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W.Pa. to see 3rd total lunar eclipse in year
Wednesday's lunar eclipse will be in the eastern sky, opposite the sunset. Unlike solar eclipses, which can damage retinas, people can look directly at a lunar eclipse.
Starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore will have free, expert-guided viewing on its roof. Telescopes will be available to see features of the moon as it moves into shadow.
The viewing depends on the weather, and visitors should call 412-237-3400 on Wednesday to ensure the viewing will occur. Visitors should enter Carnegie Science Center through the front doors and will be directed to the fifth-floor observatory.
Allison M. Heinrichs can be reached via e-mail or at 412-380-5607.
For the third time in a year, Western Pennsylvania will be treated to a total lunar eclipse. It will be the last time the region will see the moon totally enveloped by Earth's shadow for almost three years.
"It's really quite spectacular to watch," said John Radzilowicz, director of the Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Planetarium and Observatory.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and Earth line up with Earth in the middle. The Earth blocks the sun's light, casting a shadow on the full moon.
On average, a total lunar eclipse is visible from Pittsburgh every three years.
The moon will edge into Earth's shadow at 8:43 p.m. and be totally enveloped from 10:01 to 10:51 p.m. It will clear the shadow just after midnight.
This eclipse comes with a bonus: Saturn will hang in the eastern sky, looking like a yellowish star to the lower left of the moon.
During the 50 minutes the moon is in total eclipse, it will take on a reddish glow that could range from a muddy reddish brown to yellow-orange -- much like a sunset.
The moon is normally illuminated by the sun, which is why it can be seen from Earth. When the moon passes into Earth's shadow it darkens, but it doesn't disappear because indirect sunlight filtered through Earth's atmosphere refracts red light to the moon. The dustier Earth's atmosphere, the darker red the moon appears.
"One of the cool things is to see what color you get," Radzilowicz said. "We expect it to be a bright orange because there haven't been any big volcanic eruptions throwing dust in the air."
Because the moon will be high in the sky, it should be easy to view -- barring clouds. The National Weather Service is forecasting cloudy skies for Wednesday night, with temperatures in the low teens.
"Even if it is cloudy, a lunar eclipse takes several hours," said Ken Coles, a professor of geoscience at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who will give a free program about the eclipse Tuesday at the school's planetarium. "All we need is an occasional hole in the clouds to see it."
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