Total lunar eclipse Monday night 12-20

this is going to be a really interesting week
a lunar eclipse
winter/summer solstice
mecury is retro..so these things will help to revisit some things that still haven't been looked at
like memories, old friends, unfinished bus of any type
and of course the christian holiday of chirst birth's

............................................

cool visual link:
http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/

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Amazing spectacle: Total lunar eclipse Monday night
You may be able to see it from your backyard, if weather is favorable

For a few hours on the night of Dec. 20 to Dec. 21, the attention of tens of millions of people will be drawn skyward, where the mottled, coppery globe of our moon will hang completely immersed in the long, tapering cone of shadow cast out into space by our Earth. If the weather is clear, favorably placed skywatchers will have a view of one of nature's most beautiful spectacles: a total eclipse of the moon.

Unlike a total eclipse of the sun, which is only visible to those in the path of totality, eclipses of the moon can usually be observed from one's own backyard. The passage of the moon through the Earth's shadow is equally visible from all places within the hemisphere where the moon is above the horizon.

The total phase of the upcoming event will be visible across all of North and South America, as well as the northern and western part of Europe, and a small part of northeast Asia, including Korea and much of Japan. Totality will also be visible in its entirety from the North Island of New Zealand and Hawaii — a potential viewing audience of about 1.5 billion people. This will be the first opportunity from any place on earth to see the moon undergo a total eclipse in 34 months
This star chart shows where in the sky the upcoming lunar eclipse will appear. And check this NASA lunar eclipse chart to see how visible the eclipse will be from different regions around the world.

Stages of the eclipse
There is nothing complicated about viewing this celestial spectacle. Unlike an eclipse of the sun, which necessitates special viewing precautions in order to avoid eye damage, an eclipse of the moon is perfectly safe to watch. All you'll need to watch are your eyes, but binoculars or a telescope will give a much nicer view.

The eclipse will actually begin when the moon enters the faint outer portion, or penumbra, of the Earth's shadow a little over an hour before it begins moving into the umbra. 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 faint smudge on the left part of the moon's disk at or around 6:15 UT (on Dec. 21) which corresponds to 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time or 10:15 p.m. Pacific Time (on Dec. 20).

The most noticeable part of this eclipse will come when the moon begins to enter the Earth's dark inner shadow (called the umbra). A small scallop of darkness will begin to appear on the moon's left edge at 6:33 UT (on Dec. 21) corresponding to 1:33 a.m. EST or 10:33 p.m. PST (on Dec. 20).

The moon is expected to take 3 hours and 28 minutes to pass completely through the umbra.

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..The total phase of the eclipse will last 72 minutes beginning at 7:41 UT (on Dec. 21), corresponding to 2:41 a.m. EST or 11:41 p.m. PST (on Dec. 20).

At the moment of mid-totality (8:17 UT/3:17 a.m. EST/12:17 a.m. PST), the moon will stand directly overhead from a point in the North Pacific Ocean about 800 miles (1,300 km) west of La Paz, Mexico.

The moon will pass entirely out of the Earth's umbra at 10:01 UT/5:01 a.m. EST/2:01 a.m. PST and the last evidence of the penumbra should vanish about 15 or 20 minutes later.

Color and brightness in question
During totality, although the moon will be entirely immersed in the Earth's shadow, it likely will not disappear from sight. Rather, it should appear to turn a coppery red color, a change caused by the Earth's atmosphere bending or refracting sunlight into the shadow.

Since the Earth's shadow is cone-shaped and extends out into space for about 844,000 miles, sunlight will be strained through a sort of "double sunset," all around the rim of the Earth, into its shadow and then onto the moon.

However, because of the recent eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano last spring and the Merapi volcano in Indonesia in October, one and possibly even two clouds of ash and dust might be floating high above the Earth. As a result, the moon may appear darker than usual during this eclipse; during totality, parts of the moon might even become black and invisible.

A careful description of the colors seen on the totally eclipsed moon and their changes is valuable. The hues depend on the optical equipment used, usually appearing more vivid with the naked eye than in telescopes. The French astronomer Andre-Louis Danjon introduced the following five-point scale of lunar luminosity ("L") to classify eclipses:

L = 0: Very dark eclipse, moon almost invisible, especially in mid-totality.

L = 1: Dark eclipse, gray or brownish coloration, details distinguishable only with difficulty.

