Here's a sky and telescope article abut the eclipse, and here's one I wrote up for the school paper (Clearly superior to the Sky and Telescope article .)
For those in the Eastern Time Zone, it starts at about 8:45 p.m., reaches total eclipse at 10:01 p.m., which continues till 10:51 p.m. It will then trail off until after midnight.
Does anyone here take pictures? If you do, I'd love to see them. I don't, and will be too busy organizing to take pictures, not that I have the know-how anyways.
[ February 21, 2008, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: The White Whale ]
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
We're having a double eclipse - the moon obcured by the earth obscured by cloud cover.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
We've got a forecast of between 40% and 70% cloud cover.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
It's pretty overcast here in Utah. I doubt we'll be able to see it.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Question: Is there a signficant difference between the surface gravity on the Moon on nearside and farside?
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
No.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Despite the close proximity of the Earth, which is enough to lock the Moon tidally?
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Gravity decreases with the square of the distance. The moon is something like sixty times the distance from the earth, so the earth's gravity at that distance is 1/3600th the magnitude, or about .005 m/s^2 differential in acceleration between the sides of the moon.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
It's fairly clear here in Chicago right now. I'll try to remember to take pictures. No idea how good they'll be.
Posted by The Reader (Member # 3636) on :
It snowed all day here in Ohio, then the clouds cleared out at about 6:00. The sky is crystal clear and there is fresh snow on the ground. It's cold too, so I'm looking out my window.
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
Pretty clear here in New Jersey. It's almost total at the moment.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
It's funny, but it's cloudy here in Phoenix, while my parents are able to see the eclipse in Oregon. It's the reverse of the usual viewing conditions.
I'm hoping it will clear up, but it doesn't look good.
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
It's total now and is very pretty. It has a light golden-copperish yellow color that is stunning. There are perfect viewing conditions from where I am. I'll see if I can upload pictures later.
Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
It's clear here in Baltimore, even though it snowed. The moon is completely covered now, although the whole thing is grayish-redish-brownish.
Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :
Cayla and I went out to see it, couldn't find the moon. We went driving, hoping that if we were out in the country, away from lights, we could see it. Still nothing. We can't even figure out where it should be behind the clouds. Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
Great views in Vancouver.
It will be cool when we have a lunar webcam to get the views from there!
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
Also, if you're in the northwest, look for small bits of ex-satellite streaking through the sky...
Live in the desert, and the freaking eclipse is concealed by clouds. Oh well, at least I woke up to see the last one.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Great view in Michigan tonight. The sky was the clearest I've seen it in a long time, you could clearly see Saturn and Regulus on either side of the moon. Sadly I didn't have time to get my telescope out of the garage, I wish I had.
It was pretty. Now I have two years to get a better telescope and have it set up, and pray that the view is as clear as it was tonight. Crystal clear.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
It was partly cloudy here in NC, but after the clouds sped past the moon, it was gorgeous. Purpley-goldeny with lots of stars - it was very cool. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I photo'd and filmed. Wish I had been able to pull out my baby, but it was too cold, and I didn't have time, since I had a class go until 9pm. Plus it uses the same tripod as the camera.
-Bok
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I forgot to go out and look until after totality, but it was pretty cool at ~90% occluded a bit ago. I'm going out to look again. Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
No eclipse view for me, mother nature blew it with clouds.
I was out for 30 or 45 minutes, and my toes were in pain. Jeez, can we get on with spring already?
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
I got one short glimpse through a break in the clouds. eh, it was fine.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
So cool! My area was clear for once and I could see it! Yay! It was a very sullen red color. Streaky and swirling. Made me ponder if that's how the Red Star might look on Pern . . . *grin*
I.e., meteorite: my mom and grammy were on their porch and saw it -- as our website host and hostess have family in the same area, they might well have seen the show, too!
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
It was beautiful here (in Augusta, GA) but I forgot to look at complete totality when it's usually prettiest. The eclipsed moon is so awesome!
Can you remember every lunar eclipse you've seen and who you watched it with?
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
We had a great view! I was very excited. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Now I want a telescope.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Tatiana, no I can't. I can remember being dragged out by my mother to see some when I was young, and I was sleepy and grumpy and didn't care back then.
