows. Everyone else is evidently more interested in their regular television events than they are in witnessing what the universe is doing – no matter how spectacular it may be. Well, that’s just fine with us.

It was a wonderful totality and afterward we walked back to our home filled with the awe and wonderment that are available for free here on earth. It’s great to live in an infinite universe and to be able to experience it in all its glory by simply lifting up our eyes once in a while!

damn fine eclipse.

not a cloud in the sky here.

awsome........just awsome

We all gathered round to see this rare sight, waited, and as soon as it was about to come Bam! Cloud cover...

I was coming home from work last night, and saw the moon and said..."Oooooo, full moon! Neat!" Awhile later I went outside to go to the store and noticed a half moon....? What the...? I could have sworn it to be full just a few hours ago! Then I heard on the radio that it was a lunar eclipse. I had no idea it was happening last night. Definently a treat. The past few weeks have been great for checking out the night sky...with the eclipse last night and the Northern Lights last week. Just looking to the sky and witnessing the cosmic activity, and pondering all the possibilities of the universe is absolutely mindblowing. I really can't get enough!

If you liked that you should watch the Lenoid meteor shower.

It's going on around now
and it peaks around Nov. 18th (approx. 100 per hour)
And some good fireballs to boot.

That's always a wonderful sight on a clear night.

We (amazingly enough) actually got to see it last night. Usually, everytime there is something like this to see, it is raining, or at least cloudy.

I will also look for the meteor shower, but with all the development around, I dont think I will be able to see too much :(

Turns out I couldn't see it anyway.
Its been raining and all cloudy here for about a week.

I just hope it clears up enough for the Leonid showers.
Thanks for mentioning them, rogue. :)

And speaking of Leonids

This site will tell you when they will appear, actually two occurances in Novemeber this year, the 13th and the 19th.

http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/estimator.html

Thanks...it goes on between the 11th to the 20th
peaks on the 18th and 19th

For me in Washington D.C....I should see the most at 12 to 1 am.
Should be awesome. :)

i saw it fine here in providence, kinda boring to watch

It was quite cool to see. The kids lost internest about half-way through, but, I would check it out from time to time. Once it got full, that was it for me. That's the second one I've seen.

I was lazy and didn't go outside.

Yeah, the clouds blocked my view. I was way bummed.

I saw the whole thing. It was amazing

Art... nice of you to post a thread... I saw it... have been waiting anxiously for it... had the kids out to look at it... the orange/red was beautiful... brings to mind 'sci-fi' fantasy images of multiple, multicolored moons hanging low on the horizon of some far flung world... *broad smile* yep... I'm a dreamer...