Skies clear and crowds flock to observatories for total lunar eclipse

Skies clear and crowds flock to observatories for total lunar eclipse

The Associated Press
The Houston Chronicle
Saturday, November 8, 2003

Cincinnati - Sky-watchers in every continent but
Australia reveled in the relative rarity of a total lunar
eclipse Saturday night -- but as stargazers have noted
for centuries, it was a matter of celestial perspective. 

"From the moon, they're having a solar eclipse," said
Dean Regas, an astronomer at the Cincinnati Observatory
Center. 

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon, Earth and sun are
in alignment and the moon passes through the planet's
shadow. In a solar eclipse, the Earth is in the moon's
shadow. 

The Cincinnati Observatory, which claims to be the oldest
in the United States, was founded in 1842 and has been in
its current location on the city's east side since 1871. 

It had one of its biggest nights ever Saturday, as
officials estimated about 800 people stood in line for a
chance to peer through the observatory's telescope. 

Outside, amateur astronomers set up telescopes on one of
the city's highest promontories. Bill Lewis, a 53-year
old computer programmer from suburban Montgomery,
declared the viewing a success. 

"It's a good one, because the sky is so clear," he said,
adjusting the focus on his new $500 rig. "I thought there
would be about 10 of us crazies out here, but look at the
crowd." 

Unlike in May, when the last total lunar eclipse was
visible from North America, the sky was mostly clear
Saturday night -- except for light, feathery clouds at
the moment the moon was totally covered, about 8:10 p.m.
EST. 

Total lunar eclipses can range in color -- from dark
brown and red to bright orange, yellow and even gray --
depending on how much dust and clouds are in the Earth's
atmosphere. Saturday night's eclipse appeared light red
to many people and brownish to others. 

Residents of the eastern United States could view the
eclipse from beginning to end, about 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
but it was already under way when the moon rose around
sunset in the West. 

Lunar eclipses are expected on May 4 and Oct. 28 next
year, but the first will not be visible from North
America, according to the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration. 

Source - http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2210938

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We had a beautiful view of the eclipse outside our dining 
room window.

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20031109/i/r3594202904.jpg

  REUTERS/Doug Murray

Posted on Saturday, November 8, 2003 by Cincinatus' Wife 

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November 6, 2003 - Senate Hearing on Lunar Exploration 

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10923

Posted on Saturday, November 8, 2003 by Cincinatus' Wife 

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