We had good conditions here in Northern NY. About half and half, clear and cloudy, but freaking cold! Man!
I went out to our small school observatory at 6:30 to set up telescopes for the event, and was cold almost immediately. We started at 8, had about 30 people there between 8 and 10, with 4 telescopes, and about halfway through totality, the clouds came in and stayed.
It was good to get a view of totality, for the 20 mins or so that we had it. And I was thankful to pack up, my toes were numb, even with 3 layers of socks!
It was all worth it though. I was in charge of one of our bigger telescopes (being Stargazing president has its perks!) and I loved showing younger kids the moon and Saturn for the first time (oh yeah, by the way Saturn was very close to the moon throughout the night!). When they get up on the stepstool, cold and tired, and then see the rings of Saturn for the first time with their own eyes, it's a great experience.
I'd spend hours out there every night just to hear one of these kids "Wow! I can see the rings! Mommy! I can see the rings!"
But yes, if you have pictures, please post them when you get a chance. I love moon pictures.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
Well, there go 10 seconds I'll never get back.
Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
There's something wonderful about remembering that the earth really is a tangible THING that can block light just like any other object. It's easy to get stuck in thinking that nothing exists outside the surface of our planet.
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
It was perfectly clear here in SE Michigan, and it was indeed eclipsed. Always an inspiring sight. Anybody know when the next significant? meteor shower will be? My friends and I watched the pleides for a while this last fall and it was sweet and just curious when another one should be coming along
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
quote:Originally posted by pooka: We're having a double eclipse - the moon obcured by the earth obscured by cloud cover.
HAHAHAHA!
Pooka wins the thread!
We had too much cloud cover (as reported by Mrs_Maven, who was awake at ungodly hours). As for me the sky was eclipsed by the my duvet - being the half-wit I am I thought the eclipse was tonight (Thursday). Doh...
[ February 21, 2008, 06:12 AM: Message edited by: anti_maven ]
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
It was lovely. The sky was perfectly clear in Wisconsin last night.
Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :
It cleared up toward the end in MA.
I took a single pic with exposures every four minutes for over two hours.
Now to hope it comes out and I didn't shake the camera when winding the film.
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
The sky was totally clear, but it was -12 degrees here in Minnesota. However, I just moved to a new apartment that has nice big tall east-facing windows in the living room, with a radiator right under them. I had a perfect view in total comfort Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Tried to see it. Cloudy/heavy overcast. I will have to be satisfied with seeing photos others took of it.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
There is a short commercial at the beginning of the video (naturally). I love how the moon seems to sparkle at about 1:20. I'm sure it's just a camera effect, but it's still neat.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
That video doesn't match what I saw at all. The moon basically just became red/orange in color where the shadow was.
Was pretty cool to see, but not at all like my expectations for a lunar eclipse.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
It was great in Philadelphia. We never get to see astronomical events with so many lights. But last night, truly awesome.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Did anyone else see the clown face in the moon?
Uh...just asking.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Xavier, what time did you view it? Because for me, here in New York, you saw the shadow of the earth obscuring more and more of the moon from 8:45 p.m. till about 10 p.m., and then the moon turned a brownish-red from about 10 till 10:45. Pretty much exactly what that video showed.
Did you just catch this later portion (when it was in total eclipse?), and what were your expectations? I hear this a lot and just wonder what people expect will happen.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
It stayed completely overcast here. Bah.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
As reported by Architraz Warden, the overcast in the desert compleatly veiled the show. The same thing happened at my only chance to see a complete Solar eclipse. I was on the beach at Apalachacola and there was a general overcast. The swimming was better then than last night.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
It turned out I was able to see it. Thanks for letting us know that was coming, White Whale. I wasn't able to wake my 6th grader to see it, though, which is a shame.
It reminded me of a gemstone we used to play with called a Tiger's eye.
Hey, Tara, I'm also in the Baltimore area.
Posted by scholar (Member # 9232) on :
We had about an inch of rain yesteray, so definetely could not see anything interesting and didn't try since it was not very pleasant outside.
Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
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Thanks for letting us know that was coming, White Whale. I wasn't able to wake my 6th grader to see it, though, which is a shame.