One of the best spectacles in the night sky is a total lunar eclipse. No special equipment is required to watch this space composition. Unlike a solar eclipse, lunar diversity is very safe to witness and enjoy. On the night of May 15, the full color moon will creep into the much larger shadow of the earth, and the whole event will last about three and a half hours.
On the night of May 15, the full color moon will creep into the much larger shadow of the earth, and the whole event will last about three and a half hours. Early civilizations called it the “Blood Moon” because our natural satellite sometimes takes on a reddish tinge. Photo: Gary Boyle
Early civilizations called it the “Blood Moon” because our natural satellite sometimes takes on a reddish tinge. Superstition tells the story of doom and gloom. Ancient Inca people shook their spears and screamed to scare the jaguar they thought was eating the moon. Of course, it always worked. Other times the moon turned copper or burnt orange. This variation from one eclipse to another depends on how transparent or absent our atmosphere is. The colored lunar surface is the result of the refraction or passage of sunlight through our atmosphere, like a red sunset.
Although the eclipses were horrific events for different cultures, Christopher Columbus used an almanac prediction to save his shipwrecked crew from starvation. Months before the total eclipse of 1504, his crew was stranded off the coast of Jamaica. They were welcomed by the Arawak Indians and given food and shelter. Over time, half the crew revolted and began stealing and killing some of the friendly locals. Things got awful as the boss kept the food, which led to starvation. Columbus knew of the predicted eclipse in a few days, and he used it to his advantage. He tricked the leader into believing that he had great powers to make the moon turn a formidable shade of blood red.
On the night of February 29, the moon rose, entering the shadow of the earth. This was of great concern to the villagers, and they again provided food for the crew. Columbus waited in his tent until the right moment, as predicted. A few minutes before the end of the gathering, he announced that his gods had had mercy on them. As he uttered these words, the moon began to emerge from the shadows and look normal again. A rescue mission discovered Columbus and his crew in late June of that year.
We do not witness an eclipse every month, because the moon has a slight inclination of its axis as it orbits our planet. At several special times of the year, the sun, earth and moon line up. Some events are common, but other compositions cause the moon to cut out the earth’s shadow. This is a partial eclipse and also occurs during a solar eclipse.
Although not necessary, try to go outside the city limits and away from light sources for great digital photography. Although a cell phone will record the eclipse, a DSLR camera on a tripod will be needed to capture the beautiful Milky Way to the left of the darkened and much darker moon. Use the cable release to open the camera shutter for a few seconds at all times. Adjust the camera manually and experiment with exposure times. Remember that pixels are free.
The eastern and most of central North America will witness the entire eclipse from beginning to end. For the mountainous and western time zones, the eclipse will be in progress as the moon rises. Enjoy this must-have event if possible. The next total lunar eclipse will occur on November 8 this year and favors the west coast.
Here is a breakdown of the lunar eclipse time cycle on May 15 for the eastern time zone.
Eastern time Partial dark eclipse begins: 22:27 The moon enters the earth’s shadow. A total lunar eclipse begins: 11:29 pm The moon turns dark orange or red. The biggest eclipse: 12:11. The average point of the eclipse. Complete end of the lunar eclipse: 12:53 in the morning The moon begins to leave the shadow. The partial dark eclipse ends: 1:55 a.m. The moon is completely out of the earth’s shadow.
Clear sky.
Known as the Backyard Astronomer, Gary Boyle is an astronomy professor, guest speaker and monthly columnist for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and a former president of the RASC’s Ottawa Center. He has been interviewed on more than 50 Canadian radio stations, as well as on television in Canada and the United States. In recognition of his public participation in astronomy, the International Astronomical Union honored him with the name of the asteroid (22406) Garyboyle. Follow him on Twitter: @astroeducator, Facebook and his website: www.wondersofastronomy.com
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