L = 2: Deep red or rust-colored eclipse, with a very dark central part in the shadow, and outer edge of the umbra relatively bright.

L = 3: Brick red eclipse, usually with a bright or yellow rim to the shadow.

L = 4: Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse, with a bluish very bright shadow rim.

Examine the moon at mid-totality and also near the beginning and end of totality to get an impression of both the inner and outer umbra. In noting an L observation, state the time and optical means (naked eye, binoculars or telescope) that is used. We invite readers to e-mail their Danjon estimate for this eclipse (along with any pictures they'd like to share) to cmoskowitz@space.com.

At mid-totality, from rural locations far from city lights, the darkness of the sky is impressive. Faint stars and the Milky Way will appear, and the surrounding landscape will take on a somber hue. As totality ends, the eastern edge of the moon begins to emerge from the umbra, and the sequence of events repeats in reverse order until the spectacle is over.

Fringe effects
Interestingly, from most of New Zealand, a slice of northeast Australia, Papua, New Guinea, southwest Japan and Korea, the moon will rise during totality on the evening of Dec. 21. Because of low altitude and bright evening twilight, observers in these locations may not see much of the moon at all until it begins to emerge from out of the Earth's shadow.

Conversely, much of the United Kingdom and parts of western and northern Europe will see the moon set during totality on the morning of Dec. 21. Because of low altitude and bright morning twilight, observers in these locations may not see much of the moon at all after it slips completely into the Earth's shadow.

Past and future
The last total lunar eclipse occurred on Feb. 20 to Feb. 21, 2008 and was visible from most of the Americas, as well as Europe, much of Africa and western Asia. In 2011, there will be two total lunar eclipses. The first, on June 15, will be visible primarily from the Eastern Hemisphere and will have an unusually long duration of totality lasting one hour and 40 minutes.

Another total lunar eclipse will occur on Dec. 10 and will be visible over the western half of North America before moonset. For the next total lunar eclipse that will be visible across all of North America, we must wait until April 14 to April 15, 2014.


links:
•Gallery: Photos of the Feb. 2008 Total Lunar Eclipse
•Top 10 Lunar Eclipse Facts
•How to Watch the Dec. 20 Total Lunar Eclipse
2010 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40719498?gt1=43001

I hate it went Mercury goes retrograde, it seems to be retrograde more than it is forward.

Cool, better leave my salt water outside on monday then !

ahhhhhhhhh biggs
it goes retro three sometimes four times every year

but don't let it make you feel badly
use it to clean closets and find stuff you couldn't remember where it was
and look over emotions that need to be looked at and then tossed

it isn't bad unless you make it that way..
like most things..you can use it or let it use you..

it's all good

I am gonna get superman to fly up and push it forward again.

Oakey dokey otter.

Biggles wrote:

I am gonna get superman to fly up and push it forward again.

Oakey dokey otter.

Get him to borrow a camera and take some decent pics of the Moon for us too mate whilst he's at it

sky otter wrote:

ahhhhhhhhh biggs
it goes retro three sometimes four times every year

but don't let it make you feel badly
use it to clean closets and find stuff you couldn't remember where it was
and look over emotions that need to be looked at and then tossed

it isn't bad unless you make it that way..
like most things..you can use it or let it use you..

it's all good

Hey Sky from what you say that would mean that the salt water I play with could be quite energised for cleansing???

Know ya whizz at the Astro so that's why I ask

Soma
i'm not sure about that...

i do put crystals out for cleansing in the full moon...
or just rinse them off

haven't done it with the water...
you do that test

do half out for the esclipse and half inside and see if there's any difference...
then YOU can let US know

Tell ya..I missed that last full moon due to being busy with other matters. I would wait for the next full moon for the salt water but it wont happen in time for my holiday. It would seem that a lunar eclipse would be quite an energetic event anyway.

I would try the two different approaches except the large glass jar I bought broke whilst washing it tonight... Its okay though as my new mixing container is larger!

Anyway I'm pretty happy that even though I don't quite get a full moon..something eventful is happening with the moon!

But as you said if its a time for cleansing etc..then this batch my be quite good for cleansing out certain aspects of health or there abouts?

That will be my theme/prayer whilst cooking

Solstice-eclipse overlap first in 456 years
By Rebecca Lindell, Postmedia News December 16, 2010 Comments (24)


OTTAWA — This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years.
The celestial eccentricity holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into the energy of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and a time that is associated with the rebirth of the sun.
"It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light," says Nicole Cooper, a high priestess at Toronto's Wiccan Church of Canada. "It's the idea that when things seem really bleak, (it) is often our biggest opportunity for personal transformation.

