Wowza another Lunar Eclipse tonight (last until 2010)

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Justin24

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Saturn also makes an appearance along with the bright star Regulus.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080220/ap_on_sc/lunar_eclipse

Lunar eclipse to occur Wednesday night

By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer Tue Feb 19, 7:48 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - The last total lunar eclipse until 2010 occurs Wednesday night, with cameo appearances by Saturn and the bright star Regulus on either side of the veiled full moon.
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Skywatchers viewing through a telescope will have the added treat of seeing Saturn's handsome rings.

Weather permitting, the total eclipse can be seen from North and South America. People in Europe and Africa will be able to see it high in the sky before dawn on Thursday.

As the moonlight dims — it won't go totally dark — Saturn and Regulus will pop out and sandwich the moon. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo.

Jack Horkheimer, host of the PBS show "Star Gazer," called the event "the moon, the lord of the rings and heart of the lion eclipse."

Wednesday's event will be the last total lunar eclipse until Dec. 20, 2010. Last year there were two.

The weather could be a spoiler for many in the United States. Cloudy skies are expected for most of the Western states with a chance of snow from the heartland to the East Coast, said Stuart Seto of the National Weather Service.

"It looks like it's going to be a hard one to spot," Seto said.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon passes into Earth's shadow and is blocked from the sun's rays that normally illuminate it. During an eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon line up, leaving a darkened moon visible to observers on the night side of the planet.

The moon doesn't go black because indirect sunlight still reaches it after passing through the Earth's atmosphere. Since the atmosphere filters out blue light, the indirect light that reaches the moon transforms it into a reddish or orange tinge, depending on how much dust and cloud cover are in the atmosphere at the time.

Wednesday's total eclipse phase will last nearly an hour. Earth's shadow is expected to blot out the moon beginning around 7 p.m. on the West Coast and 10 p.m. on the East Coast. West Coast skygazers will miss the start of the eclipse because it occurs before the moon rises.

Unlike solar eclipses which require protective eyewear, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye.

Later this year, in August, there will be a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse.

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"There is no dark side of the moon, really. As a matter of fact, it's all dark."

Looks awesome in Newfoundland! :drool:
 
angelordevil said:


Here, as well! United by the moon! :cool:

I love how there's a little star right above and to the left...space. :drool:

I read somewhere today that starting very recently (today, perhaps?), Saturn is visible just to the left of the moon for the next several months - maybe that's what you're seeing? I'm gonna go look.
 
VintagePunk said:


I read somewhere today that starting very recently (today, perhaps?), Saturn is visible just to the left of the moon for the next several months - maybe that's what you're seeing? I'm gonna go look.

Yup, it's Saturn! :hyper: I wish I had my high-powered telescope here. :sad: That thing is supposed to be able to see the rings of Saturn. I've just never been able to find it (Saturn, that is).
 
Argh! My brother and I bought a telescope for my mom for Christmas and she fucked with the calibrations one night and now it won't hold still.
I'm going to take it out in a bit. Hopefully the clouds will give way and I can check out the eclipse in 10x :drool:
 
PlaTheGreat said:
Argh! My brother and I bought a telescope for my mom for Christmas and she fucked with the calibrations one night and now it won't hold still.
I'm going to take it out in a bit. Hopefully the clouds will give way and I can check out the eclipse in 10x :drool:

:drool: :drool: :drool:

I wonder if my professor will accept "lunar eclipse" as an excuse if I do horribly on my exam tomorrow?
 
I'm going back and forth from my deck to the computer...looks so amazing!

I knew it was Saturn. I was just testing everyone. :shifty:
 
GibsonGirl said:


Yup, it's Saturn! :hyper: I wish I had my high-powered telescope here. :sad: That thing is supposed to be able to see the rings of Saturn. I've just never been able to find it (Saturn, that is).

Yeah, it's sort of at the 8 o'clock position, relative to the moon. Looking at it without visual aids, it looks like I can see light radiating out the sides of it, left and right. Would this be the rings? :drool:

If only it weren't so damned cold here, -11, -16 windchill, I'd stay out for more than two minutes at a time.
 
DreamOutLoud13 said:
No, it's only half over, 'cause the moon still has to come back too :D

Christ, I don't have the attention span for that. :angry: I have to retire with a dose of Nyquil in any case. :(
 
Such a clear and calm night here to watch, which is amazing by itself, considering it's February. Great show...equal parts apocalyptic and beautiful. :drool:
 
I would've missed if Cari hadn't reminded me :wink: I ran outside in just jeans and a hoodie to watch for a while. I felt sort of lame for not staying and watching, but it was bloody cold and it kind of just sits there, doesn't it? :shrug: lol Glad I caught it while it was happening though. Neat-o :nerd:
 
As evident here, I REALLY need a remote shutter release. I think I'll have blurring no matter how careful I am, if I still have to press the button.

I think we were still in the car when the total eclipse happened.

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LIes, those are beautiful!

It was cloudy all day here today in Seattle, so I assumed I'd miss it. But there's the moon out my bedroom window, and while I missed the actual eclipse part (damn it), now it just looks like a plain old crescent moon.

Oh well.
 
crystal clear skies here in the midwest...

the moon looked somewhat larger than usual as it was rising and there was a ton of colour in the clouds. really cool stuff, then the reddish eclipse. cool stuff, i wouldve taken pictures but i was at work during most of it.
 
Wow, awesome pictures! :drool:

It was too cloudy in my area, so I missed it. :sigh: I was hoping for the clouds to move away, and kept checking, but nope. Oh well, maybe I'll catch it in 2010. :giggle:
 
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