1378 AD was the last time
that a lunar eclipse fell on the winter solstice, so for that this is something
special. Otherwise enjoy the fresh air,
take in the eclipse and also look at the stars in the winter sky. If you are really lucky, you are far from a
city. That is the one thing that I miss
from my own childhood on a farm in Ontario
It will be the full deal
for North America , so do take it in.
I look forward to the day when this can be observed from the
moon itself where it will be even more spectacular.
Solstice Lunar Eclipse
Dec. 17, 2010: Everyone knows
that "the moon on the breast of new-fallen snow gives the luster of
mid-day to objects below."
A similar lunar eclipse in Nov. 2003. Credit:
Jim Fakatselis. [more]
That is, except during a lunar eclipse.
See for yourself on Dec. 21st, the first day
of northern winter, when the full Moon passes almost dead-center through
Earth's shadow. For 72 minutes of eerie totality, an amber light will play
across the snows of North America , throwing
landscapes into an unusual state of ruddy shadow.
The eclipse begins on Tuesday morning, Dec.
21st, at 1:33 am EST (Monday, Dec. 20th, at 10:33 pm PST). At that time,
Earth's shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It
takes about an hour for the "bite" to expand and swallow the entire
Moon. Totality commences at 02:41 am EST (11:41 pm PST) and lasts for 72
minutes.
If you're planning to dash out for only one
quick look - it is December,
after all - choose this moment: 03:17 am EST (17 minutes past midnight PST).
That's when the Moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic
shades of coppery red.
From first to last bite, the eclipse favors
observers in North America . The entire event
can be seen from all points on the continent. Click to view a world map of visibility
circumstances. Credit: F. Espenak, NASA/GSFC.
Why red?
A quick trip to the Moon provides the answer:
Imagine yourself standing on a dusty lunar plain looking up at the sky.
Overhead hangs Earth, nightside down, completely hiding the sun behind it. The
eclipse is underway. You might expect Earth seen in this way to be utterly
dark, but it's not. The rim of the planet is on fire! As you scan your eye
around Earth's circumference, you're seeing every sunrise and every sunset in
the world, all of them, all at once. This incredible light beams into the heart
of Earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon
into a great red orb.
Back on Earth, the shadowed Moon paints newly
fallen snow with unfamiliar colors--not much luster, but lots of beauty.
Enjoy the show.
Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA
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More Information
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Coincidences: This lunar eclipse falls on the date of the northern winter
solstice. How rare is that? Total lunar eclipses in northern winter are
fairly common. There have been three of them in the past ten years alone. A
lunar eclipse smack-dab on the date of the solstice, however, is unusual.
Using NASA's 5000 year catalog of lunar eclipses and
JPL's HORIZONS ephemeris to match eclipses
and solstices, author Dr. Tony Phillips had to go back to the year 1378 to
find a similar "winter solstice lunar eclipse."
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