Lunar Eclipse and Aurora Borealis

[Jim Koepke]

For those who have clear skies in most parts of the world there is a lunar eclipse tonight.

More information here:

Link (http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=total-lunar-eclipse-chart-101207-02.jpg%20&cap=This+NASA+chart+depicts+which+countries+will+b e+able+to+see+the+total+lunar+eclipse+of+2010+on+D ec.+20-21.+Credit%3A+NASA%2FGSF)

I do not know the way to convert the Universal Time to local time, but eclipses tend to happen on the full moon and the full moon tends to rise as the sun sets.

Maybe someone who understands astronomy could chime in.

For those who are patient enough to wait for an HD download here is a beautiful time lapse of the Aurora Borealis.

http://vimeo.com/16917950

[Dave Gaul]

I am not fully educated in astronomy, but I am fascinated by it! You've helped me learn alot about neardering, so I'll help with what I can Jim!!

UT is 4 hours ahead of Eastern Time (I THINK UT is the same a GMT, Greenwich Mean Time). So the lunar eclipse will be around 1:30 am to 5:00 am Eastern Time.

Here is NASA's link which seems to explain some more:

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T

[Rob Cunningham]

This site gives the time of the eclipse in EST along with a bunch of other astronomical info.
http://spaceweather.com/

[Belinda Barfield]

Pretty cool how rarely a lunar eclipse occurs on the same night as the winder solstice! Thanks for the link Rob! Wish I could stay up to watch it, which I guess I can as I get up at 4:30 anyway but it sure will make for a long day tomorrow. :(