See The Show: Total Lunar Eclipse

December 20, 2010

There’s a treat in store in the skies early Tuesday morning across the North Escambia area– the year’s only total lunar eclipse.

From beginning to end, the eclipse will last about three hours and twenty-eight minutes. For observers in the North Escambia area, the eclipse lasts from 12:33 a.m. through 4:01 a.m.  Totality, the time when Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon, will last a lengthy 72 minutes.

While it is merely a coincidence that the eclipse falls on the same date as this year’s winter solstice, for eclipse watchers this means that the moon will appear very high in the night sky, as the solstice marks the time when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. It’s the first total eclipse on the winter solstice since 1554.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun’s rays and casting a shadow on the moon. As the moon moves deeper and deeper into the Earth’s shadow, the moon changes color before your very eyes, turning from gray to an orange or deep shade of red.

The moon takes on this new color because indirect sunlight is still able to pass through Earth’s atmosphere and cast a glow on the moon. Our atmosphere filters out most of the blue colored light, leaving the red and orange hues that we see during a lunar eclipse. Extra particles in the atmosphere, from say a recent volcanic eruption, will cause the moon to appear a darker shade of red.

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are perfectly safe to view without any special glasses or equipment. All you need is you own two eyes. It will be the last chance for sky watchers in the continental U.S. to see a total lunar eclipse until April 15, 2014.

Pictured above: Path and times local to North Escambia for the eclipse, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The Total Lunar Eclipse of July 16, 2000 was a very long total eclipse (1 hour 47 minutes) that won’t be exceeded for over a thousand years. Courtesy Fred Espenak/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

12 Responses to “See The Show: Total Lunar Eclipse”

  1. AL on December 21st, 2010 12:11 pm

    I stayed up and throroughly enjoyed it! The sky was clear and the stars were out…. beautiful!
    William I was hoping you would have some photos? You didn’t sleep through it did ya? :)

  2. Jane on December 21st, 2010 7:53 am

    Nature’s light shows are so spectacular! We are privileged to see such wonders!

  3. A.W. THOMPSON on December 21st, 2010 5:03 am

    This was an awesome event to witness, Im glad i hung in there for this one.the moon was showing a mere sliver of light in minutes before cloud cover moved in.I understand the two lunar eclipses next year will not be viewable from our spot on the third rock.Thanks, God for the free light show! A.W. THOMPSON MOSQUITO FLATS, FLORIDA

  4. Armyellie on December 21st, 2010 12:16 am

    This is so cool and my girls and I plan
    Stay up for the show- with telescope.

  5. jimmy on December 20th, 2010 11:59 pm

    very exciting

  6. lee on December 20th, 2010 9:54 pm

    it will be cool to see the moon turn blood red and to know it hasnt happened this time of year in such a long time

  7. morgan on December 20th, 2010 9:38 pm

    I hope it stays clear i wanna see this !!!!

  8. NHS Student on December 20th, 2010 11:15 am

    I am excited to see this. It is definitely something to stay up for and watch, though I certainly ain’t staying outside for three hours. :)

  9. xpeecee on December 20th, 2010 7:01 am

    Thanks for the good information, William (NorthEscambia)!

  10. Bobby on December 20th, 2010 2:51 am

    Sounds pretty amazing.

  11. Danni Lee on December 20th, 2010 1:41 am

    I seen a lunar eclipse when i was a young teen, I remember being at disneyworld and tinkerbell was flying from the castle and nobody was watching her, they were all watching the lunar eclipse!

  12. AL on December 20th, 2010 12:59 am

    I am very excited about getting to see this!!!