Total Lunar Eclipse February 20th

February 16th, 2008

Just a few days away. Wednesday in fact. A total lunar eclipse will be visible for nearly a billion people in the Western Hemisphere, more than 1.5 billion in Europe and Africa, and perhaps another half-billion in western Asia will be able to watch — weather permitting — as the brilliant mid-winter full moon becomes a shadow of its former self and morphs into a glowing coppery ball. These are always beautiful to watch and the site makes it look as if we are viewing another world.

Most of us in America will be able to glimpse the site as long as it isn’t really cloudy. So get your cameras ready for this exotic view of our closest neighbor as well as your party invitations for all your astronomy geek friends. The only problematic area will be along the Oregon and northern California coast, where the first partial stage of the eclipse will already be under way when the moon rises and the sun sets on Wednesday evening.

More on the viewing availability and some real technical stuff that I won’t bore you with are available on the Lunar Eclipse Viewing Guide. A complete schedule is listed as well as some of the interesting science behind the upcoming event.