Lunar Eclipse tonight
WATCH A VIRTUAL ECLIPSE
Posted: Monday, August 27, 2007 9:03 PM by Alan Boyle
Most Americans didn't get a chance to see the year's first total lunar eclipse back in March - but we're in a much better position for the year’s second lunar eclipse, taking place in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. On the East Coast, the moon could be close to setting just when the show is getting good, with totality beginning at 5:52 a.m. ET. The timing is somewhat better for the West Coast, where the eclipse will play out during the middle of the night. But even if you're outside the prime eclipse zone, or clouds get in the way, don't despair: You can get a taste of totality by tuning in real-time Webcasts from around the world. And if you sleep through the whole eclipse, you can still catch the replays in the morning.
The University of North Dakota has done eclipse Webcasts for years, and this time they've set up their telescopes on the roof of the physics building at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. "We were worried at first," UND physics professor Tim Young told me today. "On Sunday, it was raining and cloudy, and the forecast didn't look good. But today it looks like the sun is going to come through. The forecast looks partly cloudy, which is good. Sometimes that actually looks pretty cool."
The Webcast comes in three flavors: Windows Media Player, VideoLAN player and a multicasting protocol. You'll want to test your connection to find the flavor that works best, particularly if you have to deal with a network firewall. "We're hoping that those who can use the multicast will do it," Young said. He explained that the other two protocols use a point-to-point connection, and thus tax the network much more. Young's team also offers a chatroom where virtual viewers around the world can register their reactions and ask for help if necessary. "People from European countries, from Japan and Asia, type in to see how it's going," Young said. "It's really fun to see how many people are watching the Webcast simultaneously."
Elsewhere, Discovery Channel Australia is planning to stream the eclipse - and will be offering a live chat with Springbrook Research Observatory's Andre Clayden as well, starting at 6 a.m. ET. The Coca-Cola Space Science Center in Columbus, Ga., has scheduled a Webcast starting at about 4:30 a.m. ET. (Moonset in Columbus occurs at 7:17 a.m. ET, during totality.) Total lunar eclipses are much easier to observe than total solar eclipses, which can be seen only for a few minutes from a narrow track of territory. In contrast, Tuesday's lunar totality will be visible from a wide swath of Earth for almost an hour and a half.
"It's the longest lunar eclipse in seven years, mainly just because it goes right through the main part of [Earth's] shadow," Young told me. "There's some indication that it might be more colorful, too. ... Supposedly it's going to be redder than usual."
The moon takes on a reddish glow because Earth's atmosphere refracts the faint light of countless sunsets onto the lunar disk, as explained in this archived article. It's quite a sight - and quite different from the new-moon phase we see every month. If you're able to, I'd advise seeing the eclipse in person rather than relying on the pale Internet imitation. The Clear Sky Clock provides forecasts for viewing conditions in your area. But if you miss seeing the eclipse in real time, either in person or on the Web, Young promises to make an archived video available via UND's Web site. You can also expect to see a great selection of eclipse imagery on SpaceWeather.com. To whet your appetite, here's a gallery of images from the March eclipse. Of course, we'll have our own recap of the event in the Space News section. And in the days and weeks ahead, we'll be reporting on other prime sky sights - ranging from Saturday's Aurigid meteor shower to Sept. 11's partial solar eclipse.
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/08/27/335236.aspx
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Tuesday morning, Aug. 28 brings us the second total lunar eclipse of 2007. Those living in the Western Hemisphere and eastern Asia will be able to partake in at least some of this sky show. The very best viewing region for viewing this eclipse will fall across the Pacific Rim, including the West Coast of the United States and Canada, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and eastern Australia. All these places will be able to see the complete eclipse from start to finish. Europeans will miss out on the entire show, as the moon will be below the horizon during their mid and late morning hours. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20425640/
Sooooooooo California time, 2:52 am for the beginning of totality and best to watch even before totality for the shadow creeping over the moon for a, quote, "very cool effect". The creep begins at 1:51am Pacific Time and I shall stay up to watch!