Lunar Eclipse on February 20 2008
A Total Eclipse of the Moon Appears over the United States
The moon dips into Earth's shadow for a total lunar eclipse on the night of Wednesday, February 20, 2008.
On February 20, 2008, the moon, Earth, and sun line up causing a total lunar eclispe. The next total lunar eclipse does not occur until December 21, 2010, although a couple partial and penumbral lunar eclipses will occur between now and then.
Is the Eclipse on February 20 or 21?
What day the eclipse occurs on depends on your location. Europeans will see the eclipse on the 21st, while most residents of North America will view it on the evening of the 20th. For those on the East Coast, the eclipse starts on the evening of Wednesday, February 20, and ends just after midnight in the early hours of Thursday, February 21.
Locations and Times for Eclipse Viewing
The lunar eclipse will be visible in its entirety from western Europe and Africa, all of South America, and central and eastern North America. The moon will already be in eclipse phase during moonrise for the western US, including Alaska. The shadow of Earth will creep across the face of the brightly lit full moon for more than an hour before totality occurs. The total phase will last approximately 50 minutes.
Here are some of the moments of contact for different time zones:
- Eastern Time: Partial Phase Begins at 8:43 pm, Total Phase Begins at 10:01 pm, Total Phase Ends at 10:51 pm, Partial Phase Ends at 12:09 am (February 21)
- Central Time: Partial Phase Begins at 7:43 pm, Total Phase Begins at 9:01 pm, Total Phase Ends at 9:51 pm, Partial Phase Ends at 11:09 pm
- Mountain Time: Partial Phase Begins at 6:43 pm, Total Phase Begins at 8:01 pm, Total Phase Ends at 8:51 pm, Partial Phase Ends at 10:09 pm
- Pacific Time: Partial Phase Begins at 5:43 pm, Total Phase Begins at 7:01 pm, Total Phase Ends at 7:51 pm, Partial Phase Ends at 9:09 pm
Why Lunar Eclipses Occur
Lunar eclipses must occur during a full moon. For the moon to be full, it has to lie on the opposite side of Earth from the sun. Most months when the moon is full, the line made by the Earth, sun, and moon does not line up perfectly for the moon to enter Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses only occur about twice a year, and even then, not all lunar eclipses are total eclipses.
Recent volcanic eruptions in South and Central America may cause the eclipsed moon there to take on a blue, black, or violet hue. The particles in the atmosphere are what give the eclipsed moon its colors. Normally the hue is orangish or reddish, due to the colors of sunrise and sunset on the limbs of the Earth where the sun passes through and the color is projected onto the moon.
Lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses, do not require any special precautions or viewing equipment. A lunar eclipse can be viewed without binoculars or a telescope. Try taking a photograph of the eclipsed moon; a large zoom lens will come in handy.
What are those stars by the eclipsed moon?
