March 2, 2007 — It will take practically no effort to witness what promises to be a beautiful celestial event this weekend. Simply walk outside at sunset on Saturday and look to the east.
The full moon will be making its way skyward, dressed in red. The eclipse occurs because Earth will be exactly positioned between the sun and the moon so that most of the light falling on the moon is effectively blocked by Earth.
The moon's unusual coloring is caused by the bending of light waves that have curved around Earth and filtered through the atmosphere. The hue depends on how much dust exists there.
Parts of the eclipse, the first of two that will occur this year, will be visible on every continent, said Fred Espenak, with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Viewers in Europe, Africa, western Asia and part of Antarctica are in position to watch the entire eclipse.
In the Americas, the eclipse will be underway by the time the moon rises, according to NASA scientists. The full eclipse ends at 6:57 p.m. EST. After that, the moon will slowly shed its reddish cloak and turn sparklingly bright — provided there are no Earthly clouds in the way to block the view.
Unlike solar eclipses, there is no need to worry about protective eyeware when you watch Earth's shadow pass over the face of the full moon. The only sunlight you'll be seeing is what bounces off the moon — just a tiny fraction of the rays visible during a solar eclipse, for example.
Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between Earth and the sun. Looking directly into the sun, even though its visible light is blocked by the moon, can cause severe damage, or even blindness, to the unprotected human eye.
If cloudy skies prevent good viewing of Saturday's eclipse, take heart: You'll get another chance to see the moon disappear on Aug. 28. For that one though, you'll have to get up early. Show time begins at 4:50 a.m.
