Need a break from woodworking? Total Lunar Eclipse....

Wednesday the 20th we will have a total lunar eclipse of the moon. The moon will enter Earth’s much darker umbral shadow at 1:43 on Feb. 21 by Greenwich or Universal time, which is 8:43 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the Eastern time zone, 7:43 p.m. CST, 6:43 p.m. MST and 5:43 p.m. PST.

Seventy-eight minutes later the moon is entirely within the shadow, and sails on within it for 51 minutes (about average for a total lunar eclipse), until it begins to find its way out at the lower left (southeastern) edge. The moon will be completely free of the umbra by 9:09 p.m. PST or 12:09 a.m. (Feb. 21) EST.

The vaguer shading of the inner penumbra can continue to be readily detected for perhaps another 20 minutes or so after the end of umbral eclipse. Thus, the whole experience ends toward 12:30 a.m. for the East (with the re-brightened moon now sloping down along the high arc it describes across the sky), or during the mid-evening hours for the West.

What will you see and is it safe?
The eclipse will begin when the moon enters the faint outer portion, or penumbra of the Earth’s shadow. The penumbra, however, is all but invisible to the eye until the moon becomes deeply immersed in it. Sharp-eyed viewers may get their first glimpse of the penumbra as a delicate shading on the left part of the moon’s disk about 20 minutes before the start of the partial eclipse (when the round edge of the central shadow or umbra, first touches the moon’s left edge). During the partial eclipse, the penumbra should be readily visible as a dusky border to the dark umbral shadow. And by late twilight observers will have a fine view of the totally eclipsed lunar disk glowing red and dim low in the eastern sky. Moreover, this eclipse comes with a rare bonus. The planet Saturn (magnitude +0.2) and the bright bluish star, Regulus (magnitude +1.4) will form a broad triangle with the moon’s ruddy disk.

Careful watchers will notice the moon changing its position with respect to the star and planet as it moves eastward through the Earth’s shadow.

Saturn’s position will also depend somewhat on your location. Seen from North America, the great ringed planet will be 3.5 degrees above and to the left of the moon’s center at mid-totality (3:26 Universal Time on February 21). At the same moment, Regulus will sit just 2.8 degrees above and to the right of the moon.

So knock off from the sanding dust early and treat yourself to one of God’s many wonders. Call a few friends or neighbors over, grab a warm drink and enjoy this amazing spectacle, I think you’ll be glad you did!

-- --Chuck