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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 8, 2011 - 07:33pm PT
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A total eclipse of the Moon will be visible in the early morning skies of western Northern America. The action begins around 4:45 am Pacific Standard Time when the red shadow of Earth first falls across the lunar disk.
By 6:05 am Pacific Time, the Moon will be fully engulfed in red light. This event—the last total lunar eclipse until 2014—is visible from the Pacific side of North America, across the entire Pacific Ocean to Asia and Eastern Europe.
Not only will the Moon be beautifully red, it will also be inflated by the Moon illusion. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects.
In fact, a low Moon is no wider than any other Moon (cameras prove it) but the human brain insists otherwise. To observers in the western USA, therefore, the eclipse will appear super-sized. Why the red color? Earth’s stratosphere is the key: “During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the moon passes through the stratosphere where it is reddened by scattering,” he explains. “If the stratosphere is loaded with dust from volcanic eruptions, the eclipse will be dark; a clear stratosphere, on the other hand, produces a brighter eclipse. At the moment, the stratosphere is mostly clear with little input from recent volcanoes.” -NASA
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/when-is-the-next-total-lunar-eclipse-for-north-america
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 8, 2011 - 07:53pm PT
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MH. As your official Non-canine Idaho news source: I can confidently predict the full eclipse for this Sat. morning 12/10.
Unfourtunately, as always, clouds will likely block the coastal BC view.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there, fritz, me too-- what day? can it be seen way off in michigan? i will check the link, too, :)
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fsck
climber
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Saturday morning, Dec. 10..
Partial eclipse begins: 12:46 Universal Time
Total eclipse begins: 14:06 UT
Greatest eclipse: 14:32 UT
Total eclipse ends: 14:57 UT
Partial eclipse ends: 16:18 UT
(from the earthsky.org site)
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 8, 2011 - 08:20pm PT
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Ok. Here is the official translation of Eclipse times into Mountain time zone:
Mountain Standard Time:
Partial eclipse begins: 5:46 a.m.
Total eclipse begins: 7:06 a.m.
Greatest eclipse: 7:32 a.m.
Total eclipse ends: 7:57 a.m.
Partial eclipse ends: 9:18 a.m.
Oh, and for those of you in "more civilized" parts of western North America.
Pacific Standard Time:
Partial eclipse begins: 4:46 a.m.
Total eclipse begins: 6:06 a.m.
Greatest eclipse: 6:32 a.m.
Total eclipse ends: 6:57 a.m.
Partial eclipse ends: 8:18 a.m.
Here's a link with specific time information and more trivia.
http://earthsky.org/tonight/lunar-eclipse-for-north-america-before-sunrise-december-10
Neebee: It is not going to be a "great eclipse" in Michigan. Here is information for Central Time zone.
Central Standard Time:
Partial eclipse begins: 6:46 a.m.
Total eclipse begins: 8:06 a.m.
Greatest eclipse: 8:32 a.m.
Total eclipse ends: 8:57 a.m.
Partial eclipse ends: 10:18 a.m.
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Captain...or Skully
climber
Where are you bound?
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Just head for a high spot. That's my plan. I'm a morning guy, anyway.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, fritz... thanks for the info, none the less...
:)
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Nice effort to share this important information!
TFPU!
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Remember, DO NOT look directly at the eclipse. You'll ruin your eyes.
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briham89
Trad climber
los gatos. ca
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Sweet, I'll be in Yosemite. It's gunna be cold!
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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I'll be in Josh with The Bird.....classic!
Peace
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 8, 2011 - 10:46pm PT
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del cross: Thank you for your question.
In San Francisco the moon sets at 7:19am. How low in the sky is it going to be be at 6:06am? Civil twilight is at 6:46am.
I've seen the moon red before. Is there any chance it will be some other color?
I would love to help you out on the correct time to watch the lunar-eclipse in the Bay area, as well as its exact color tone. I do realize that San Francisco is the center of the universe, and the only place anyone should care about.
However I am only an Idaho-based Posteur.
I do believe wolves will be lively & hungry just after the eclipse. We should be quite careful as to where we gather to watch this event in: Idaho, Montana, & Wyoming.
Best Wishes!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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at "totality" the moon will be at altitude of 7º above the horizon at Livermore, CA (37.65283 N, 121.77625 W)
that is about a half an hour before it sets...
to judge the height, that would be roughly the angle that the width of three of my fingers held at arms length above the horizon..
if you are planning on viewing it, make sure you have a clear view of the horizon
here is a chart for Livermore, CA of the Moon's altitude as a function of local time, note that the Moon sets at 7:15am locally
if you want one for your viewing area, just post your town and I'll make one for you (it isn't going to change much around the Bay Area...)
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briham89
Trad climber
los gatos. ca
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hey ed, do you think it will be high enough in the sky to see it in the valley? or am I going to have to take a cold morning hike up el cap?
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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you'll be able to see parts of it from the Valley floor, but better would be to drive up 41 to the parking area beyond the Wawona tunnel above the Rostrum or hike out (carefully!) to the top of Elephant Rock...
the moon will be at a bearing of from 274º to 298º throughout that time, not a great bearing to shoot from the Valley floor, best would be on top of Half Dome or Glacier Point, but it's hard getting in that position this time of year....
also, take something that has a telephoto or a zoom... and shoot a lot in manual mode (if you can) playing with the aperture setting the exposure time to around 1/200 s a tripod or some steady support for your camera would be best... adjust the aperture to give you a sharp well illuminated image. For composition, get a view that includes the tree line, or some geographic feature (Devil's Dance Floor) at that bearing will make it more interesting...
good luck... I won't be in the Valley on Saturday so you all get the good shots and post up here!
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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For Bay area Eclipsophants, the forecast is for clear skies.
So about 4:00 AM tomorrow, find one of the many high points overlooking the Pacific.
Skyline Blvd just South of 92, Skyline just south of 84, Skyline just south of 9.
Marin headlands will probably be crowded. Ft Funston ditto. There's a great viewpoint at the top of the hill on Hwy 1 North of Muir Beach.
Skyline Drive in the Berkeley hills.
Plenty of good sites in Midpeninsula Regional Open Space along Skyline but the trails are closed at night.
There are a couple of good views on Alpine Rd about 2 miles West of Skyline.
Great high points all along Hwy 1 from Pacifica to Big Sur.
I'll bet it will be spectacular from the beaches as the moon comes out of the eclipse and then sets!!!
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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For The Valley, what about hiking up the EL Cap trail that leaves 120 just N of the Foresta road? It's all burned off so there won't be any trees in the way. It might have a better view to the West because the intervening ridges are lower and more distant.
Tioga Rd is open!
Top of Cathedral Pk? THAT would be a picture. Conness/Dana?
Even Mt Hoffman, an easy walk from the car.
Olmstead Pt doesn't "look" in the right direction.
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scuffy b
climber
dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene
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You may think this is absurd, but I'm having problems with the geometry.
I've seen lunar eclipses before, but always involving a setting sun and
rising moon.
I know that I only need a view to the West, easy enough to come by, but I
keep thinking how hard it will be for me to get a good view of the sunrise.
And I really am good at spatial relations, I swear!!
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