A total eclipse of the Moon will take place on December 10th. These events happen when the Earth, Moon and Sun are almost exactly in line with the Moon on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun. During the eclipse the Moon moves through the Earth’s shadow and becomes significantly dimmer, but usually remains lit by sunlight that passes through the terrestrial atmosphere. Stronger atmospheric scattering of blue light means that the light that reaches the lunar surface is red in colour, so observers on Earth see a Moon that appears anything from brick red to dark grey in hue.
Credit: Wikipedia
This eclipse is best viewed from China, Japan, Korea, eastern Russia, southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the western Pacific, where skywatchers with clear skies will see the whole eclipse. The eclipse begins at 1132 GMT, when the Moon enters the lightest part of the Earth’s shadow or penumbra. The Moon moves into the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow (the umbra) at 1245 GMT. The total eclipse begins at 1406 GMT and ends at 1458 GMT and the Moon emerges from the umbra completely at 1618 GMT. The eclipse comes to an end when the Moon leaves the penumbral shadow at 1732 GMT.
From most of the United Kingdom the Moon will rise towards the end of the eclipse when it will be emerging from the umbra. Residents of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands see moonrise at 1454 GMT, so have the chance to see the totally eclipsed Moon very low on the horizon. Further south and west the Moon rises later in the afternoon and so none of the total phase and only some of the partial phase will be visible. The approximate GMT moonrise times are 1512 for Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, 1524 for Aberdeen, 1542 for Glasgow, 1549 for Manchester, 1551 for London and 1601 for Bristol. Observers in these locations will see a partially eclipsed Moon low on the horizon after the respective moonrise times.
HM Nautical Almanac Office: Total lunar eclipse of 10 December 2011
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/1612011/L2011Dec10.pdf
Eclipses online
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclbin/query_eo.cgi
Contacts and sources:
This eclipse is best viewed from China, Japan, Korea, eastern Russia, southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the western Pacific, where skywatchers with clear skies will see the whole eclipse. The eclipse begins at 1132 GMT, when the Moon enters the lightest part of the Earth’s shadow or penumbra. The Moon moves into the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow (the umbra) at 1245 GMT. The total eclipse begins at 1406 GMT and ends at 1458 GMT and the Moon emerges from the umbra completely at 1618 GMT. The eclipse comes to an end when the Moon leaves the penumbral shadow at 1732 GMT.
From most of the United Kingdom the Moon will rise towards the end of the eclipse when it will be emerging from the umbra. Residents of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands see moonrise at 1454 GMT, so have the chance to see the totally eclipsed Moon very low on the horizon. Further south and west the Moon rises later in the afternoon and so none of the total phase and only some of the partial phase will be visible. The approximate GMT moonrise times are 1512 for Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, 1524 for Aberdeen, 1542 for Glasgow, 1549 for Manchester, 1551 for London and 1601 for Bristol. Observers in these locations will see a partially eclipsed Moon low on the horizon after the respective moonrise times.
HM Nautical Almanac Office: Total lunar eclipse of 10 December 2011
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/1612011/L2011Dec10.pdf
Eclipses online
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclbin/query_eo.cgi
Contacts and sources:
Royal Astronomical Society
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