Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight

**Katie** · 12-20-2010, 10:04 AM

I'm not sure how far south it will be visible, but all of Canada will be able to see it, weather permitting of course. I think it starts around 1:30 am Eastern time.

What makes this one so special is that it falls on the Winter Solstice and that only happens every 450 yrs or so. Don't wait up for the next one ;-)

I'm really hoping the skies are clear tonight. I'm going to set the alarm...it lasts for four hours, and the moon will range between bright orange to deep red. Apparently it is reflecting the sunsets from earth. Very cool.

**Cindylou** · 12-20-2010, 11:17 AM

Katie, am so glad you posted this. I was also going to post it. We should definitely see it too, here in Minnesota. Hopefully, the snowstorm that we are having today won't interfere with visibility tonight in the middle of the night. I am going to set my alarm as well. I live for these things. And it's a full moon tonight, of course. Remember, tomorrow is the shortest day of the year and then the days are going to start getting "longer" as well, by 2 minutes, every day.....for those of us who crave our sunlight!

lol.... Cindylou

**KBear** · 12-20-2010, 11:34 AM

We are supposed to be able to see it here in Texas too.

**Justin** · 12-20-2010, 10:05 PM

Awesome! I'll be staying up for this.

**Carson** · 12-20-2010, 11:01 PM

Definitely checking this out too! Not only a total eclipse but should be amazing to see the moon with an amber hue.

This year's event will take 3 hours and 38 minutes. The eclipse begins on Tuesday at 1:33 a.m. ET, when the Earth's dark-red shadow will turn up on the edge of the moon, according to NASA. It will take about an hour for the shadow to cover the entire moon. Totality (total eclipse) begins at 2:41 a.m. and lasts for 72 minutes.

If you only have time for a quick look, NASA recommends that you take a peek 3:17 a.m. ET. That's when the moon will be fully covered in an amber light.

**Cindylou** · 12-21-2010, 01:23 AM

Drat it....I just cannot keep my eyes open any longer for this eclipse. I keep nodding off at my computer. Will someone tell me about it tomorrow? Gotta crash....CL

**KBear** · 12-21-2010, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Cindylou

Drat it....I just cannot keep my eyes open any longer for this eclipse. I keep nodding off at my computer. Will someone tell me about it tomorrow? Gotta crash....CL

Joe got up and went and looked at it, I couldn't force myself out of bed.

**Katie** · 12-21-2010, 11:46 AM

It was snowing here...completely overcast

So I had to settle for what the morning news could show on tv this morning. I'm so disappointed!

I remember dragging my youngest daughter out of bed at 3am one time when she was about fourteen to see a massive meteor shower. We drove out to a completely dark hill top about a half hour away. She sat there for about five minutes going WOW, then said 'enough...back to bed now mom'

**Cindylou** · 12-21-2010, 12:24 PM

Katie, it was also snowing here as well and overcast. I kept hoping against hope that it would clear, but then, like I wrote earlier, I just kept nodding off about 12:30 am anyway. We'd had family visiting for the past 4 days, a whirlwind of activity, and he just left yesterday, plus I had Tully for over 24 hours while my son had his surgery yesterday, and after my husband drove her home about 9 pm last night, I was like a limp noodle. haha I "caught" it all on The Today Show this morning myself. Dang it all. I have, btw, seen absolutely incredible meteor showers up at the cabin. Just stunning.

I believe it was just last year, cannot recall which one it was, but it was, by far, the best meteor shower I have ever seen in my entire 58 years. Hope you are well my dear. Gonna try and get out in this mess, finish up my Holiday stuff....I think we got another 6-8" of snow all day yesterday and last night. Beautiful, but kinda treacherous for driving. My Mini-Cooper did great in late summer when I bought it, but not holding up so well in all this "white stuff."

Cindylou

**Carson** · 12-21-2010, 03:55 PM

It was fun. I got up 3 times through out the night to see it. I thought I'd be the only one in my neighborhood to bother but as I walked out my door I heard some people talking and 3 of us turned into 5 of us, then before I knew it there was 7 or 8 of us standing there in the street in pajamas, boxers and robes staring at the moon at 2:30am. It was hilarious. I learned that seeing your neighbors in their drawers at 3am is almost as amusing as seeing a total eclipse.

It's ridiculous, it's 4 days until Christmas and it's 85 degrees here today! I stood barefoot in the street last night like it was June! Gota' love a Texas Christmas!