From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Thu May 08 2003 - 15:10:40 PDT
Message-Id: <l03110760bae08653b538@[192.168.111.161]> Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 15:10:40 -0700 From: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu> Subject: Total Eclipse of the Moon, May 15th
>X-Sender: af02186@mercury.fhda.edu
>Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 00:20:30 -0700
>To: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
>From: BASA - Andrew Fraknoi <fraknoiandrew@fhda.edu>
>Subject: Total Eclipse of the Moon, May 15th
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Cc:
>Reply-To: BASA <basa.92304@email.edgateway.net>
>
>From: BASA - Andrew Fraknoi
>Replies to this message go to the whole group.
>
>Dear BASA Colleagues:
>
>This is not really relevant business,
>but I thought perhaps you (and the teachers
>you work with) might enjoy next week's
>eclipse. Here is the relevant information.
>Of course, Bay Area weather has to
>cooperate for the Moon to visible.
>
>Andy Fraknoi
>
>
>
>The May 15, 2003 Total Eclipse of the Moon
>================================
>An Information Sheet by
>Andrew Fraknoi (Foothill College & Astronomical Society of the Pacific)
>
>1. What Is Happening?
>
> On May 15, there will be a total eclipse of the Moon, when the
>full Moon and the Sun are exactly opposite each other in our skies, and the
>Earth gets between them. This means that the Earth's shadow will fall on
>the Moon, darkening it over the course of several hours.
>
>2. When Will the Eclipse Happen?
>
> On Thursday evening, the total phase of the eclipse (where the
>Moon is completely in shadow) begins at 8:14 pm and ends at 9:06 pm PST.
>(See the table at the end for other time zones.) The last of our dark
>shadow moves off the Moon at about 10:17 pm. Note that the Moon is rising
>on the West Coast with the eclipse already in progress, so you need to find
>a place where you can see the southeastern horizon (and hills, buildings,
>chubby neighbors, etc. are not in your way.) Most people spend more time
>watching the eclipsed moon than they expect, so be sure to bring warm
>clothing with you.
>
>3. What is Visible During a Lunar Eclipse
>
> As the shadow of the Earth covers the Moon, note that our natural
>satellite doesn't become completely dark. Light bent through the Earth's
>atmosphere still reaches the shadowed Moon and gives it a dull brown or
>reddish glow. The exact color of the glow and its darkness depend on the
>"sooty-ness" of our atmosphere -- how recently volcanoes have gone off and
>how much cloud cover, storm activity, and human pollution there is around
>the globe.
>
>4. Is it Safe to Watch, and How do I Watch?
>
> Since the Moon is always safe to look at, and the eclipse only
>makes the Moon darker, there is no danger in watching this eclipse with
>your eyes or through a telescope. (The dangerous eclipse is the solar one,
>where it is the Sun that gets covered.) Lunar eclipses are quite nice to
>look at without any equipment. Binoculars also work great. This is one
>astronomical phenomenon that (provided the sky is clear) doesn't even
>require you to go to a dark location to see it (although subtle changes in
>color are best seen from dark locations.)
>
>5. What Else Can I Tell My Kids (or Kid Brother or Sister)?
>
> Be sure to suggest that they take a careful look at the shadow of
>the Earth as it moves across the bright face of the Moon. What shape is
>it? The round shape of the Earth's shadow suggested to the ancient Greeks,
>more than 2000 years ago, that the Earth's shape must be round
>too. Eclipse after eclipse, they saw that the Earth cast a round shadow,
>and deduced that we lived on a round planet -- long before there were
>spacecraft and astronaut pictures showing the Earth's blue globe from orbit.
>
>May 15, 2003 Important Eclipse Times in Different US Time Zones:
>
>Event Eastern Central Mountain
> Pacific
>
>Shadow starts to move across 10:03 pm 9:03 pm 8:03 pm Moon not up
>Total eclipse
>begins 11:14 10:14 9:14 8:14 pm
>Total eclipse ends 12:06
>am 11:06 10:06 9:06
>Shadow moves off the Moon 1:17 12:17
>am 11:17 10:17
>
>
>=================================
>Andrew Fraknoi, Chair: Astronomy Program,
>Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road,
>Los Altos Hills, CA 94022, USA
>
>Tel (Mon-Thur): 650-949-7288
>Tel (Fri): 415-337-1100 x 120
>FAX: 415-337-5205
>E-mail: fraknoiandrew@fhda.edu
>==================================
>
>
>
>
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