Total Lunar Eclipse, December 20-21

HOME
About Us
About Us
It takes a lot of people around the world to make Astronomers Without Borders a reality, from the staff and board to volunteers in many countries.

And it's all made possible by our donors and sponsors.
Programs
Programs
Participate in AWB's programs and share your passion for astronomy with amateur astronomers around the world.
- Community Based Programs
  Community programs bring people together through our common interest in astronomy. By actively engaged in activities together, differences between us become unimportant.
- Arts and Culture Programs
  Arts and Culture programs bridge the border between art and science, highlighting the many perspectives of astronomy found in every worldwide throughout time.
- Resource Sharing Programs
  Resource-sharing programs provide the opportunity to share knowledge as well as materials. Astronomers love to share their passion, and we all have something to share.
- Global Astronomy Month 2020
  Global Astronomy Month is the world’s largest annual celebration of astronomy. Whether local events or online, watching or sharing, science or art, there’s something for everyone.
Community
Community
The Astronomers Without Borders global community is at the heart of everything we do. Bringing the community together through astronomy fosters friendship, understanding, and good will. Programs and activities are made possible by the participation of AWB members.
News
News
Learn more about Astronomers Without Borders and what the world's largest astronomy community - home of the world's largest community-based astronomy programs - has to offer.
Shop
Join
Join
Whether you join as a member or an affiliate (for groups or clubs), we all share the same sky, and in Astronomers Without Borders we also share our activities with each other.
- Become a Member
- Get Involved
- For Clubs & Groups
  Affiliate Directory

PROJECTS

Current Projects

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 at 08:16 UT and ending at 08:53 UT.

How to get involved:
We invite you to join with the "Eclipses without Borders: Total Lunar Eclipse - 21 December 2010" event. Get together with your astronomy group, family, or friends and enjoy the beautiful views of the lunar eclipse. And if the eclipse makes you feel poetic, why not create a poem send it to AWB's Astropoetry Blog? (Send to [email protected])

We also welcome you to take photos and send them to us with a brief description of your event.

Share your event with others at the AWB Members' Blog.

Resources:
NASA: Total Lunar Eclipse: December 21, 2010
Animation of the December 21 2010 eclipse at shadowandsubstance.com
Lunar Eclipses for Beginners by Fred Espenak
How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse by Fred Espenak

Report Article

About Us

Programs

Community

News

Join

Total Lunar Eclipse, December 20-21