Total Lunar Eclipse – A Global Event Tonight

Nasa Lunar Eclipse Moons

After weeks of waiting for the big event, tonight is finally here.  No, I’m not talking about the official start of winter, though that is a funny coincidence.  I am referring to the total lunar eclipse that is scheduled to happen much later this evening in the wee hours of the morning.  It’s making everyone in The Campus Socialite office act a bit strangely…The guys keep passing gas, saying they are all out of whack from the upcoming phenomenon.  Personally, I can’t wait for the Lunar Eclipse to be over…The office will smell much more pleasant.

NASA Lunar EclipseAt 2:41 a.m., the Earth’s shadow will cover the moon, causing a total lunar eclipse.  In case you have never seen a lunar eclipse, which is possible since they don’t occur too often, it occurs when the Earth shadows the moon, causing the moon to appear dark, even reddish.

This lunar eclipse is even more exciting than usual because of the coincidence I mentioned above.  The climax of the eclipse will occur just hours before the December solstice (December 21st), the beginning of winter for those of us north of the equator.  The last lunar eclipse that occurred on this date was several centuries ago in 1638, while the next one is due in 2094.

Though the timing is a coincidence, it may make the eclipse more enjoyable to watch since the moon will be higher in the sky, making the eclipse easier to see.  Tonight, more than one billion people can potentially watch the total lunar eclipse since these types of eclipses are easier to view than solar eclipses.

Even so, how many people are actually going to stay up to watch it?  The thing I find cool is that if people do stay up, it is a global event.  Anyone north of the equator can see it, though some may have better views than others.  The good news for you die-hard eclipse fans is that if the skies are a bit cloudy tonight, you can watch it online.  NASA is planning to stream the eclipse live on their website as seen from Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.

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