[extropy-chat] Penumbral Lunar Eclipse TONIGHT (March 14) beginning 21:21 UT

[Amara Graps]

There is a beautiful Full Moon tonight, that goes into eclipse
(first contact is at 21:21 UT, about 3 hours from now, it will lie
completely inside the Earth's shadow for one hour starting at 23:18 UT,
that is, ~5 hours from now.)

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/image1/LE2006Mar14-Fig1.GIF


Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of March 14
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH2006.html

"The first lunar eclipse of 2006 is a deep penumbral event best visible
from Europe and Africa. First and last penumbral contacts occur at
21:22 UT and 02:14 UT (Mar 15), respectively. The Moon's path through
Earth's penumbra as well as a map showing worldwide visibility of the
event is shown in Figure 1. Observers throughout most of North America
will find the eclipse already in progress as the Moon rises on the
evening of March 14. However, no eclipse will be visible from
westernmost North America (Yukon, British Columbia, Alaska,
Washington, Oregon and California) since the event ends there before
moonrise. This particular event is unusual since it is a total
penumbral eclipse. The whole Moon will lie completely within the
penumbral shadow from 23:18 UT to 00:18 UT (Mar 15). According to
Belgian eclipse expert Jean Meeus [1997] this is one of only five such
events during the 21st century. Greatest eclipse occurs at 23:48 UT
with a penumbral magnitude of 1.0565. At that instant, the Moon will
stand midway in the penumbral shadow. The Moon's northern limb will
lie 1.6 arc-minutes from the shadow's outer edge while the southern
limb be 1.6 arc-minutes from the edge of the umbra."

"Penumbral eclipses are difficult to observe, especially during the
early and late stages. Nevertheless, a subtle yet distinct shading
should be visible across the southern half of the Moon, especially
during the two hour period centered on greatest eclipse."

-- 

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Amara Graps, PhD        www.amara.com
Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, CNR - ARTOV,
Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, I-00133 Roma, ITALIA
tel: +39-06-4993-4375      |  fax:  +39-06-4993-4383
Amara.Graps at ifsi-roma.inaf.it http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/dustgroup/~graps/
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"We came whirling out of Nothingness scattering stars like dust." --Rumi