Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Tonight's Dazzling 'Supermoon' Lunar Eclipse: What You'll See

Posted by samzenpus on from the have-a-look dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Astronomers are gearing up to spot a rare phenomenon, as a lunar eclipse coincides with a so-called "supermoon". Whether you think it marks the beginning of the apocalypse or is just a neat thing to look at tonight, Live Science has some tips and a timetable for best viewing in your area. The moon enters Earth's full shadow, called the umbra, starting at 9:07 p.m. EDT (6:07 p.m. PDT). The total eclipse begins at 10:11 p.m. EDT (7:11 p.m. PDT). Totality lasts an hour and 12 minutes, at which point a bright sliver of the moon will emerge and grow.

49 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. I'm not saying there's gonna be aliens, but... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

    There's not gonna be any aliens. Did you expect me to say something different?

  2. Re:Republicans are freaking out by JMJimmy · · Score: 1

    It's a Super Blood Moon so the crazies will definitely be out..

  3. What will I see? by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 2

    Probably 100% cloud cover here on the mid atlantic coast.

    1. Re:What will I see? by Maury+Markowitz · · Score: 1

      85% here in Toronto.

    2. Re:What will I see? by turning+in+circles · · Score: 1

      95% cloud cover here in the midwest (Indianapolis). We will see . . . nothing! Stupid clouds.

      --
      Might as well face it I'm addicted to data.
    3. Re: What will I see? by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Perfect viewing conditions around Montreal. Watched it disappear, nothing to see after totality. (At least nothing I could see. YEMV - your eyes may vary).

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  4. Clouds by BradleyUffner · · Score: 1

    Lots and lots of clouds.

    1. Re:Clouds by Bathroom+Humor · · Score: 1

      Indeed. South-east coast of the U.S. has almost no visible night sky, it seems.

  5. Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by PvtVoid · · Score: 5, Informative

    The concept of a "supermoon" was invented by an astrologer, and has exactly zero astronomical significance. The moon is slightly larger in the sky. Whooooaah.

    1. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The concept of a "supermoon" was invented by an astrologer

      The word was coined by an astrologer, but no-one invents astronomical events. And it is an astronomical event, regardless of who came up with the word or why.

      And the term probably sees more far use these days without any connection to astrology, as here.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by willworkforbeer · · Score: 1

      The concept of a "supermoon" was invented by an astrologer

      The word was coined by an astrologer, but no-one invents astronomical events.

      Every-one knows some-one who invented a coined spelling though :-)

      --
      Pretending this is my office full of bitter coworkers..
    3. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      The word was coined by an astrologer, but no-one invents astronomical events. And it is an astronomical event, regardless of who came up with the word or why.

      That sound you heard was the OP's point whooshing over your head. Nobody is debating that it's an astronomical event - only that it's a non-event, of no actual significance beyond generating media hype.

    4. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That sound you heard was the OP's point whooshing over your head. Nobody is debating that it's an astronomical event - only that it's a non-event, of no actual significance beyond generating media hype.

      It depends on what you mean by "actual significance." Sure, nothing is colliding tonight. No major astronomical bodies are being destroyed with the force of millions of nuclear explosions or anything.

      But astronomy is primarily an observational science. People who are interested in astronomy generally get all excited about "rare events," which generally happen at least once per month -- "ooh, there's a conjunction of X and Y!" or "this is the closest approach of X and Y for the next 18 years!"

      That IS what most amateur astronomers consider "actual significance." It's sort of like birdwatching -- where it's fun to spot something "rare" or whatever. (I'm personally not that into it, though I have found it mildly interesting in the past.)

      Anyhow, a total lunar eclipse -- while not that uncommon -- is already the most interesting astronomical event that laypeople can easily observe. I myself have been surprised by them a number of times -- I'm just driving along at night and happen to turn in the direction of the full moon, and there it is with the tell-tale orange-ish or red-ish hue, or with an apparent chunk out of it.

