Lunar eclipse

[cub]

A chance exists tonight to see a total Lunar Eclipse.

While these things are not that rare, the ability to see one from start to finish in any given location isn't that common.

Not only that, its also fairly early in the night and an ideal chance for the young to see without too much loss of sleep.  (normally I have to get up at 3 am for a chance to see things like this)

If you look towards the east from 6.30 pm tonight you will see the moon about a 1 ½ hands span above the horizon.

Over the next hour you will notice a shadow appear over the moon, slowly covering it - another 20-30 minutes will result in the shadow covering the moon and the moon reappearing in stunning colour (well, shades of red really).

The colour lasts until the Sun's light is no longer blocked by the earth, where you will see the moon appear again in its standard bright white as the Sun rescinds the shadow.

http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/

[DallasCrane]

If you look towards the east from 6.30 pm tonight you will see the moon about a 1 ½ hands span above the horizon.

http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/

CUB, what if you've got big hands? 

Looking forward to it tonight, tis a good chance for the romantics out there to strut their stuff too.

[mightytiges]

Over the next hour you will notice a shadow appear over the moon, slowly covering it - another 20-30 minutes will result in the shadow covering the moon and the moon reappearing in stunning colour (well, shades of red really).

The colour lasts until the Sun's light is no longer blocked by the earth, where you will see the moon appear again in its standard bright white as the Sun rescinds the shadow.

Just to borrow some famous lyrics....

There's no dark side of the moon. Matter of fact it's all dark  

[Moi]

Only cloud here 

[Fishfinger]

I could hear loonies howling.

[Bull]

Got a great view of the moon over my way now.

It is getting higher obviously but it is certainly a red colour now.

Half of the moon is really dark and the other half lightens up towards the outer side and is a red colour.

Nothing too spectacular.

[Passionfruit]

Likewise Bull

[mightytiges]

Got a great view of the moon over my way now.

It is getting higher obviously but it is certainly a red colour now.

Half of the moon is really dark and the other half lightens up towards the outer side and is a red colour.

Nothing too spectacular.

Once the few clouds disappeared we had a good view of it our way too especially as the moon came out of the eclipse.

For the howlers like FF  the moon is a bright white again now.

[Fishfinger]

For the howlers like FF  the moon is a bright white again now.

Thanks. Safe to go outside again then. The howling even drowned out the banjoes up here.

When I went out earlier I couldn't see the moon at all even though it was clear enough that there were heaps of stars out. Can see it now and it's cloudy.

Holy crap, I'm talking about the weather. 

[julzqld]

We had a good view of it up here.

[Rodgerramjet]

Saw it from start to finish, not a cloud in the sky.

For those that missed it, you didn't miss much.

[FNM]

Another lunar eclipse tonight, which brings back sad memories for me of the one on 28 August 2007. After I posted on here that I could only see cloud, I went back into the house where we were nursing my father, and he had passed away during the eclipse 

I don't relish another lunar eclipse ever again, so I'm not looking forward to this!

http://www.theage.com.au/national/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-20101220-1937f.html?from=age_sb

THE full moon that rises tonight will have something wrong with it - and it's this apparent flaw that has astronomers anticipating a beautiful sight.

As the moon climbs - just before 9pm - it will lack its usual lustre, but in compensation tonight's sky will host a total lunar eclipse, in which a highlighted section at the bottom right of the orb will resemble a snowy polar cap.

''Most of the moon will be shaded when it rises, except for a small part, which will have the sun shining on it,'' Astronomical Society of Victoria spokesman Perry Vlahos, said.

Advertisement: Story continues below Lunar eclipses are unusual and occur when the Earth gets between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on our nearest celestial neighbour. Tonight, the eclipsed moon will be in Earth's shadow until about 10pm.

Depending on the amount of dust in the Earth's atmosphere, the moon could change in appearance from yellowish brown to blood red during the eclipse. The last time there was a total lunar eclipse visible in Australia was in August 2007 and before that, in July 2000.

Southern Australia will miss the deepest part but the eclipse will be seen by New Zealanders and others further east including the Pacific nations and the Americas.

Mr Vlahos said people wanting to see it should find an unobscured horizon and look to the north-east. Among the best spots will be the flat plains near Moorabbin Airport and Williamstown beach, he said.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Richard Russell said the metropolitan area might experience cloudy conditions tonight, but areas around Geelong and Melbourne Airport could be clear, while areas north of the Divide in Victoria would be ideal.

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch without protective eye wear. Mr Vlahos said the sight would be hard to miss even with the naked eye.

[mightytiges]

Sad memories indeed for you FNM  .

All cloudy tonight out our way so we missed the lunar eclipse entirely.

[RollsRoyce]

Just to borrow some famous lyrics....

There's no dark side of the moon. Matter of fact it's all dark  

I would've thought a more pertinent lyric would have been "I'm being followed by a moon shadow" by Cat Stevens. Or even "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake, seriously. But then, there's no such thing as Serious Moonlight

[mightytiges]

Just to borrow some famous lyrics....

There's no dark side of the moon. Matter of fact it's all dark  

I would've thought a more pertinent lyric would have been "I'm being followed by a moon shadow" by Cat Stevens. Or even "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake, seriously. But then, there's no such thing as Serious Moonlight

or 'there's a bad moon on the rise' by CCR


The PF lyric is technically correct from a physics p.o.v.