"The idea that the sun and the moon are almost at their darkest at this point in time really only further goes to hammer that home."
Cooper said Wiccans also see great significance in the unique coupling of the masculine energy of the sun and the feminine energy of the moon — transformative energies that she plans to incorporate into the church's winter-solstice rituals.

Since the last time an eclipse and the winter solstice happened simultaneously was just under five centuries years ago, Cooper said she wasn't familiar with any superstitions or mythologies associated with it.
Instead, she said, they can only be interpreted personally.
"Wiccans don't think of things as being good or evil — they just are. Our experience of them makes them positive or negative for us."

The winter solstice also played an important role in Greco-Roman rituals.
"It's seen as a time of rebirth or renewal because, astrologically, it's a time where the light comes back," said Shane Hawkins, a professor of Greek and Roman studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.

For the ancient Romans, it was also a time of great feasting and debauchery.
"If (the eclipse) happened on the 21st, they might well have been drunk," he said.

A lunar eclipse taking place during the solstice is not an event Hawkins has seen in research, but he said it would have been viewed as something special.
"Eclipses could be taken either way," he said. "Certainly it would have been an omen, but it would have been up to the interpretation of specialists of whether it was good or bad."

And that interpretation would likely be based on whatever was happening at the time.
The last time the two celestial events happened at the same time was in AD 1554, according to NASA.
An otherwise seemingly unexceptionable year in recorded history, the darkened moon happened during a bleak year for Tudor England.

Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for treason that year, while Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Mary of Guise — the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots — became regent of Scotland.
Scientifically, however, it's just a coincidence of natural cycles.

"It's quite rare, but there's no profound significance. It's luck of the draw; you got dealt four aces," said Robert Dick, an astronomy instructor at Carleton.

The eclipse will start just after midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, with the main event starting at 1:30 a.m. ET and lasting until 5:30 a.m., when the moon reappears.

rlindell@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/rebeccalindell
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Solstice+eclipse+overlap+first+years/3983582/story.html#ixzz18WCK7dsF

I get the strongest feeling you have spent more than a few past incarnations in the old pagan communities of ye 'olde England, Scotland, Ireland...............the celts etc. It is a very strong feeling I get there lil otter.

probably only a few of the past lives, biggs...
i've always luv'd that song that goes
i've been everywhere, man..i've been everywhere..


heh heh..couldn't resist..


some better pics..

he,he,he,

get your lawn chiars out..should be a good show...

bump

Tuesday night down here ;)

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html

really go to this sight and keep paging down..tons of stuff...and set up for each time zone

http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/

also down further on the page is this .....and links are embedded..so go to the page to get them:

Interested in contributing your observations of this lunar eclipse?
Sky & Telescope is seeking crater immersion and exit timings during the upcoming total eclipse.
This has to do with "enlargement of the umbra" which isn't fully understood. The umbral shadow varies in size about 2% from eclipse to eclipse. So... they would like for you to take your telescopes out and watch and time the Earth's shadow crossing the above craters. You can read more about this here and where to send your observation to. (The above map is from Sky & Telescope.)









sadly looks like we will miss seeing it here..been socked in all day with clouds and snow..doesn't look like it will clear for tonight

We weren't going to a great deal down here, but the tad bit we could see wont be seen if he weather keeps up

Sorry Soma, I have been out there trying to conjure up the weather that is non-conducive to your tomatoes honey, sorry.

Biggles wrote:

Sorry Soma, I have been out there trying to conjure up the weather that is non-conducive to your tomatoes honey, sorry.

I'm sending my kungfu goddess to poke your rain god

Somamech wrote:

Biggles wrote:

Sorry Soma, I have been out there trying to conjure up the weather that is non-conducive to your tomatoes honey, sorry.

I'm sending my kungfu goddess to poke your rain god

Kungfu goddess......................okay looks like I better get honin my skills up there S.

She must be sleeping on the job..still grey skys

Yeah I just went out and noticed, I must be increasing in power or gas or something.

Sorry sweetie, I know they will ripen within the next seven days.

You might just have to scoop the little brown spots off them but that's nothing, at least their home grown.

Check it out live here.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc