Lunar eclipse Wednesday, 2-20-08

Post by **SMLCHNG** » February 19, 2008 8:16 pm

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008 ... ewing.html

Hope you can see it in your area.

diverg · Post by **diverg** » February 19, 2008 8:41 pm

I hope to be able to see it tomorrow since I'm taking an intro astronomy class, but I think our weather down here will not be favorable.

Dezdmona · Post by **Dezdmona** » February 19, 2008 9:27 pm

Sorry for the long post, I copied it from a post I made at another forum:

Total Lunar Eclipse Wednesday Night

On Wednesday evening, February 20th, the full Moon over the Americas will turn a delightful shade of red and possibly turquoise, too.

The total eclipse of the moon on February 20 will be the last one we’ll see until December 2010.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through the shadow of Earth. You might expect the Moon to grow even more ashen than usual, but in fact it transforms into an orb of vivid red.

Why red? That is the color of Earth's shadow.

Consider the following: Most shadows we're familiar with are black or gray; step outside on a sunny day and look at your own. Earth's shadow is different because, unlike you, Earth has an atmosphere. The delicate layer of dusty air surrounding our planet reddens and redirects the light of the sun, filling the dark behind Earth with a sunset-red glow. The exact tint--anything from bright orange to blood red is possible--depends on the unpredictable state of the atmosphere at the time of the eclipse. "Only the shadow knows," says astronomer Jack Horkheimer of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium.

Transiting the shadow's core takes about an hour. The first hints of red appear around 10 pm EST (7 pm PST), heralding a profusion of coppery hues that roll across the Moon's surface enveloping every crater, mountain and moon rock, only to fade away again after 11 pm EST (8 pm PST). No special filter or telescope is required to see this spectacular event. It is a bright and leisurely display visible from cities and countryside alike.

While you're watching, be alert for another color: turquoise. Observers of several recent lunar eclipses have reported a flash of turquoise bracketing the red of totality.

"The blue and turquoise shades at the edge of Earth's shadow were incredible," recalls amateur astronomer Eva Seidenfaden of Trier, Germany, who took the picture at right during the European lunar eclipse of March 3-4, 2007. Dozens of other photographers have documented the same phenomenon.

A "turquoise eclipse" photographed by Eva Seidenfaden of Trier, Germany, on March 4, 2007.

The source of the turquoise is ozone. Eclipse researcher Dr. Richard Keen of the University of Colorado explains: "During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the moon passes through the stratosphere where it is reddened by scattering. However, light passing through the upper stratosphere penetrates the ozone layer, which absorbs red light and actually makes the passing light ray bluer." This can be seen, he says, as a soft blue fringe around the red core of Earth's shadow.

To catch the turquoise on Feb. 20th, he advises, "look during the first and last minutes of totality." That would be around 10:01 pm EST and 10:51 pm EST (7:01 and 7:51 pm PST).

Blood red, bright orange, gentle turquoise: it's all good. Mark your calendar in vivid color for the Feb. 20th lunar eclipse.

Specific eclipse times in your sky:

Partial eclipse begins: 1:43 Universal Time (UT) Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, the partial ecilpse begins the evening of Feb. 20.
8:43 p.m. EST
7:43 p.m. CST
6:43 p.m. MST
5:43 p.m. PST

Total eclipse (totality) begins: 3:01 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, totality begins on the evening of Feb. 20.
10:01 p.m. EST
9:01 p.m. CST
8:01 p.m. MST
7:01 p.m. PST

Greatest eclipse: 3:26 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, greatest eclipse occurs the evening of Feb. 20.
10:26 p.m. EST
9:26 p.m. CST
8:26 MST
7:26 PST

Total eclipse ends: 3:51 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, the total eclipse ends the evening of Feb. 20.
10:51 p.m. EST
9:51 p.m. CST
8:51 p.m. MST
7:51 p.m. PST

docandjeanie · Post by **docandjeanie** » February 19, 2008 10:16 pm

Cool, hope to see it, but most likely clouds

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » February 19, 2008 10:20 pm

it'll be GREAT!!

now, if these low clouds could just find their way OUTTA THE DAMN WAY!!!

parrothead3282 · Post by **parrothead3282** » February 19, 2008 10:22 pm

I love this kind of stuff!

unclejohn · Post by **unclejohn** » February 20, 2008 4:18 am

I will definately be watching! That sounds so cool. Thanks for the heads up.

jimsig · Post by **jimsig** » February 20, 2008 9:08 am

I hope it stays clear here to see it in Boston, I love this stuff too. I am going to Fla next month and changed my flight down from the 11th to the 10th because the Space Shuttle is going to launch at 230am on the 11th. I have seen a rocket launch from the Cape back on 2002 and that was awsome. I have always wanted to see a shuttle launch.

RAYRO · Post by **RAYRO** » February 20, 2008 12:45 pm

Unfortunately, I don't think Mother Nature is playing in our favor on this one........cloudy and rain is our forecast for tonight....

Looks like we will have to wait 2 mkore years

Bummer!

Dezdmona · Post by **Dezdmona** » February 20, 2008 12:55 pm

I hear ya Rosa, looks "partly cloudy" in North Texas tonight.
I'm hoping for a break in the clouds...not giving up yet.

My son wants to stay up (30 minutes) past his bedtime to see totality.
Praying for the clouds to open up for him/us.

RAYRO · Post by **RAYRO** » February 20, 2008 1:00 pm

Dezdmona wrote:I hear ya Rosa, looks "partly cloudy" in North Texas tonight.
I'm hoping for a break in the clouds...not giving up yet.

My son wants to stay up (30 minutes) past his bedtime to see totality.
Praying for the clouds to open up for him/us.

We will be out if there is any chance of seeing it (basically if it's not raining)....It always amazes me....

I can't think of a better reason to stay up past your bedtime..... well I can, but this is a pretty good one

STL PARROTHEAD · Post by **STL PARROTHEAD** » February 20, 2008 1:02 pm

I hope there are no clouds!!!

man, we seen one in Mexico one time.....It was AWESOME sitting on the beach, looking out over the water, and seeing that! WOW, what a site!!!

surfpirate · Post by **surfpirate** » February 20, 2008 1:28 pm

I think I'll let the 'keets stay up to watch this tonight, if the clouds will clear out and allow it. I was lucky enough to see a total solar eclipse back in early 1970 when I was a kid. That one rolled right up the entire east coast of North America including my hometown of Virginia Beach. I didn't realize at the time how rare an event that was and how lucky we were to be right in its path.

~~~~~~~ surfpirate

Dezdmona · Post by **Dezdmona** » February 20, 2008 1:43 pm

I remember that SP...our whole school was buzzing about it.
How to watch, etc...

<<<<I still love all things "spacey".
Who wouldda guessed?

springparrot · Post by **springparrot** » February 20, 2008 8:33 pm

heavy cloud cover

Glorfindel7 · Post by **Glorfindel7** » February 20, 2008 9:05 pm

I can view it right from my bedroom window

(Good thing, it's REALLY cold out there

)

Post by **SMLCHNG** » February 20, 2008 9:12 pm

We probably won't see it here.. a bit too cloudy.

nutmeg · Post by **nutmeg** » February 20, 2008 9:25 pm

spectacular here.

Clear as a bell out and 8 degrees

Luckily so far I can see it out my "garden window" in my kitchen.

bufitonmybmw · Post by **bufitonmybmw** » February 20, 2008 9:34 pm

Sooooper clear here too! It looks awesome...partial right now....
the kids are even fascinated!

parrothead3282 · Post by **parrothead3282** » February 20, 2008 9:50 pm

Beautiful night for this here can see perfectly!