Total Lunar Eclipse Viewing at OMSI

During the night of Wednesday, February 20, 2008 the Full Moon will slide through the dark shadow of our planet.

For 50 minutes, the only light hitting the Moon will be the reddish glow from all of Earth's sunrises and sunsets - a Total Lunar Eclipse! Weather permitting, OMSI and Rose City Astronomers Club will set up telescopes at the east parking lot of OMSI to view the lunar eclipse. Learn how to view the eclipse with the experts and be apart of the event! The entire event is visible from South America and most of North America, as well as Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia. The entire eclipse will be visible from start to finish. For possible weather cancellation, call (503) 797-4610 on February 20 after 3:00 PM to get the latest information.

As the moon rises from the east, the eclipse gets underway at 5:43 p.m. PST when the umbral shadow takes a small, dark bite out of the left edge of the Moon. For 73 minutes of the partial phase, the darkness engulfs more of the Moon's disk as it slides into the shadow. The partial eclipse ends and totality begins at 7:01 p.m. PST, when the Moon slides completely within the umbra. The total phase lasts 50 minutes, with mid-eclipse (when the Moon looks darkest) occurring at 7:26 p.m. PST with the moon at 18 degrees above the eastern horizon. What makes it so much fun is that no one can predict what color the Moon will turn during totality. Will it be bright orange, or blood red? Only the shadow knows. Moreover, this eclipse comes with a rare bonus. The planet Saturn will be shining three degrees from the Moon. The total eclipse will end at 7:51 p.m. as the moon exits the umbra. Then at 9:09 p.m., the moon will exit the earth?s umbral shadow. Unlike solar eclipses in which the sun's rays can damage the eyes, lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye. Binoculars and telescopes will enhance the view.

For future visitors to the moon, the Earth during a total lunar eclipse would appear dark and surrounded by a glowing red ring. The eclipse occurs during what early Native American tribes called the full Snow Moon, since winter's heaviest snows often occur in February.

The last total lunar eclipse in the Northwest occurred in August 28, 2007, with the moon appearing burnt orange. If you miss this one, another total eclipse will be December 21, 2010.