pimblr.com

The last total lunar eclipse until 2010 proved to be a tantalizing affair for amateur astronomers.
The full moon that normally paints the Dakota Wesleyan University campus with pale silver light was barely visible to members of Michael Farney’s honors astronomy class Wednesday night.
The students who filled the front deck at Farney’s 1313 W. University Ave. home and peered into a small telescope had to be satisfied with partial views of the eclipse as the moon played a coy game of hide-and-seek behind ribbed veils of clouds.
Dakota Wesleyan University Professor Mike Farney, right, hosted an eclipse viewing party Wednesday for his honors astronomy class. The students, from left, are Seth LaBounty, Rose Decker, Kara Robertson, Shannon Mack and Wade Schoenfelder. (Ross Dolan/Republic)
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon passes into Earth’s shadow and is blocked from the sun’s rays that normally illuminate it. During an eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon line up, leaving a darkened moon visible to observers on the night side of the planet. Clouds obscured a bonus viewing of Saturn’s rings.
Viewings were brief during Wednesday’s zero-degree temperatures.
“It’s cold out,” said a cheery Farney, “but we have seen a little bit of the eclipse.”
The rest of the time, students retreated indoors to hang with Farney’s cats who, displaying typical feline intelligence, stayed out of the cold.
Around 9 p.m. students confirmed that the eclipse was indeed total and, satisfied, quickly retreated indoors for brownies and other refreshments.
“By sheer luck the eclipse happened right in the middle of class,” said Farney. The five-member “Worlds Real and Imagined” astronomy class meets from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays.
“You can’t beat that for scheduling,” he said.
Wednesday’s total eclipse lasted about an hour. Earth’s shadow blotted out the moon beginning around 7 p.m. on the West Coast and 10 p.m. on the East Coast. West Coast skygazers missed the start of the eclipse because it occurred before moonrise. Wednesday’s event was the last total lunar eclipse until Dec. 20, 2010. Last year there were two.
Later this year, in August, there will be a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse.
— The Associated Press contributed to this story.

mitchellrepublic.com

Wednesday night YouNewsTV users helped CBS 5 document the lunar eclipse.
Bryon Rexford shot video of the moon from outside a school in Fredonia.He’s been shooting events and says he is most fascinated by the weather.
Another entry came from Shawn O’Neil in Oswego. He uploaded several pictures to YouNewsTV.
Click the video link to see Michael Benny’s full report on how YouNewsTV users helped CBS 5 document this lunar eclipse.
Portions may also be copyrighted by the Associated Press and/or CBS. WTVH is an Equal Employment Opportunity Company.

wtvh.com

Total lunar eclipse approaches, as seen from a Central Massachusetts vantage point, around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Watching the moon from the East Coast offered one of the world’s clearest vantage points for Wednesday night’s total lunar eclipse. This photo, taken around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday night, shows the shadow practically in place, across the face of the moon. Overcast skies threatened the view for many night sky watchers. Relatively clear skies in Central Massachusetts, however, offered a decent view.
Here’s a Reuter’s story, which explains the dismay of many Brits, who had a perspective obstructed by clouds.

wickedlocal.com

Skygazers worried about cloudy weather may get a break during tonight’s total lunar eclipse.
A break in the clouds, that is.
Despite the so-so visibility that’s predicted, the eclipse will take long enough to boost the odds of glimpses now and then.
“The last several evenings have been projected to be cloudy, and we’ve had some favorable breaks in the clouds,” said Clyde Simpson, an astronomer at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. “It doesn’t hurt to toss the coat on, go outside and take a glance.”
Visible or not, the moon will be overhead from the time it enters the Earth’s partial shadow at 7:37 p.m. until it leaves it at 1:16 a.m. The moon will be totally eclipsed from 10:01 p.m. to 10:51 p.m.
If clouds hide the moon at first, make sure you have an open horizon to the southeast and south. Then just keep looking and hoping.

cleveland.com