Lunar eclipse watch set Thursday at SUU

Southern Utah University in Cedar City will host a lunar eclipse watch Thursday evening, when the moon will slip for a time into Earth's shadow.

An SUU astronomer is inviting the public to Ashcroft Observatory starting at 8 p.m., shortly before the first partial eclipse phase begins. The moon will rise about half an hour later, already partly eclipsed.

According to Renee Ballenger of SUU, visitors can reach the observatory by driving west of Cedar City on U-56, then south on Westview Road and finally heading left up an unpaved road.

While southern Utahns are bumping along the dirt road to the observatory, Salt Lake residents will be gathering at the Brickyard Plaza Harmon's grocery store parking lot, 3270 S. 1300 East, to watch the spectacle. This lunar eclipse watch is sponsored by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society, which will arrange telescopes for those wishing to watch our planet's shadow darkening craters.

In southern Utah, Brent Sorensen, SUU associate professor of physics, will set up his 24-inch telescope to accommodate eclipse fans, weather allowing.

"People are invited to bring their own telescopes, cameras, tripods, sleeping bags, lawn chairs, snacks," Ballenger said in a press release.

"This will be a beautiful eclipse, perfectly placed in the early evening," Sorensen said in the release.

NASA officials noted that the eclipse will be visible throughout North and South America, except for Alaska. No special gear is needed to watch the moon darken, but a telescope or binoculars will provide a closer view of the moon's surface during these changes.

Even when the moon is totally eclipsed, about 10:06 p.m., it may show a bit of reddish color. This is not because the moon itself is glowing but will be caused by sunlight bouncing off Earth's atmosphere and onto our neighboring orb.

"How dark and red the moon appears during that interval depends on what's floating in Earth's atmosphere," a NASA statement noted.

"Dust storms and volcanic eruptions can fill the air with particles that redden sunsets and eclipsed moons alike. Sometimes the moon is so dark it's nearly invisible. Other times it's a lovely shade of bright copper."

The eclipse will end about 11:17 p.m. If clouds block the view, Utahns can take heart knowing the next lunar eclipse will happen Nov. 8.

---

E-mail: bau@desnews.com