Third Full Moon of 2007:
The Full Moon of March is sometimes called the Crow Moon or the Sap
Moon, both of which have been attributed to the Algonquin Peoples, or
sometimes the Maple Sugar Moon. This year's Crow Moon, rising tonight, will coincide with the first lunar eclipse of 2007.
Observers in Africa and Europe will have the most complete view of
the eclipse, but near the east coast of North and South
America will be able to see the central and final phases; those living
farther west in North America are out of luck. (That would be me!) Totality, when the moon moves through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, will last from 5:44
pm (EST) to 6:58 pm. Moon rise in most of New England, assuming a low
eastern horizon, will take place between 5:50 and 6 pm.
Since the moon will already be eclipsed as it rises, it will be
dark, colored only by the glow of sunlight refracted through our
atmosphere. The color depends on global weather and possibly airborne pollution
and could range from copper to a deep blood red.
So then, if the weather is clear on March 3rd, watch a glorious
sunset in the west and a brilliant Venus appearing in the twilight
diagonally above the sun. Then turn around to see the red Crow Moon rise in
the east. The darkest portion of the eclipse will occur around 6:20 pm.
Around 7 o'clock, you should see the silver edge of the moon peek out
from our planet's shadow. The moon won't be completely free of the
shadow until after 9 o'clock.
As the sky grows dark, look above the moon. Above and slightly to
the right of the eclipsed moon is the blue-white star Regulus, and
above Regulus, slightly brighter and pale yellow or tan, is the planet
Saturn.
The next lunar eclipse will be warmer than this one, especially here in the Sonoran Desert. It will occur on the night of August 27 and 28 which is smack dab in the middle of the Monsoons here and the possibility that the sky will be less than clear is huge. However, residents of the Hawaiian Islands will have a perfect view and I'm thinking that is exactly where I would love to be in August. On the beach in Hawaii, gazing up at the moon without a care in the world.
1 comment:
I'm so happy you will participate in ONE World-ONE HeART. You can copy and paste the logo in to your giveaway post. Once you have your post with the giveaway item let me know and I will add the link to it on my side bar of participants. I didn't have an email addy to say all this that way. I really must look about your blog - you have beautiful things to see here.
Cheers!
Lisa
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