標題: A lunar eclipse expected Monday night [打印本頁] 作者: tiffiant 時間: 2010-12-20 07:19 標題: A lunar eclipse expected Monday night
A lunar eclipse expected Monday night
It will be a treat for stargazers, if the weather cooperates
Renee Bernard Dec 19, 2010 22:23:30 PM
Be the first to Comment 2 Recommendation(s) VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - A lunar eclipse is about to take place Monday evening. Eclipses themselves happen regularly, but it's the timing of this one that is unusual.
A lunar eclipse happens when the moon drifts into the earth's shadow, which for us will begin to happen at 10:30 p.m. and will wind up at 2 a.m.
Retired astronomer David Dodge explains what we'll able to see, weather permitting. "You will see the Moon starting to get a little thin cookie cut taken out of it. And that is the shadow of the Earth. It takes from 10:30 or so till about 11:41 or so for that to happen. From 11:41, it's fully enclosed in the shadow of the Earth."
He says it's very rare that the moon disappears in this manner during the shortest day of the year. "It happens on the evening of the winter solstice. That is of course when the sun is at its lowest point in the evening sky as seen from North America."
