Total Lunar Eclipse, Not strictly aviation, but cool! Options

[Dan_Taylor]

Tonight there is a total lunar eclipse which will mostly be seen over Europe and Africa, however if you want to see it happening there's a live webcast at the following link: http://www.xs4all.nl/~carlkop/maaneclips20...eclips2007.html

I know it's not strictly aviation, but I still find it quite cool

Here's the BBC news release:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6411991.stm

Enjoy

[klm_city_hopper]

That was quite awesome. Watched from the loft skylight, looked as if it had a foam cover over it.

[iambenwyatt]

That was quite awesome. Watched from the loft skylight, looked as if it had a foam cover over it.

I saw it too, when it was completely in the shadow of the Earth it looked almost orange, or mabe like Mars. We were lucky that it was a clear night because it really was a cool sight.

Cheers,
Ben.

[galaxy]

It was awesome indeed.
However ,there was something very special as showing in the video below. It happened during total eclipse when the moon had a magic mysterious orange colour.

Video only 4 seconds :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4...uistering&hl=en

[Dan_Taylor]

It was awesome indeed.
However ,there was something very special as showing in the video below. It happened during total eclipse when the moon had a magic mysterious orange colour.

Video only 4 seconds :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4...uistering&hl=en

Woaho! Very nice indeed.

In fact, a RYR 737-800 or Aer Lingus A320 (unsure as to which) flew right in front of the moon just after departure from Birmingham last night too, unfortunately I didn't have a camera

[chris_pilot]

Ye it was cool. I forgot all about it and was pretty surprised when I looked up and saw this huge, orange ball staring back at me when I was walking home.

Cheers,
Chris

[morris542]

It was great, luckily the weather was good enough to see it. Out of interest, how often does it occur?

[Dan_Taylor]

It was great, luckily the weather was good enough to see it. Out of interest, how often does it occur?

From wikipedia:

Every year there are at least two lunar eclipses.

Usually visible in one hemisphere or the other, for example the next one will not be visible in Europe until 2008, but the next one for Australia, NZ and Alaska is 28 August as written here:

After Saturday's eclipse, the next to be seen over western Europe will take place on 21 February 2008, but late in the night between 0300 GMT and 0400 GMT.

And though eastern Australia, Alaska and New Zealand missed out on this total lunar eclipse, they will be able to see the next one, due to take place on 28 August.

Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_lunar_e...#Eclipse_cycles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6411991.stm

[galaxy]

Out of interest, how often does it occur?

Often,very often. It varies every time and there is no regular frequency.
The average for a total eclipse is 1 or 2 every year.In our countries we have to be lucky to have a sky without clouds during the "supreme moment"

[AName]

Meh, we were fogged in that night

[bluebird121]

I too saw the eclipse when I was down in the South East of England at the weekend, although I was with my friends in the hotel bar, I kept going outside just to see it. Fascinating !! I took photos but they were not really very good. I guess though this is not aviation based, but maybe an exception in this case, but if it gets spammed., then it will get closed.