Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A Total Lunar Eclipse

On Saturday night, December 10th, the full moon will cross through the Earth's shadow.

The moon will rise in the east just as the sun is setting in the west at 4:35PM.  By the time the moon rises, it will already be fully eclipsed.  Usually a totally eclipsed moon appears as a pale, coppery red sphere, but this time the sky will not yet be dark enough, so the eclipse will be very difficult to see.

By 5PM, however, the total phase will be complete and the edge of the moon will begin to emerge from behind the Earth's shadow.  The sky will by then be dark enough so that the brightening sliver of the moon should be visible for those with an unobstructed view of the eastern sky.  During the next hour or so, the moon will continue to move from the shadow, growing from crescent to full.  By 6:15PM, the moon will have returned to its normal "full" self again.
Enjoy, as this is the last total lunar eclipse till 2014!
Detailed times:
Beginning of total eclipse 16:06
Moon rises in eclipse 16:31
Sunset : 16:35
End of total phase : 16:57
(end of twilight 17:02 )
End or partial phase 18:17

(All times are Israel Standard Time)