Guest guest Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Not quite sure why it is " Scientifically they are also less important " . Jo By Dr David Whitehouse BBC News Online science editor Skywatchers are preparing themselves for a total eclipse of the Moon on Thursday night into Friday morning. The Moon turns a beautiful shade of red It will be visible from much of Europe, Africa and the Americas. The slow and subdued nature of lunar eclipses makes them less dramatic than solar eclipses. Scientifically they are also less important. From the UK, the eclipse will occur in the early hours of Friday morning, when the Moon is low over the southern horizon. At the start of the eclipse, the satellite is 17 degrees above the horizon. It gets lower in the southern sky as the event progresses. By mid-eclipse, at 0440 BST (0340 GMT), it is just five degrees above the horizon. Serenity and fertility Lunar eclipses are an enchanting spectacle of nature, delightfully reminding us of the cycles and rhythms of the cosmos, of which we are only spectators. TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE Occurs when Moon passes into Earth's shadow Penumbra: Region where Earth blocks some (but not all) Sun rays Umbra: Zone where Earth blocks all direct sunlight - total eclipse Although not as spectacular as when the Moon crosses the face of the Sun, lunar eclipses have a beauty and grandeur of their own. Thomas Hardy said the movement of the Earth's shadow over the Moon had an " imperturbable serenity " . This week's event lasts just over five hours. One thing to watch out for is the colour of the Moon as it moves into the Earth's shadow. During a total lunar eclipse the only light that can reach the Moon's surface has been refracted through our planet's atmosphere on the limb of the Earth as seen from the Moon. Stuff of myth The refracted light is red. If it were possible to look back at the Earth during a lunar eclipse then the rim of the Earth would appear a glowing red. WHERE TO SEE IT South America and eastern North America get best view Dust and cloud in Earth's atmosphere affects Moon colour Telescope is useful but total eclipse is viewable with naked eye This colour effect is the stuff of myth and legend. An account in 331 BC said: " ...all her light was sullied and suffused with the hue of blood. " Some ancients called it " the time of the blood of the Great Mother's wisdom " , linking the Moon's colour with menstruation. This was a natural thing to do given the link between the length of the month and human fertility. In 1503, Christopher Columbus, stranded in the Caribbean, used a lunar eclipse he knew would take place to impress the natives and secure respect and fear, as well as a regular supply of food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 On the BBC Science and Nature website it says: On Saturday 3rd at around 9.30pm the Moon will start to move into the Earth's shadow, with totality starting around 10.40pm. At this point, the Moon may take on a deep red hue. The main event lasts until 11.20pm when sunlight once more reaches the lunar surface. Finally, the Moon leaves the Earth's shadow at 1.11am. So who do we believe - is it Thursday Friday or Saturday??? Jo , " heartwerk " <jo.heartwork wrote: > > Not quite sure why it is " Scientifically they are also less > important " . > > Jo > > By Dr David Whitehouse > BBC News Online science editor > > > Skywatchers are preparing themselves for a total eclipse of the Moon > on Thursday night into Friday morning. > > > The Moon turns a beautiful shade of red > It will be visible from much of Europe, Africa and the Americas. > > The slow and subdued nature of lunar eclipses makes them less > dramatic than solar eclipses. Scientifically they are also less > important. > > From the UK, the eclipse will occur in the early hours of Friday > morning, when the Moon is low over the southern horizon. > > At the start of the eclipse, the satellite is 17 degrees above the > horizon. It gets lower in the southern sky as the event progresses. > By mid-eclipse, at 0440 BST (0340 GMT), it is just five degrees above > the horizon. > > Serenity and fertility > > Lunar eclipses are an enchanting spectacle of nature, delightfully > reminding us of the cycles and rhythms of the cosmos, of which we are > only spectators. > > TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE > > Occurs when Moon passes into Earth's shadow > Penumbra: Region where Earth blocks some (but not all) Sun rays > Umbra: Zone where Earth blocks all direct sunlight - total eclipse > Although not as spectacular as when the Moon crosses the face of the > Sun, lunar eclipses have a beauty and grandeur of their own. > > Thomas Hardy said the movement of the Earth's shadow over the Moon > had an " imperturbable serenity " . > > This week's event lasts just over five hours. One thing to watch out > for is the colour of the Moon as it moves into the Earth's shadow. > > During a total lunar eclipse the only light that can reach the Moon's > surface has been refracted through our planet's atmosphere on the > limb of the Earth as seen from the Moon. > > Stuff of myth > > The refracted light is red. If it were possible to look back at the > Earth during a lunar eclipse then the rim of the Earth would appear a > glowing red. > > WHERE TO SEE IT > > South America and eastern North America get best view > Dust and cloud in Earth's atmosphere affects Moon colour > Telescope is useful but total eclipse is viewable with naked eye > This colour effect is the stuff of myth and legend. An account in 331 > BC said: " ...all her light was sullied and suffused with the hue of > blood. " > > Some ancients called it " the time of the blood of the Great Mother's > wisdom " , linking the Moon's colour with menstruation. This was a > natural thing to do given the link between the length of the month > and human fertility. > > In 1503, Christopher Columbus, stranded in the Caribbean, used a > lunar eclipse he knew would take place to impress the natives and > secure respect and fear, as well as a regular supply of food. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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