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Total Lunar Eclipse, December 20-21

Poster credit: Azhy Hasan ( Download print version ) LATEST NEWS Watch the Lunar Eclipse Live! Broadcasters around North America will be broadcasting the lunar eclipse live (weather permitting). List of eclipse broadcasters NASA Webcast and Web Chats With the eclipse visible throughout the USA, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will broadcast the eclipse (weather permitting) and hold two live web chats with astronomers answering questions. For information and to take part go to www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/lunar_eclipse.html . The last eclipse of 2010 will occur after midnight on December 21, Eastern Standard Time.  It will be visible from Hawaii, Alaska, the continental United States, and Canada.  (Note that in the U.S. Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii time zones the eclipse will begin on December 20.) Total eclipses only occur when the moon is full and all three celestial bodies-the Sun, Earth and Moon-are nearly in a straight line.  In these relatively rare events, the full Moon passes directly behind the Earth, which causes the Earth to block the Sun's rays from striking the Moon.  The total eclipse is deep red in color, because the Earth's atmosphere filters out the blue, green and yellow light while transmitting most of the red sunlight to the Moon. This sight can be viewed from anywhere on the night side of the Earth.  The total phase of the eclipse will last 72 minutes.  The penumbral portion of the eclipse begins at 05:29:17 UT; partial eclipse starts 06:32:37 UT; and the total eclipse begins at 07:40 UT, with the maximum eclipse occurring... Read More..