LUNAR ECLIPSE: In the early morning hours on Friday, area residents may have a chance to see the lunar eclipse — depending on the weather.
The partial eclipse will cover all but 2.6% of the Moon.
The event is set to begin at 1:02 a.m., with the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, the umbra, casting the moon between 2:18 and 5:47 a.m. The peak of the eclipse is predicted to occur at 4:02 a.m.
The Holcomb Observatory in Indiana noted that at nearly 3.5 hours the Nov. 19 eclipse will be the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years.
According to NASA, it will be the longest eclipse of this entire century, right through 2100.
The Farmers’ Almanac shared, “For this eclipse, the Moon will slide through the southern portion of the Earth’s dark umbra, and at mid-eclipse, all but 2.6 percent of the Moon’s diameter will be immersed in the shadow.
“Because some of the sunlight striking the Earth is diffused and scattered by our atmosphere, the Earth’s shadow is not completely dark. Enough of this light reaches the Moon to give it a faint coppery glow. Combined with the remaining uneclipsed yellow sliver will create what some call the ‘Japanese Lantern Effect,’ a strikingly beautiful sight for the naked eye, and especially for those viewing with binoculars or a small telescope.”
Viewing the eclipse will be as simple as being outside at the right time and looking at the Moon, but there will also be live-streaming online. The Virtual Telescope Project will begin coverage at 2 a.m., collaborating with astrophotographers from around the world along with live commentary from astrophysicist Gianluca Masi. Timeanddate.com has arranged for its own live stream starting at 2 p.m. the day before, Nov. 18.
