Month: February 2007

Two total lunar eclipses in the same year! Well, this one is a tough sell here on the east coast because it starts shortly before moonset and becomes total a mere half hour before moonset. If you missed the event in March and can't wait until the next one in February, find a place with a low western horizon to watch as the moon slowly turns a deep orange and fades into the skyglow at sunrise.

If you live on the west coast or will be traveling there, this eclipse should be a darker one than the event in March since the moon will pass closer to the center of the Earth's shadow than it did in March. 

The Rockland Astronomy Club is having a viewing party for this event.

The first total lunar eclipse visible from North America since 27 October 2004 will be in progress at moonrise (5:44pm) here in the northeast USA. In New York City, the moon will already be slightly past it's maximum penetration into the umbra and will only get brighter as the evening progresses. Due to buildings, you probably won't be able to see the moon until after 6:00pm (but that doesn't mean you can't try!).

Sometimes, you might see a deep orange moon at moonrise which quickly becomes white as the moon rises. This is usually due to dust in the atmosphere, but not this night. On March 3rd, the color is due to the sun's light passing through the Earth's atmosphere casting the color of a planet full of sunsets onto the moon.

Take the kids and get out someplace with a low eastern horizon to view the moon as it rises (right at sunset).

About the ending time: don't wait until then! At 6:58pm, the moon will start to emerge from the earth's central shadow (the umbra) and only be partially eclipsed. After that point, it will become increasingly difficult to tell that there is an eclipse at all.

The Rockland Astronomy Club will be hosting a viewing party.