REMINDER: Total lunar eclipse early Tuesday

[Hatfield]

DENVER - The Earth's shadow will creep across the moon's surface early Tuesday, slowly eclipsing it and turning it to shades of orange and red.

The total lunar eclipse, the second this year, will be visible in North and South America, especially in the West. People in the Pacific islands, eastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand also will be able to view it if skies are clear.

People in Europe, Africa or the Middle East, who had the best view of the last total lunar eclipse in March, won't see this one because the moon will have set when the partial eclipse begins at 4:51 a.m. EDT. The full eclipse will begin an hour later at 5:52 a.m. EDT.

An eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's light. It's rare because the moon is usually either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit.

Since the Earth is bigger than the moon, the process of the Earth's shadow taking a bigger and bigger "bite" out of the moon, totally eclipsing it before the shadow recedes, lasts about 3 1/2 hours, said Doug Duncan, director of the University of Colorado's Fiske Planetarium. The total eclipse phase, in which the moon has an orange or reddish glow, lasts about 1 1/2 hours.

The full eclipse will be visible across the United States, but East Coast viewers will only have about a half-hour to see it before the sun begins to rise and the moon sets. Skywatchers in the West will get the full show.

In eastern Asia, the moon will rise in various stages of eclipse.

During the full eclipse, the moon won't be completely dark because some light still reaches it around the edges of the Earth. The light is refracted as it passes through our atmosphere, scattering blue light — which is why the sky is blue — but sending reddish light onto the moon.

"When someone asks why is it (the moon) red, you can say because the sky is blue," Duncan said.

The next total lunar eclipse occurs Feb. 21, 2008, and will be visible from the Americas, Europe and Asia.

[JohnnyMack]

If this morning is any indication, there's a good chance my brat will have me up at that hour. Hopefully I remember to stumble outside.

[yermom]

i really don't get the lunar eclipse

how is it different from the phases?

[Hatfield]

if this morning is any indication, there's a good chance i will wake up at that hour on the lawn. :)

[proud gonzo]

i really don't get the lunar eclipse

how is it different from the phases? The phases are determined by which part of the orbit around Earth the moon is on. A lunar eclipse is when the tilt of the moon's orbit is such that the earth passes between the sun and the moon and makes a shadow on the moon. The shadow during the phases isn't a shadow from an object, but just where the light from the sun doesn't strike that part of the moon. The shadow during the eclipse is when there should be light on the moon, but the earth blocks it.

[yermom]

ok, that makes sense

[Petro-Sooner]

Why is it bad to look directily at a solar eclipse?

[proud gonzo]

well, you're never really supposed to stare at the sun, but it's worse during a solar eclipse (especially total eclipses) because the moon blocking the sun makes it darker, so your pupils dialate. So when the moon moves away and it gets brighter, it's way worse than just staring at the sun any other time.

Don't stare at sun. Sun burn eyes. Bad bad bad.

[Osce0la]

Before 5 AM local time?

Count me O.U.T.

[OUHOMER]

Before 5 AM local time?

Count me O.U.T.

I will be up getting ready for work. Would like a wake up call :D

[Osce0la]

It's all I can do to crawl out of bed at 6:15...no thanks...:D

[SicEmBaylor]

I want to see this, but I don't know if I'm going to make it out of bed at that time. I've got a cigar and a Shiner waiting if I do though.

I wish I didn't have class tomorrow or I'd just stay up. =(

[pb4ou]

I want to see this, but I don't know if I'm going to make it out of bed at that time. I've got a cigar and a Shiner waiting if I do though.

I wish I didn't have class tomorrow or I'd just stay up. =(

Well, you could always set your alarm, get outside and look at it, take a few pics, then go back to bed. That's what I plan to do.

YIA

[GottaHavePride]

I want to see this, but I don't know if I'm going to make it out of bed at that time. I've got a cigar and a Shiner waiting if I do though.

I wish I didn't have class tomorrow or I'd just stay up. =(

A cigar and shiner at 4:50 am? OK, Colonel Sanders.

[Turd_Ferguson]

WTF is this about?

Two moons on 27th August 2007*

*27th August; the day the Whole World is waiting for!

Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August 27.

It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will be at it's height
on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65 Million miles of earth.
Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2 moons.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.





Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it again.

[proud gonzo]

that makes no sense to me. i still think that's a bunch of BS

[GottaHavePride]

Riiiiight. Let's get a pic of this so-caled "Mars as big as the moon".

I'm betting it still looks like an especially bright star.

[Widescreen]

WTF is this about?

Two moons on 27th August 2007*

*27th August; the day the Whole World is waiting for!

Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August 27.

It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will be at it's height
on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65 Million miles of earth.
Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2 moons.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.





Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it again.


That thing goes around every year. The original was from 2003 but it gets updated every year to make it look like it's new. The main thing that's wrong with it is that the original 2003 email (which was accurate) said:


When viewed through a moderate powered telescope, it will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

See how removing that one qualifier changes the meaning? If Mars is ever close enough to look the same size as our moon, we are all screwed. And I mean BAD.

http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

[Turd_Ferguson]

Roger that. Kinda bum's me out. I had the Polaroid One Step fired up and ready.

[olevetonahill]

So is this gonna happen in a few ?
Or do I need to do a Pass out and a wake up ?:confused:

[Turd_Ferguson]

I only got tree cold ones left, so I gotta take a nappy before this **** takes place.

[olevetonahill]

I only got tree cold ones left, so I gotta take a nappy before this **** takes place.
So its gonna happen a just a few ?
Oh and what kinda rookie nOOB only has Tree left ?
I want 3 cases left the next morning !:P

[Ardmore_Sooner]

What time should I get up for this?

[Widescreen]

Eclipse will start shortly before 4:00am Central. Should last until the sun starts to come up.

[olevetonahill]

Eclipse will start shortly before 4:00am Central. Should last until the sun starts to come up.
So your sayin I should stay up , Drink beer and kill wasps ?
till this happens ?

[StoopTroup]

On the way Home...I felt my 3rd eye smile.

[boomersooner28]

I don't see nuthin yet...anybody else awake?

[boomersooner28]

Wait, yes I do, moon is disappearing peeps!

[StoopTroup]

The SKY IS FALLING ! ! ! !

[boomersooner28]

The SKY IS FALLING ! ! ! !



Haven't seen that part yet, but I'm gonna go inside just in case. ;)

[OUHOMER]

i can see the lower part. I now i feel funny

[pb4ou]

I got up and couldn't see the moon due to trees blocking my view. I got to the car and drove to a clearer area in my property. I guess I missed the real red stage. Then the clouds came...bummer.

It still looked kind of cool.

[Sooner24]

It's all red right now.

[Newbomb Turk]

Looks pretty neat where I'm at right now - can barely see the top left part of it.

[Widescreen]

Anyone take a picture?

[KABOOKIE]

Anyone take a picture?


http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6370/eclipse082807aim9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[OKC-SLC]

thanks for posting the picture, kabookie. eclipspek.

[Widescreen]

kabookie, did you take that photo?

[KABOOKIE]

kabookie, did you take that photo?


The credit goes to the old-man. He watched the whole thing. I stumbled to a window, tried to focus my eyes and said, "yup. the moon is gettin' dark" and went to bed. :D