Total Lunar Eclipse!

[moneyshot]

For those who have never seen one, myself included, there will be a FULL lunar eclipse on Feb. 20, the last one until December of 2010! Should be a pretty visualy stimulating experience. So fire up a fat one and hopefully some of the photo gurus will be able to catch this one for anyone who cant see it. Check the link
http://digg.com/space/Total_Lunar_Eclipse_Over_the_U_S_on_Wed_February_20th

Cheers
Moneyshot

 

[facelift]

Yes. I saw this on the news this morning. I hope it's warm and clear skies. Would like to take out my telescope and do some star gazing. The scope is a 6 inch dob from the meade used section. With computer and software. It was a great deal and gives you great images and the computer makes finding every easy.

 

[Sleepy]

hey, cool...thanks for the heads-up!

hey, cool...thanks for the heads-up!

interesting...:

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Science@NASA Web Site
...

...FEATURE

"Total Lunar Eclipse
02.13.2008

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Feb. 13, 2008: On Wednesday evening, February 20th, the full Moon over the Americas will turn a delightful shade of red and possibly turquoise, too. It's a total lunar eclipse—the last one until Dec. 2010.

The Sun goes down. The Moon comes up. You go out and look at the sky. Observing the eclipse is that easy. Maximum eclipse, and maximum beauty, occurs at 10:26 pm EST (7:26 pm PST).

see caption

Above: A preview of the Feb. 20th lunar eclipse created by graphic artist Larry Koehn. Click on the links to view labels for other time zones: GMT, AST, EST, CST, MST, PST, Alaska, Hawaii.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through the shadow of Earth. You might expect the Moon to grow even more ashen than usual, but in fact it transforms into an orb of vivid red.

Why red? That is the color of Earth's shadow.


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Consider the following: Most shadows we're familiar with are black or gray; step outside on a sunny day and look at your own. Earth's shadow is different because, unlike you, Earth has an atmosphere. The delicate layer of dusty air surrounding our planet reddens and redirects the light of the sun, filling the dark behind Earth with a sunset-red glow. The exact tint--anything from bright orange to blood red is possible--depends on the unpredictable state of the atmosphere at the time of the eclipse. "Only the shadow knows," says astronomer Jack Horkheimer of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium.

Transiting the shadow's core takes about an hour. The first hints of red appear around 10 pm EST (7 pm PST), heralding a profusion of coppery hues that roll across the Moon's surface enveloping every crater, mountain and moon rock, only to fade away again after 11 pm EST (8 pm PST). No special filter or telescope is required to see this spectacular event. It is a bright and leisurely display visible from cities and countryside alike.

While you're watching, be alert for another color: turquoise. Observers of several recent lunar eclipses have reported a flash of turquoise bracketing the red of totality.

see caption"The blue and turquoise shades at the edge of Earth's shadow were incredible," recalls amateur astronomer Eva Seidenfaden of Trier, Germany, who took the picture at right during the European lunar eclipse of March 3-4, 2007. Dozens of other photographers have documented the same phenomenon.

Right: A "turquoise eclipse" photographed by Eva Seidenfaden of Trier, Germany, on March 4, 2007. [Larger image] [more]

The source of the turquoise is ozone. Eclipse researcher Dr. Richard Keen of the University of Colorado explains: "During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the moon passes through the stratosphere where it is reddened by scattering. However, light passing through the upper stratosphere penetrates the ozone layer, which absorbs red light and actually makes the passing light ray bluer." This can be seen, he says, as a soft blue fringe around the red core of Earth's shadow.

To catch the turquoise on Feb. 20th, he advises, "look during the first and last minutes of totality." That would be around 10:01 pm EST and 10:51 pm EST (7:01 and 7:51 pm PST).

Blood red, bright orange, gentle turquoise: it's all good. Mark your calendar in vivid color for the Feb. 20th lunar eclipse.

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Editor's note: This story is written for an American audience, but not only Americans can see the eclipse. People in Europe and western Africa are also favored. International maps and timetables may be found here."

 

[sirgrassalot]

Here's a picture I took of the one we had 5 years back or so.
That I remember made the entire weekend pretty special.
I had no idea it was coming & I happened to be
taking a short vacation in the north country during November.

 

[pakm4n]

i remember last year i waited like 3 hours high as shit for it and then it was taking even longer to turn a little bit red =(

 

[Don Cotyle]

Thanks for the headsup...I'll be watching yet another Luner Eclipse

 

[Sleepy]

wow, the sky is full of cotton-ball type clouds against a squid ink backdrop...

i am going to try to get some pix...

wow, man!

 

[Jack D Ripper]

the moon looks awesome, partial eclipse now, 15 mins till total.

anybody got any pics?

 

[8cyril8]

Beautifull

Have great night everyone

 

[RED145]

HAAAAAA!!!!!Theres those two brite ass stars!!Must be in the leatherstocking region too!!New I wasnt crazy!!

Thats the moon I saw,crystal fucking clear sky too!!Damn cold tho

 

[moneyshot]

ya I was a bit nervous early on in the night as it was really cloudy. It was kind of creepy bc the moon was glowing through the clouds yet it was SO dark out. And then like magic as it started to happen the clouds cleared and made room for me to take a look. Those two stars were really sparkling. Pretty cool that all of us were in different places and saw the same thing, of course we would but it still amazes me. Glad everyone enjoyed. Cheers.

Moneyshot

 

[daisy jane]

Man, last night did not turn out as planned. It was way too cloudy last night for us to see anything and extremely humid! Bah, damn Texas "winter" weather. I was hoping to get some pictures but I guess I will have to wait till 2010.

 

[Guest 18340]

I drive a street sweeper truck,in florida, at nights and the eclipse was in my windshield for over an hour with clear skies. What a beautiful site it was, made me feel kinda "small" in an infinite universe. That and the W'Rhino i was smoking

 

[8cyril8]

 

[8cyril8]