Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Last Night's Lunar Eclipse

Sky Observers holiday season later this year: a total lunar eclipse.

    Suspended high in the sky, the moon slowly away from bright silver to a red light Tuesday morning.

    A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow on the moon, blocking the sun, reflecting else on the surface of the moon would. Some indirect sunlight still penetrates give the moon to a mysterious tone.

    To see the spectacle of the sky-time 3 1 / 2 was from North and Central America, where the sky was clear. Some parts of Europe and Asia only a part of the show.

    The total phase - when the moon is completely immersed in Earth's shadow - lasts 72 minutes.

    Since only total lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice, the moon shone in the sky.

    The last time this happened more than three centuries, 21 Dezember 1638th It will happen 21st December 2094, according to the spokesman of the U.S. Naval Observatory Geoff Chester.

    Lunar eclipses are safe to see with the naked eye, unlike solar eclipses.

    The next lunar eclipse in June 2011 and is not visible from North America.

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