      This one happens to occur when the moon is somewhat bigger and brighter, so yeah, it's probably one of the most interesting and visible astronomical events that most people would ever bother to look at. Most other things that get even amateur astronomy buffs interested would require a telescope or at least binoculars and some knowledge of the sky. But any 5-year-old can point up tonight and say, "Hey Mom -- Look! The moon is red!! Cool!"

      Is that of "actual significance"? Depends on your definition. But it's at least mildly cool. And if it gets some kids interested in science, what the heck is your problem with it? It's not "media hype" to point out one of the most visible astronomical phenomena.

    5. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

      The concept of a "supermoon" was invented by an astrologer, and has exactly zero astronomical significance. The moon is slightly larger in the sky. Whooooaah.

      The "supermoon" may have little astronomical significance, but the moon has significant cultural significance. Many of which carry on to this day. We used to think the moon made us crazy, hence words based on the moon for crazy - lunatic, lunacy, etc.

      And there's other cultural significance, including terms like "once in a blue moon" (which was retro-defined as two full moons in a month, which isn't all that rare an event).

      The "supermoon" is just the moon reaching it's closest approach to earth, however, the "rare event" is the fact it's at its closest approach AND we have a lunar eclipse.

      There may be zero astronomical significance to what happens/happened, but given the moon's ties to human culture, it's more of a cultural thing than scientific. At the very least, you can give everyone a scientific lecture on the moon to educate them, which isn't a bad thing.

    6. Re:Enough with the fucking "Supermoon" already! by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Having seen a total solar eclipse, and been out last night, I'm going to say that the solar eclipse is lots more interesting than the lunar, even with the supermoon. Seeing the dark side of the Moon surrounded by the corona is awesome.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  6. Re: Republicans are freaking out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Republicans aren't, and do not need to, freak out.

    YOU should be freaking out.

  7. Re:Republicans are freaking out by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

    Better watch out for alien attacks.

  8. Yeah right by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 2

    And I suppose "Superman" is just a slightly larger human being.

    1. Re:Yeah right by gerddie · · Score: 1

      No "Superman" is just average, the real hero is "Bicycle Repair Man".

    2. Re:Yeah right by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    3. Re:Yeah right by RDW · · Score: 1

      And I suppose "Superman" is just a slightly larger human being.

      https://xkcd.com/1394/

  9. Prepare your observation... by Arkh89 · · Score: 3, Informative

    You can use Stellarium (http://www.stellarium.org/, or with the help of your package manager) to get a preview of tonight's sky at your terrestrial location (not accounting for cloud cover though). This includes a simulation of the actual eclipse.

    1. Re:Prepare your observation... by MyAlternateID · · Score: 1

      You can use Stellarium (http://www.stellarium.org/, or with the help of your package manager) to get a preview of tonight's sky at your terrestrial location (not accounting for cloud cover though). This includes a simulation of the actual eclipse.

      Seconded. Stellarium is very good. My last purposeful use of it was to see the configuration of the sky on the winter solstice of 2012 (the one that got so much attention). It was 2010 or so at the time. Since then I've had fun just messing with it, having it fetch space telescope pictures for certain items, etc. It's gotten me more interested in astronomy.

  10. GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 5, Informative

    Once again, Slashdot firmly planted itself in US-only only land, completely ignoring the other 6billion+ of us on this little planet... *sigh*. At least these times cover Canada and South America, somewhat, even if only by accident.

    Anyway, for the rest of us:

    Partial eclipse begins at 01:07:13 UTC
    Totality starts at 02:11:12 UTC
    Maximum eclipse at 02:47:09 UTC
    Totality ends at 03:23:05 UTC
    Partial eclipse ends at 04:27:05

    Find these times in your local timezone here: http://www.timeanddate.com/ecl...

    1. Re:GMT / UTC ? by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 1

      What makes you think that the whole world prefers to use some time zone established by imperialist European powers for their own convenience?

