Will You Watch the Lunar Eclipse Tonight?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
March 3, 2007 3:02pm CST
There will be a total eclipse of the Moon on March 3rd, 2007, when the full Moon will pass through the western part of the Earth's shadow. This is the first chance to see a Total Lunar Eclipse since May 2004.
The moon will first be dimmed, in the partial eclipse phase, by the Earth's outer shadow, or Penumbra, and finally becomes a total eclipse as the Moon enters the Earth's inner shadow, or Umbra. The eclipse will be visible from all parts of the UK, Europe, Africa, Iceland. Greenland, Arctic, the Middle East and the Americas.
During the period of totality, from 22:24 to 23:58, the Moon is only illuminated by light that has filtered through the Earth's atmosphere and its appearance depends on the amount of dust in the atmosphere: following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1992, which released large amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the eclipsed Moon was nearly invisible. As the Earth has not had a major eruption for some years we can expect an impressive sight!The Moon will start to be partially eclipsed at 20:16 as it enters the Earth's penumbra, but the effects will be difficult to see.
Only when part of the Moon's disc enter the full shadow region, the umbra, does the reduction in brightness and the colouration become obvious. The Moon will star to enter the umbra at 21:30 and be fully immersed in the Earth's shadow by 22:44. Mid-eclipse is at 23:21 and the Moon will begin to emerge from the umbral region at 23:58. The eclipse will be finally over at 02:25.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, during total lunar eclipses, the Moon is not blotted out, but rather goes a deep copper colour, like that of a penny coin. This is due to sunlight being filtered and refracted (bent) by the Earth's atmosphere before reaching the Moon. This year, the Moon will be well within the Earth's shadow, and so the Moon should be a deeper copper colour than in previous eclipses. This is a spectacle well worth watching, and can be seen without any aids.
Got to rush outside soon, guys... it's nine o'clock and I can't miss this!:-) Look out for my Lunar Eclipse Poem! lol.
Will you be watching?
3 people like this
6 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
•
3 Mar 07
Lol... I'm only staying till it starts to pull back out, Gabs. Two in the morning is a bit cold outside just now, so I can't stay to the end. Thanks for your remark about the poem... I've started already, but will finish after I have watched. lol.
Brightest Blessings, love and hugs to you too, my dear friend. xox
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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4 Mar 07
WOW!!! That was something else! I couldn't stay out there much after midnight because my toes were numb with the cold, but I wouldn't have missed that for the world. I've never seen the moon as a sphere like that, and you could clearly see its movements, as though it bounced up and down on a piece of elastic and then moved towards the west every so often. I'm awestruck!
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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8 Mar 07
I'm afraid you missed that one Shikha, but there's apparently another visible one in February next year. It's all a matter of whether you can see it from your geographical point, but you could always look it up and be prepared. Search for Total Lunar Eclipse and you'll find the information you need.
Thank you for your response.
@lifeiseasy (2292)
• United States
4 Mar 07
Oh man I am really bumming here ...I didn't hear about the eclispe I always love to watch them ...mostly they are so late I have a tough time getting up the next morning but its is well worth staying up for and the suffereing the next day ... I am glad you gave such an informed discussion on it ..I never realized there was so much to an eclispe before...the picture is beautiful as well ...thanks again for all the information ..wish more discussions were like yours ... :D
@Darkwing (21583)
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4 Mar 07
Awwwwww thank you life. I have a poem on hubs as well as in here, called Blood Moon, and which is about the eclipse if you would like to read it. Feel free. It's also on my poetry site, if that's easier to get to... it's an informal site with all my work on and the URL is...
www.freewebs.com/darkwing
It's not a paying site; more for my amusement, so please feel free, and I would appreciate a comment in my guest book if you feel you can do that. When visiting the site, look for the Moon Page, and the poem is at the top of the page.
Thank you so much for your contribution and I'm sorry you missed the eclipse. It was awesome, to say the least.
Brightest Blessings, my friend.
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Really? Well it is 16:18 as I am in -05:00 GMT so it is still light here, wow I want to see it :). Have a nice day and thank you for the information.
@Darkwing (21583)
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4 Mar 07
I see you're in Oregon... a lovely place if I might say. I went there a little over two years ago and loved the place.
The lunar eclipse was last night, transition commencing British time, 9.30 p.m., so it would have been 1.30 p.m. there, and I'm sorry to say it was only visible from the eastern States, Africa and Europe, mainly. You missed a truly awesome sight and I would recommend that you watch out for the next one which is visible from your part of the world. The eclipses always occur on a full moon, when the earth comes between the sun and moon, casting the moon into darkness, but certain rays and particles of dust in the universe give the moon a reddish bronze glow. It is something you have to see in your lifetime. It's amazing!
Thank you for your response.
