fandango - 12-19-2010 at 02:56 PM
will be a great show in baja if the skies are clear.
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/19/lunar-eclipse-december-201...
woody with a view - 12-19-2010 at 03:18 PM
probably be clouded in in SD.
elfbrewery - 12-19-2010 at 03:52 PM
Cool. I'll probably have to take a lot of naps to see it through. First in over 450 years that solstice and lunar eclipse coincide and we're in a
great place to view it!!
woody with a view - 12-19-2010 at 05:22 PM
SOLSTICE LUNAR ECLIPSE
by Dr. Tony Phillips
Reprinted from http://science.nasa.gov
Dec. 17, 2010: Everyone knows that "the moon on the breast of
new-fallen snow gives the luster of mid-day to objects below."
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.
Why red?
A quick trip to the Moon provides the answer: Imagine yourself
standing on a dusty lunar plain looking up at the sky. Overhead hangs
Earth, nightside down, completely hiding the sun behind it. The
eclipse is underway. You might expect Earth seen in this way to be
utterly dark, but it's not. The rim of the planet is on fire! As you
scan your eye around Earth's circumference, you're seeing every
sunrise and every sunset in the world, all of them, all at once. This
incredible light beams into the heart of Earth's shadow, filling it
with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb.
Back on Earth, the shadowed Moon paints newly fallen snow with
unfamiliar colors--not much luster, but lots of beauty.
Enjoy the show.
cj5orion - 12-20-2010 at 06:08 AM
settin my alarm clock now