Total Lunar Eclipse Visible in Central Texas This Week
(KWTX) -A total lunar eclipse will be visible across Central Texas during the early morning hours of Friday March 14th. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth’s shadow to completely cover the moon.
In the Central Time Zone the eclipse will start around Midnight on the 14th, but the first part of the eclipse (known as a Penumbral Eclipse) may be hard to notice. As the Moon travels through the Earth’s penumbra, the faint outer part of Earth’s shadow, the Moon will only dim slightly. As the Moon travels into the darker shadow of the earth, known as the umbra, you will notice more of the moon turning dark. At 12:47 am (CDT) the Moon will be 50% eclipsed.
The lunar eclipse will reach totality at 1:29 am (CDT). During totality the brightness of the Moon decreases and it takes on a notable reddish tint. This is why the Moon is often referred to as a “Blood Moon” during totality. This reddish cooler is caused by longer wavelength colors (like red and orange) passing through the Earth’s atmosphere and reaching the Moon during totality. The peak of totality will occur at 1:59 am (CDT), and totality will end at 2:31 am (CDT).
No special equipment is needed to view a lunar eclipse, but for the best viewing experience it is recommended to find a location with an unobstructed view of the sky away from city lights.
In this week’s Degrees of Science we talked with a lunar expert from NASA about the total lunar eclipse.
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