Explanation:
No special filters - or even a telescope - are required to enjoy a
leisurely lunar eclipse.
In fact, watched from all over the
night side of planet Earth, these
regular
celestial performances have entertained many casual skygazers.
Still, this
eye-catching
picture of a lunar eclipse may look unfamiliar.
To make it, astroimager Stefan Seip set his camera
on a tripod and locked the shutter open during the total lunar
eclipse of March 3, 2007.
The resulting image records the
trail of the Moon
(and narrower trails of stars)
sliding through the night.
Reddish hues
common during the total phase of a lunar eclipse,
are evident along the darker, slimmer portion of the Moon trail.
At least part of
tonight's lunar eclipse
will be visible in clear
skies over
the Americas, Europe, Africa and western Asia.
The eclipse lasts
over three hours from
start to finish, with
about 50 minutes of totality.
Tonight's eclipse is the last total lunar eclipse until
December of 2010.
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