    2. Re:GMT / UTC ? by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      oh no!!! you need to do some math to figure out what time it is!!!

      does it matter if they use easter, GMT or UTC? either way you still need to translate it to your local time

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    3. Re: GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      Because it's not "American", most likely...

    4. Re:GMT / UTC ? by moronoxyd · · Score: 1

      I would think that quite a few technical inclined people know how their local time zone relates to UTC.
      Very few outside the Americas know how their local time zone relates to Pacific Time or Eastern Standard Time.

    5. Re: GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      Indeed. So use the internationally agreed and recognised central time of UTC (or GMT) so people don't need to do extra maths firstly covering from some US based timezone back to UTC and then to their own.

      Your snarky comment really just proves the point that the US thinks only about the US.

    6. Re: GMT / UTC ? by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      well, we are on a US based website...... Yes people from other countries come to this site. so what? I dont complain when I go to the daily mail and in their articles they use their local time or if i go to a russian site they use their local time.

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    7. Re:GMT / UTC ? by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      Yes it matters, and it shows your ignorance ;D
      I don't know what time Eastern time or Pacific time is, however I know that I'm 1 hour (summer time 2 hours) of from UTC.
      If you don't know how far you are off from UTC I hope you never have a job requiring that (pilot, captain of a boat/ship etc.)

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    8. Re:GMT / UTC ? by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      on a us centric site, expect to see eastern, central, and pacific time.

      UTC is 4 hours ahead of eastern time.

      now you know

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    9. Re:GMT / UTC ? by caviare · · Score: 1

      This is a good question. Here's the answer. UTC is never a daylight saving time. With UTC you don't have to be aware of the daylight saving time rules of a foreign country. You only have to be aware of when your own time zone goes on and off daylight saving. It does make it simpler to figure out mentally.

      This is particularly important for opposite hemisphere countries, which go on and off daylight savings time at roughly opposite times instead of roughly the same time.

      Many countries do change their daylight savings time rules every now and again, for example the US as recently as 2007:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_time_in_the_United_States/

      Nobody wants to keep up with the changes to all the daylight savings regimes of all the countries in the world. Very often people do not take the trouble to say whether a time is a daylight saving time or a standard time. The reader first has to figure that out.

      I don't point the finger at slashdot because it is an American site. However quoting some particular countries time in an international forum is inconsiderate, ignorant or imperialistic. Pick one or more.

    10. Re:GMT / UTC ? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      GMT has a universally known meeting. I don't have a clue what EDT, PDT or any of the US time zones even stand for let alone how many hours ahead or behind they are. On a site that is international in target audience they could at least have written (GMT-something) next to EDT. At least then it would be simple math

    11. Re: GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      I would expect something like the New York Times, which is aimed almost exclusively at the US population, to use EDT/lbs/miles/etc. However Slashdot is aimed at an International audience -- whilst it maybe be a US _based_ site, it is not aimed at a US only audience.

      It is a site for nerds and geeks, which are typically people with a science-type background or interest, yet it constantly uses US terms as if it's only the US audience that matters*. And while I understand that many US readers might not understand SI units, or anything "non-American", I would still expect, somewhat, that this site should use Internationally agreed standards, and then maybe add in brackets the US equivalent. Its seems to me to be the Right Thing To Do for a site for geeks.

      * which seems in keeping with most of the US population, I suppose -- at least by appearances to the rest of the world.

    12. Re:GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      More correctly, (US) Eastern Time is 4 or 5 hours behind UTC, depending on whether you are talking EDT or EST (respectively). UTC is never before or behind any other timezone, all other timezones are before or behind UTC.

      Hence, EST = UTC+0500 and EDT = UTC+0400

      It's a minor, but important, distinction.

    13. Re:GMT / UTC ? by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      That would be UTC-5 and UTC-4

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    14. Re: GMT / UTC ? by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      Yes. Yes, it would. I realised, 12 hours later, that I entered the wrong sign...
      Simple mistakes like that have crashed rockets!

