|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Lunar eclipse: February 20th |
|
|
|
Written by Derek Kessler on
Saturday, 09 February 2008
|
|
|
|
 The night of February 20th in the western hemisphere, and the morning of the 21st in the eastern, some three billion people (that's about half of the Earth's population) will be able to watch the Earth eclipse our moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, where the moon blocks light from the sun from reaching parts of the Earth, in a lunar eclipse the moon moves into the Earth's shadow. Given clear skies, observers can see the moon turn reddish in color as the light it recieves is refracted through the Earth's atmosphere.
The eclipse will last 51 minutes in totality, where the moon is entirely within the Earth's shadow, and will be visible across all of North and South America. Totality will begin at 10:01 PM EST (7:01 PST). Those in Europe, Africa, and far western Asia will be able to see the eclipse in the house just before dawn.
The moon will be uniquely positioned for this eclipse, sitting in the sky near Saturn (which with the darkened moon will be easily visible to the naked eye) and the bright blue star Regulus, in the constellation Leo.
Discuss: TrekUnited Forum
|
|
|
|
|
"Don't tell me, Tuesday?"
|
|
