Today's Image

Thursday night’s rising moon

Posted by
Deborah Byrd
and
February 10, 2017
Thursday night’s moonrise – February 9, 2017 – over Mt Blanca in Colorado, as caught by Dennis Schoenfelder of Alamosa. Eclipse Friday-Saturday!

Tonight … a subtle lunar eclipse
Western Hemisphere (North and South America, Greenland) will see the penumbral eclipse of the moon on Friday evening, February 10. Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia) will see it Saturday, February 11. Ideal spots to watch this penumbral eclipse include Europe, Africa, Greenland and Iceland. From there the whole eclipse can be seen, from start to finish, and it occurs at late night in a dark sky. Eastern America has a better view of the eclipse than western America.

What’s a penumbral eclipse of the moon?
Observant people in the right spot on Earth will notice a dark shading on the moon’s face tonight. Others look and notice nothing at all.

Possible to have 3 eclipses in 1 month?
Tonight’s penumbral lunar eclipse is the 1st eclipse of 2017 and the 1st of 2 eclipses this month. Can there be 3 eclipses in a month?

Friday FAQ: What is a Blood Moon?
Nowadays, 4 totally eclipsed moons in a row are called Blood Moons. Why? We don’t know for sure, but the answer may lie in a 2013 book by 2 Christian pastors.

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February 10, 2017
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Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.

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