Solstice Lunar Eclipse

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PhillieG
PhillieG CSN Member Posts: 4,866 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Pretty rare event tonight people who live in North America. There will be a total lunar eclipse PLUS it's the Winter Solstice. Hasn't happened in close to 400 years.

From Nasa website: Everyone knows that "the moon on the breast of new-fallen snow gives the luster of mid-day to objects below."

A similar lunar eclipse in Nov. 2003. Credit: Jim Fakatselis. [more]
That is, except during a lunar eclipse.

The luster will be a bit "off" on Dec. 21st, the first day of northern winter, when the full Moon passes almost dead-center through Earth's shadow. For 72 minutes of eerie totality, an amber light will play across the snows of North America, throwing landscapes into an unusual state of ruddy shadow.

The eclipse begins on Tuesday morning, Dec. 21st, at 1:33 am EST (Monday, Dec. 20th, at 10:33 pm PST). At that time, Earth's shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It takes about an hour for the "bite" to expand and swallow the entire Moon. Totality commences at 02:41 am EST (11:41 pm PST) and lasts for 72 minutes.

If you're planning to dash out for only one quick look -­ it is December, after all -­ choose this moment: 03:17 am EST (17 minutes past midnight PST). That's when the Moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic shades of coppery red.

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan CSN Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #2
    WOW!
    This sounds awesome. I wish there was a matinee performance!
  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 CSN Member Posts: 370 Member
    #3
    Eclipse
    I am watching the moon rise as i write. I should be able to watch most of the night out my computer room window. Going to be up working on the computer all night so I will be able to watch out the window.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 CSN Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #4
    way cool
    Hi Phil,

    Thanks for letting people know about this- I think it's pretty cool! It's quite rainstormy here in So. Calif. today, so I don't know if it will be visible from here or not. I'll still check it out, though. If it's not, I'm sure it will be able to be seen online somewhere.

    Merry Christmas Phil!

    Lisa
  • maglets
    maglets CSN Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #5
    lisa42 said:

    way cool
    Hi Phil,

    Thanks for letting people know about this- I think it's pretty cool! It's quite rainstormy here in So. Calif. today, so I don't know if it will be visible from here or not. I'll still check it out, though. If it's not, I'm sure it will be able to be seen online somewhere.

    Merry Christmas Phil!

    Lisa

    it will be good here
    our weather is forecasting a clearing.....so it should be spectacular....with snow....

    mags
  • mukamom
    mukamom CSN Member Posts: 402
    #6
    maglets said:

    it will be good here
    our weather is forecasting a clearing.....so it should be spectacular....with snow....

    mags

    We will be
    on the highway to the hospital at that time..might have to pull over!
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #7
    mukamom said:

    We will be
    on the highway to the hospital at that time..might have to pull over!

    Hopefully I'll be asleep.
    Hopefully I'll be asleep. Watch it on tape.
  • John23
    John23 CSN Member Posts: 2,121 Member
    #8
    Well.....

    To serve the public -

    Tomorrow I will drive over to Walmarts and for all those that
    missed it this evening, I will reproduce the best I can: "The Mooning".


    (I haven't done this in years)


    John
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 CSN Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #9
    Thanks Phil
    Thanks Phil,

    Cool that it will only be 8:33 here in Hawaii when it starts so I'll be awake. :) I will check it out.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • Sandi1
    Sandi1 Member Posts: 277
    #10
    We saw it !!!
    We saw it, it was awesome. It was also my husband's birthday so we were celebrating, and a lunar eclipse was the perfect ending to a perfect day with the most perfect husband in the world.

    Glad to have him around another year !!!
  • ketziah35
    ketziah35 CSN Member Posts: 1,145
    #11
    I saw it! It was beautiful!

    I saw it! It was beautiful!

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