      Sorry folks. Mea culpa.

  11. Suckage by istartedi · · Score: 1

    High clouds likely, west coast so low on the horizon (good for superman effect if not clarity) but twilight (bad). Also a ridge to the east and I don't feel like driving because my car needs work. I might not see anything at all. If money were no object I'd drive a rental camper out into the Nevada desert.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    1. Re:Suckage by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it's looking a little too cloudy in these parts for a good viewing. :(

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:Suckage by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      good for superman effect

      As is wearing underpants over pants and tying a bedsheet around your neck.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    3. Re:Suckage by istartedi · · Score: 1

      Update--actually didn't suck. Cleared the ridge in totality. Not the best LE I've ever seen; but enjoyed watching it slowly emerge and then was able to check on the fat crescent once in a while. The bright light when it was restored was also fantastic. Oh and yes, superMOON.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  12. Come on people, you can do better. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you're plans for tonight's Super Blood MoonTM don't involve entheogens, nudity and a pagan ritual, you're just not trying hard enough.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Come on people, you can do better. by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      Oh? What are you planning?

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  13. Re:Odd things have happened during one by tompaulco · · Score: 1

    If it had said the moon will turn to darkness, then it would maybe apply.
    I am a Christian, but I don't subscribe to anything that claims to know the beginning of the end. Anyway that claims they know is not being Biblical.
    I could come up with a convincing set of numbers that tomorrow is the beginning of the end. I could come up with another set for the day after. There have been hundreds or maybe thousands of astrological and numerical events which people have predicted to be the end of the world, and so far none of the have panned out. One day, one may be right, but it will be just by coincidence.

    --
    If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  14. Re:Odd things have happened during one by PPH · · Score: 1

    >about:mozilla

    The twins of Mammon quarrelled. Their warring plunged the world into a new darkness, and the beast abhorred the darkness. So it began to move swiftly, and grew more powerful, and went forth and multiplied. And the beasts brought fire and light to the darkness.

    from The Book of Mozilla, 15:1

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  15. Seeing it right now... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Pretty cool! I was looking @ it, & it looked like a 1/2 moon, then a sort of "corona" (silvery on edge) started - & then, it started showing redder & redder from that edge to a dark middle patch.

    * Now, it's almost SOLID red... started about 10:15 p.m. here (central NY) & it's around 10:35 p.m. now.

    APK

    P.S.=> The entire transition of the above only took like maybe, oh say, 10-20 minutes tops. Going to go finish watching it more now, later... apk

  16. It was red by Carewolf · · Score: 1

    And now I haven't had enough sleep for getting out of bed at 4am, slashdot really does waste time ;)

  17. Re:Odd things have happened during one by gzuckier · · Score: 1

    "The sun will turn into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    The 8th "Biblical Tetrad" occurs in 2014-2015 and there will not be another "Biblical Tetrad" for almost 600 years. We are in the time of this tetrad now.

    This is part of a "tetrad" (iirc, 4-in-a-row of them in the same relative timeframe) of them - those are the ones "weird things" have been known to happen on them.

    For jews & christians in particular, some weird things have happened coinciding with these lunar events.

    Jesus death & resurrection Jews return to Zion/Israel declared a nation Great Plague of Europe Millions of Jews + Christians martyred

    As far as my subject? There's more data here:

    http://www.jesusonmymind.com/s...

    Lastly/IRONIC: My "captcha" = MOONED!

    APK

    P.S.=> Do I *believe* this is "the end of the world" as the article summary states some will believe (or rather the beginning of the end)? I don't really know WHAT to believe in anymore there's so much bullshit false propoganda or circumstantial evidence coincidences - but, I'll tell you what I believe after we go through this & time after (only way to be certain's to see for yourself)... apk

    apocalyptic events: pope comes to US and Cuba; Boehner quits; VW cheats on diesel emissions; hedge fund manager moves into drug marketing;

    --
    Star Trek transporters are just 3d printers.