Tonight’s total lunar eclipse – in which the Moon will turn a reddish copper color – is expected to be most visible between midnight and 1 a.m. (Photo courtesy Griffith Observatory)
Not MOON BLOODGOOD
Posted on 04/14/2014 2:52:27 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Angelenos who want to see the moon turn to “blood” Monday night may want to head for the hills.
KNX 1070′s Jon Baird reports the Griffith Observatory has announced it will keep its doors open late for a total lunar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes into the shadow cast by the Earth.
The sight of the round disk of the full moon slowly moving into our planet’s shadow will be visible to the unaided eye throughout the Southland around 11 p.m., though telescopes or binoculars may enhance the view, according to observatory officials.
As the moon grows dimmer, it won’t become completely dark, but will instead glow with a faint copper or reddish color, a result of sunlight being filtered and bent through the Earth’s atmosphere, much like a sunset. This effect is often referred to by skywatchers as a “blood moon.”
Tonight’s lunar eclipse marks the first of four successive total lunar eclipses — a series known as a tetrad, according to NASA’s website. Tetrads are relatively rare, with only fifty-five tetrads recorded since 1 AD, according to NASA.
Astronomer Bob Berman told CBS News tonight’s sighting could be especially awe-inspiring with the blue star Spica and Mars nearby.
“Seeing that blue bright star next to the red eclipsed moon, and some distance away to the right of the moon will be orange Mars, that’s an unusually pretty eclipse,” Berman said.
The best time to see the moon will be around midnight — when it becomes eclipsed — through about 1 a.m., according to observatory officials.
The Griffith Observatory will be open from 7 p.m. through about 2 a.m. for public viewing, with free parking and shuttles available from the Greek. Admission is free.
The eclipse will also be streamed for live viewing online at the Griffith Observatory website.
Not MOON BLOODGOOD
Crap.
Raining/cloudy here in Toronto.
I hope my wife can see it in Texas.
She should, Most all of Texas will be clear (Cloud free) by Midnight.
Don’t forget to adjust times to your time zone, the event is more or less simultaneous across the country. Midnight to 0130 in Pacific time zone (for the totality phase) equals 0100 to 0230 in Mountain time zone, 0200 to 0330 in Central time zone and 0300 to 0430 in Eastern time zone (which looks largely out of luck anyway due to widespread cloud). Some penumbral darkening will be visible about an hour either side of my time ranges above, mid-eclipse is about 0042h PDT, 0142 MDT, 0242 CDT or 0342 EDT. At mid-eclipse you should easily be able to spot Mars off to the right of the darkened Moon and the bright star Spica just below the darkened sphere.
If you happen to be in Alaska or Hawaii, better take a look right after sunset.
ping
>>She should, Most all of Texas will be clear (Cloud free) by Midnight.<<
Cool — thanks for that info!
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