A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth. The Moon's orbit is tilted by 5 degrees so most of the time the full Moon misses the Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses occur only when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are nearly lined up.
These kind of events are not that rare, but here on the East Coast we have been facing the wrong direction during the past few total and partial eclipses. This week we will see our first total eclipse of the Moon since December 2010.
It occurs the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 15. Find the Moon in the south southwest sky. The Moon starts to darken at 1:58 a.m. This nice thing about lunar eclipses is that you don't need any special equipment or filters to view them, but a pair of binoculars will help give you a more close-up view.
As the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow you may notice it turn a reddish color. This is caused by sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere. The same effect causes the Sun to appear red at sunset. The exact color of the Moon during an eclipse depends on how much dust and volcanic ash is in the atmosphere. The Moon can have a wide range of colors during an eclipse - from pumpkin orange to blood red to nearly black.
Totality begins at 3:07 a.m. when the Moon is completely immersed in the shadow. The Moon is not passing through the exact center of the Earth's shadow. It is passing south of the center, so the top half of the Moon will likely appear darker than the bottom half.
The maximum of the eclipse occurs at 3:46 a.m. During totality, the bright glare of the full Moon is reduced and so it is a good time for stargazing. Look for the bright star Spica below and right of the Moon. Mars is also shining brightly nearby. You will find it above and right of the Moon and Spica. You can also see Saturn to the left of the eclipsed Moon.
The Moon will emerge slowly from the other side of the shadow after 4:25 a.m. and the eclipse ends at 5:33 a.m. To see a simulation of what the eclipse will look like, play the video below from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Note both the Newark Museum and the UACNJ are hosting free viewing events for the public to see the eclipse (weather permitting).
The United Astronomy Clubs of N.J. will also have their observatory in Jenny Jump State Forest open to the public for the eclipse from 2:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.
Northeast Astronomy Forum
One of the biggest astronomy events of the year is happening this weekend. The Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) is taking place at the Rockland Community College in Suffern, NY. The event features talks, workshops, more than 100 exhibitors and vendors, as well as door prizes. Admission is $25 per day; see the NEAF website for more information.
Kevin D. Conod is the Planetarium Manager & Astronomer at the Newark Museum's Dreyfuss Planetarium. For updates on the night sky, call the Newark Skyline at (973) 596-6529.