This Sunday, January 20, starting at 8:36PM, we will experience our only lunar eclipse for 2019.
The total lunar eclipse will last approximately five hours, and will end at 1:48AM on January 21st. Totality is expected to occur at 11:12PM.
If you would like to get out and witness this for yourself, you’re in luck! There will be two spots in Birmingham where you can go:
Oak Mountain State Park
The Birmingham Astronomical Society and Oak Mountain State Park will host at the Golf Pro-shop for parking and the golf course driving range for viewing! Please arrive by 10:30pm to ensure everyone is in place for a good view! Bring a flashlight! There will be bathrooms available! Urban Pops is coming with their truck offering HOT Chocolate and Gourmet Coffees and corn dogs, fried Oreos, macaroons, cannolis, brownies, and more! The Golf Pro Shop (not the grill) will be OPEN for this event if you need to warm up! Restrooms will also be open and warm! This event is free and open to all ages with admission to OMSP!
Samford University Quad
Bring chairs / blankets / hot chocolate and enjoy an evening under the stars (and moon)! This Family Friendly Event is Free! 8pm – 1am. You can follow their Facebook page for updates and more information
About the Lunar Eclipse:
As the full moon passes through the shadow of the Earth, a number of factors will combine to create a so-called “super blood wolf moon.” The eclipse will be visible from anywhere in the U.S. for 62 minutes on Sunday night, as well as South America and parts of Europe and Africa.
The event will also create what some call a “blood moon,” a moon with a reddish tint. Because particles in the Earth’s atmosphere scatter blue light, only the remaining red light will reach the moon when the Earth blocks the sun. That red light will bounce off the moon, resulting in a coppery hue
The name “wolf moon” just means a full moon in January, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Combining the terms together, some skygazers are calling the event a “super blood wolf moon,” though scientists still refer to the event as a total lunar eclipse.
