Total lunar eclipse offers treat for skywatchers

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- 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.

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.

Wednesday's total eclipse phase will last nearly an hour. It will begin 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.
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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. - CNN

Yeah, great. It'll be total, with a nice blood red disc, at 4 a.m. in Antibes.Blood red,huh? At that hour the only blood red discs visible in this part of Antibes will be our eyes .That goes for the "added treat" of "handsome rings" around something as well.

Can we book now for next time? It might be on earlier, television rights permitting.

It's a clear, crisp night here, so we can see the eclipse really well. It's quite something.

quote:

Originally posted by dance girl:
It's a clear, crisp night here, so we can see the eclipse really well. It's quite something.

It is ! (Damned astronomers, keeping me up! It's 4am here, and I was right about the eyes )

Fred, it's way past your bed time. You know how whiney you get when you don't get enough sleep. And please, no more olive oil jokes.

quote:

Originally posted by dance girl:
Fred, it's way past your bed time.

MY bedtime? It's 4.43 am here, so it must be way past any Canadian's bedtime. It would be 10.43pm in Ontario at 4.43 am here

It's only 8pm here on the West Coast - so I was allowed to stay up if I promised to go straight to sleep afterwards, with no bedtime story.

So, apparently, the Ancient Greeks figured out that the earth was a sphere because they could see that the earth's shadow on the moon was circular during these eclipses. Is that true? How could they be sure that they were watching the earth's shadow?

"How could they be sure that they were watching the earth's shadow?"


Somebody went to the top of Mt. Olympas and made shadow puppets with his hands. They knew then.

From the Pacific Northwest...on a rare clear night!

It was a treat to see the eclipse tonight - normally we cannot see ANYTHING for the clouds!

I made a point to look now and then this evening, just because we wouldn't see another one for a couple of years - and frankly, had a couple of TREATS!

First...about 8pm or so, I went to see and the moon was in full eclipse. I could see it, but it was like I was looking at a painting - could see the whole moon but it was a muted color, not red yet - but as a bonus, could see a definite triangle of three stars just to the left (north) of the moon. Very defined! I knew that Saturn and Regulus would be creating a broad triangle with the moon, but that wasn't what I saw...It was a definite triangle AWAY from the moon. I wonder what stars I was seeing

And then, about an hour later, I stepped out, and it was still clear, and I saw something I'd never seen before....

The moon was mostly bright again, with about 1/5th left that was dark. However, the dark crescent was on the TOP! The moon looked like a bowl in the sky! I don't know if anyone else saw it like this, but I did, and I was very taken aback! I don't ever recall seeing this before!