Early on the morning of Tuesday, March 3 the moon passes through Earth's shadow to create what is known as a Total Lunar Eclipse. Weather permitting, the Delta College Planetarium will hold a free viewing session from its rooftop observation deck starting at 5am.
A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and the moon are in perfect alignment, and the orbital movement of the moon carries it through Earth’s shadow over the course of a few hours. Anyone on the night side of Earth, facing the full moon during that time, can witness the event. Lunar eclipses can happen up to twice a year somewhere on Earth, but Michiganders won’t see another Total Lunar Eclipse until June 26, 2029.
Visitors are encouraged to dress warmly for viewing. If the skies are clear, telescopes and binoculars will be set up for the public to view through with the guidance of planetarium staff and the Delta College Astronomy Club. Lunar eclipses are completely safe to look at directly with your eyes, binoculars or a telescope (unlike solar eclipses).
The moon will begin passing into Earth’s shadow at 4:50am, at which time the curved shadow will slowly advance across the face of the moon. The lunar surface will be completely immersed in the shadow from 6:04 – 7:02am, giving it a distinctive reddish color. The red and orange hues come from the sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere onto the moon, which inspired the informal term, “Blood Moon.” Just as totality ends, the moon will set in the west as the sun rises in the east. Only people living in the western U.S. will get to see the moon gradually reemerge from Earth’s shadow.
“A total lunar eclipse can only take place during a full moon when Earth’s shadow stretches out directly opposite the sun” says Mike Murray, astronomer and manager of the planetarium. “This month’s full moon is also known as the ‘Worm Moon.’ This is commonly credited to the Native Americans who noted the thawing of soil and reappearance of earthworms,” Murray adds. “The Ojibwe People often referred to the March full moon as ‘The Sap Moon,’ who associated this time with the tapping of maple trees as the sap began to flow.”
For more information about the event, visit the planetarium’s website. In case of cloudy weather, the viewing event will be canceled. The public should check the planetarium’s Facebook page the night before to confirm a “go” or “no-go.” The Delta College Planetarium is located at 100 Center Avenue in downtown Bay City.
