Tonight we get to see (if it happens to be clear, which is doubtful here in my neck of the woods) the last total lunar eclipse until the end of 2010. The festivities start at 8:43 PM Eastern time, with totality beginning at 10:01, and lasting until 10:51. Even in totality, some indirect light gets filtered by the Earth’s atmosphere and makes it to the moon, so it remains visible. Our atmosphere filters out blue light, and since there hasn’t been a lot of volcanic activity this year,the moon should turn a vivid orange or red. As a bonus, the moon will be framed by the planet Saturn on one side, and the bright star Regulus on the other. It should be quite a show.

If it looks clear, I may just have to drag my telescope out (been a while since I used it; they put a gas station in behind my house a few years back, with lights that light up my back yard as if it’s high noon all night, which kinda put the kibosh on stargazing). Once the moon hides in our shadow, I should be able to see Saturn’s rings, though, and that never gets old, although it might get a little cold; it’s supposed be down toward single digits tonight here.

I hope it’s clear in your part of the world tonight. Enjoy.