Come Tuesday morning and the sky across the US West Coast would light up in a colorful display of celestial proportions. The event in question is a total lunar eclipse, and it is scheduled to be on from 2:52 a.m. to 4:22 a.m.
Get original file (5KB)
The eclipse starts as a partial, at approximately 1:51 a.m. After the total eclipse is over, it will continue to be visible as a partial eclipse again, till about 5:24 a.m. In a release, NASA said all those waking up early on Tuesday would be able to see the eclipse.
The lunar eclipse will occur as a result of the earth’s shadow preventing the sun’s rays from bouncing off the full moon surface. The moon’s surface would also changes color during the total eclipse, with the possibility of turning orange to dark red to dark brown.
The color changes of the moon happen because the air around the earth curves the light, causing the orange and red sections of the spectrum to bounce off the lunar surface, resulting in the orangish or reddish glow.
Also, during the period of the total lunar eclipse, people would be able to see other stars that are not normally visible due to the light shining off the moon’s surface. According to astronomer Steve McGettigan, the eclipse would be clearly visible provided the weather is clear.
If the National Weather Service is to be believed, we would be able to see the eclipse clearly after all, considering the forecast is for clear skies during the time period in question.
There is a lot of legend associated with lunar eclipses in cultures across the world. Some of the ancient cultures have it that the cause of the lunar eclipse is a mythological creature, such as a demon or a dragon, gulping it down.
During the total lunar eclipse, the moon will resemble Mars in color, while during the partial stages it could have traces of white, making it appear like a snow cap. The next such eclipse that West Coasters can see would be on 21 February, 2008.
Post new comment