View the Lunar Ellipse @ The Royal Observatory Greenwich
January 9th 2001 (Total Lunar Eclipse)
ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH TO OPEN TO PUBLIC FOR EVENING VIEWING
On the evening of 9 January 2001, astronomers, students and members of the public can watch a total eclipse of the Moon from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
To celebrate the event, the Observatory will open to the public for the whole evening.
Visitors will be able to use the Observatory's 28-inch refracting telescope to make observations. Telescopes will also be trained on Jupiter and Saturn, as well as the eclipsed Moon, under the supervision of expert astronomer guides. The Observatory galleries will also be open.
Total lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is exactly in line with the Earth and Sun and moves into the Earth's shadow. They can be seen wherever the Moon is above the horizon and so, from a given spot on the Earth's surface, are much more common than solar eclipses.
This eclipse is visible from Western Europe (including the whole of the British Isles ), western Africa and the eastern half of the Americas.
The total phase of the lunar eclipse will last for over an hour. The Moon will enter the lighter, penumbral shadow of the Earth at 1744 GMT. Soon after, observers may notice that the moon has a distinctly yellow colour . At 1843 GMT the Moon enters the umbral shadow.
The shadow of the Earth then moves across the Moon until it is totally eclipsed by 1950 GMT. Totality lasts until 2052 . It leaves the umbra at 2200 GMT and the penumbra at 2258 GMT.
During the total eclipse, the Moon will darken considerably but is unlikely to disappear. It generally has a beautiful brick-red hue as a result of light from the Sun being refracted onto the lunar surface by the Earth's atmosphere.
Admission to Lunar Eclipse event by pre-booked ticket only. Tickets available from the Greenwich Royal Observcatory Bookings Unit on (020) 8312 6608. International +44 208 312 6608. Adults £6.00, Children and Concessions £5.00
Links
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