Check out Phil for the details. For us Minnesotans, the events start around 8pm, should reach totality around 9, and should be over around 11.
Here’s the good news: we’re supposed to have clear skies!
And now the bad news: it’s about -27°F outside right now, and while we’re supposed to warm up a little today, it’s still going to be about -15°F tonight. Don’t let your eyeballs freeze while you’re doing your moongazing.
Oxford to study faith in God
Be suspicious, the Templeton Foundation is behind this.
*mumbles* The f’ed sky is bright and shiny right now but they’re calling for snow later on.
Michelle, why don’t you just reschedule it for a clearer night?
If you’ve never enjoyed a total lunar eclipse, one thing to take note of is the change in the rest of the sky as it progresses.
Before the eclipse, there’s a bright full moon and only the brightest stars and planets are visible to the unaided eye. But during totality the Moon gets so dark that the stars really pop. You can do some constellation spotting if you get tired of moongazing.
Darn all your clear skies! It is supposed to be snowing here. :'(
Ooo, i caught the last one & it was right after sunset in nyc …it looked weird… the moon turned black, probably due to atmospheric conditions ….i freaked out a lot of people by pointing it out to them & of course i got that whole “end times” nonsense from a lot of locals
btw Orion is easily visible this time of year(look south) and mars is right overhead at sunset ..planets dont twinkle
@Blondin: I dunno, let me ask God if he agrees to delay the event. I’m not sure he’s gonna like that, he’s on a tight schedule and we’re supposed to play Poker next week.
Is this being done to promote Roger Waters’ “Dark Side of the Moon” tour?
No. there is no dark side of the moon, really. The whole thing is dark.
We won’t be seeing it until 4 a.m. I’m not sure I’ll be able to talk anyone into watching it with me, clear skies or no.
Typical, isn’t it: we’ve had about two weeks of clear night skies here. But tonight? Fog and Cloud. Add in to the mix a 6:00 start tomorrow, and a 3:00 totality, looks like I’m going to have to wait ’till the next one :( Roll on 2010!
10:26pm — midpoint of totality, moon should have a reddish cast from the Earth’s ruddy shadow, might have a turquoise ring a bit too from the ozone in our atmosphere.
-27F is morally wrong.
I’ll be teaching then, and damn straight we’re all going outside into that -15 night to look at it.
I have a very fond memory of crawling out onto my 2nd story roof through my bedroom window and, with a couple glasses of wine and my wife, observing a similar event just a handful of years ago. Laying on the roof watching the neighbors come out of their houses to peer up along with us… priceless.
Douglas Adams said that it’s enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too. I’d say that sentiment holds true about the night sky as well.
Happy viewing all!
Supposed to be overcast all night here. :( I have a night class, but it will be close to over when the show gets started, so I’ll just have to encourage them to look up when they get home.
It’s overcast here in North Texas, and the forecast is for rain until past midnight. Looks like I’ll have to catch the next one in 2010.
Damn, it’s partly cloudy here, and the moon is barely showing through. I hope it clears up some. :-(
COOOOL! (Well, cold – it’s 6 degrees in Madison, clear skies and no wind to speak of.)
And it looks like the moon is being very slowly smudged away with an eraser. Not seeing any wacky light effects yet.
Rain in SE Texas
Well, we had a 4:25 a.m. totality here in southern Italy. I managed to be up for it.
It was raining.