Total Lunar Eclipse - March 3-4

Posted by Georgene A. Bramlage Mar 1, 2007

Information from Earth & Sky - A Clear Voice for Science

tells us that Earth’s shadow will strike the moon directly - the total phase of tonight’s eclipse (when the moon is totally engulfed in Earth’s shadow ) for 73 minutes. However, there’s also a partial eclipse on either side of the total phase, so the whole show, from start to finish,l asts for 3 hours and 41 minutes.

Although the eclipse is visible from all continents, there are some land masses which will mioss out. The eastern U.S. sees a total eclipse as the moon rises at sunset; whereas the middle U.S. sees a partial eclipse at moonrise. The western U.S. misses out on the dark umbral phase.

Unfortunately, the following locations miss out entirtely:

• western one-third of the U. S. (including Alaska and Hawaii),
• western Canada,
• easternmost Russia,
• New Zealand, and
• the eastern two-thirds of Australia.