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There's a full lunar Eclipse tonight (~3 am EST). Its the first time since 1554 that there has been a a lunar eclipse on the winter solstice and (possibly) only the second time the two events have coincided in the last 2 millenia.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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Cool, I'll be working the graveyard shift tonight so I will definatly make sure to watch. Although it will be hard to notice through the ambient lights of Phoenix.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
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And, as usual, mother nature has decided to get her freak on for the first time in weeks. We've got ~50% chance of seeing this. I look for that to drop to 0 as the time approaches and I make plans to stay up/wake up for this event. Oh, look, the observatory is open! Nevermind, there's suddenly a chance for snow!
<< mother nature laughing maniacally at me >>
Kansas and astronomy do NOT mix.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Herblay: It's a confluence of ephermal power of the highest magnitude! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!
Lowest magnitude, I'd think.
It's only been 13 years since there was a full moon on the summer solstice. I guess this is the opposite of that.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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So why did the moon turn red after it was eclipsed? I would have thought it would just be flat out black.
Posts: 305 | Registered: Jan 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Herblay: It's a confluence of ephermal power of the highest magnitude! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!
Lowest magnitude, I'd think.
It's only been 13 years since there was a full moon on the summer solstice. I guess this is the opposite of that.
I guess that depends on how you view the significance of an eclipse.
The way I see it, the significance of an eclipse occurring on the longest night of the year (in the northern hemisphere) is that it will occur when its dark over the largest possible fraction of the populated portion of the planet. (90% of the human population live in the northern hemisphere). That means more people will have the chance to see it.
An eclipse that occurs on the summer solstice (shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, will indeed be the opposite. It will occur when it's dark over the smallest possible fraction of the northern hemisphere, hence fewer people will have the chance to see it.
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quote:The moon takes on this new color because indirect sunlight is still able to pass through Earth's atmosphere and cast a glow on the moon. Our atmosphere filters out most of the blue colored light, leaving the red and orange hues that we see during a lunar eclipse. Extra particles in the atmosphere, from say a recent volcanic eruption, will cause the moon to appear a darker shade of red.
quote:The moon takes on this new color because indirect sunlight is still able to pass through Earth's atmosphere and cast a glow on the moon. Our atmosphere filters out most of the blue colored light, leaving the red and orange hues that we see during a lunar eclipse. Extra particles in the atmosphere, from say a recent volcanic eruption, will cause the moon to appear a darker shade of red.
Fun fact, when the moon is on the horizon, just about to rise or set it's also very red. Of course you need a very low, very clear horizon to see this- I've only noticed this at professional observatories and on airplanes.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Heavy cloud cover here throughout the whole night. I kept going outside to see if there was anything to see, but it was always socked in. Alas, I'll have to wait for the next one.
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