Kids: How to see a total eclipse of the moon on February 20
Lunar Eclipse August 2007
(Credit: Chris Birchill. Some rights reserved.)
If you are in the right place on Earth on February 20, 2008, you can see total eclipse of the moon. It will be the last one we in North America will see until December 2010!
Throughout the Americas, the Atlantic, Europe and Africa, people have a ringside seat to this total eclipse. A total eclipse of the moon happens when the sun, Earth and moon are lined up in space, with Earth in the middle. Earth’s shadow falls on the moon and makes the eclipse.
The total lunar eclipse of February 20, 2008 lasts almost 3 and 1/2 hours from start to finish. The totality – or central part of the eclipse, when the moon is submerged in Earth’s shadow – lasts about 50 minutes.
In order for the Earth’s shadow to touch the moon’s face, the moon must be directly opposite the sun in Earth’s sky. That is why a total lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon.
The moon is totally submerged in Earth’s shadow from 3:01 to 3:51 Universal Time Thursday morning, February 21. For North America, that means the total lunar eclipse is Wednesday evening, from 9:01 to 9:51 p.m. Central Time.
In Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the eclipse occurs during daylight hours, when the eclipsed moon will be beneath the horizon as seen from that part of the world.
Specific eclipse times in your sky:
Partial eclipse begins: 1:43 Universal Time (UT) Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, the partial ecilpse begins the evening of Feb. 20.
8:43 p.m. EST
7:43 p.m. CST
6:43 p.m. MST
5:43 p.m. PST
Total eclipse (totality) begins: 3:01 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, totality begins on the evening of Feb. 20.
10:01 p.m. EST
9:01 p.m. CST
8:01 p.m. MST
7:01 p.m. PST
Greatest eclipse: 3:26 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, greatest eclipse occurs the evening of Feb. 20.
10:26 p.m. EST
9:26 p.m. CST
8:26 MST
7:26 PST
Total eclipse ends: 3:51 UT on Feb. 21.
For continental U.S. time zones, the total eclipse ends the evening of Feb. 20.
10:51 p.m. EST
9:51 p.m. CST
8:51 p.m. MST
7:51 p.m. PST
it was really cool i saw it… n im planning in seeing it in 2010…
amazing stuff!!!
I saw the eclipse of the moon ,but justs the begaining and when it turned red.Very cool!
I saw the eclipse of the moon ,but justs the begaining and when it turned red.Very cool!