From most places in North America, on Saturday, December 10, 2011, at sunrise, one will potentially be able to see the full moon eclipsed by the earth's shadow. Even more exiting, assuming one does not perversely sleep in -- a chance to witness a rare and unusual event.
An astronomical 'optical illusion,' properly known as "selenelion" (or "selenehelion"): Both the sun and the eclipsed moon will be able to be seen at the same time, if the weather and circumstances are favorable.
The refraction of Earth's atmosphere bends light, making heavenly bodies appear farther above the horizon than they in fact are.
This lunar eclipse will include an 'impossible' sight
Even though sun and moon are 180 degrees apart,
you might see them simultaneously
...For example: when you see the sun sitting on the horizon, it is not there really. It's actually below the edge of the horizon, but our atmosphere acts like a lens and bends the sun's image just above the horizon, allowing us to see it.
This effect actually lengthens the amount of daylight for several minutes or more each day; we end up seeing the sun for a few minutes in the morning before it has actually risen and for a few extra minutes in the evening after it actually already has set.
The same holds true with the moon as well.
As a consequence of this atmospheric trick, for many localities there will be an unusual chance to observe a senelion firsthand with Saturday morning's shadowy event. There will be a short window of roughly 1 to 6 minutes (depending on your location) when you may be able to simultaneously spot the sun rising in the east-southeast and the eclipsed full moon setting in the west-northwest.
A bit like catching the image of a mirror within a mirror bouncing back from the mirror behind, reflected perfectly and whole in the mirror into which one has eagerly been angling, without one's own head getting annoyingly in the way.
Be seeing you.