Wednesday, February 20, 2008

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE!!!

Go out and see the TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE tonight!

...so you can tell me about it, 'cause I probably won't get to see it.

Drat. Those clouds look like they probably won't clear up before the end of totality. Looks like Ashley and Supertiff in the Great Catcher's Mitt State of Michigan may have a chance. Lauren in Connecticut and Melanie in Massachusetts look like they're in worse shape than me. (I'm just above the "r" in Scranton, 30 miles southwest of that great center of culture and academia.)

Still, hope springs eternal, and even with heavy cloud cover there's still a chance that you'll catch a glimpse of the eclipsed Moon through a break or a thinning in the clouds. Go out and have a peek -maybe you'll get lucky!

UPDATE, 8:44 PM (one minute into start of Penumbral phase): it's SNOWING! #$@%*&! And it doesn't look like the clouds have budged at all on the current radar!

UPDATE, 9:15 PM: At Anne's encouragement, I peeked outside - and the Moon was just emerging from thick clouds. Half of it is in shadow! 45 minutes to Totality!

UPDATE, 9:35 PM: Going...going... Even through cloud cover, I can still see it! The shadow of the Earth is showing a distinct reddish tinge in the upper part of the Moon. BONUS! To the lower left of the Moon is bright Saturn, and just above the Moon is Regulus in Leo! (Brave Regulus, a Death Eater who had the 'nads to stand up to Voldemort! Look upon his star and remember him!)

UPDATE, 10:43 PM: I SAW IT!!! The clouds broke up a few minutes before Totality, and I was able to squeeze off seven shots with my camera poised on the roof of my car. Here's the first one, with the Moon at its reddest. (Thin clouds darkened the Moon in subsequent images.) Note Saturn in the lower left, and Regulus above.A solid bank of clouds rolled in at the moment of Totality, and I figured I was done for the night. But the clouds broke up again at mid-Totality, and I was able to race out and get off two more shots before the next cloud rolled in.
Saturn, the Moon, and Regulus, 10:30 PM, 2/20/08

So I did get to see it! The last Total Lunar Eclipse visible anywhere until December of 2010! I hope you saw it, too!

Keep up-to-date with my personal weather situation with WNEP's Regional Doppler Radar with Satellite!

5 comments:

anne said...

9:06 and it's pretty clear here. Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

i can see it awesome! but only when i'm not looking at the computer! must go now!

Anonymous said...

9:49 Gorgeous in York County, PA. When we checked at 8:45, "The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of midday to objects below". Have always loved that line and it was completely appropriate tonight. The scattering clouds had silver linings. Now the eclipse is nearing totality...must head back outside to watch that. A perfect, cold clear winter night. Thanks for the advance notice, DB!

Anonymous said...

Its a freakin' eclipse. Whats the big deal?

whimsical brainpan said...

It was cloudy here but they parted just in time to give us a glimpse of the moon when it was almost fully eclipsed. Beautiful!