Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

[Menehune Man]

I'm soooo looking forward to this! Even lucky enough to have the night off!

We'll see a spectacular total lunar eclipse from the Hawaiian Islands on the night of Dec. 20, 2010.

During a total eclipse the entire moon is in Earth's deep inner shadow. From about 9:45 to 10:50 p.m., the moon should turn a dark, eerie red.

While there is a lunar eclipse of some sort every six months, this is the first total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth in three years.

Lunar eclipses can only occur during full moons. Only then do we have a straight line between sun, Earth and moon, with Earth in the middle. Earth blocks most of the sunlight and stops that light from hitting the moon.

Link to complete story in the Star-Advertiser...
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/2...r_eclipse.html

[Kaonohi]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

M A H A L O !

We will be there... uh... here... uh whereever!


UNDER the MOON and the SUN.... ABOVE the EARTH.

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

This info begs the question: where would YOU personally go to catch this event for the best viewing?

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

This info begs the question: where would YOU personally go to catch this event for the best viewing?

I debated myself first and then decided to share where I'm going with HT'ers.
Inviting you all to come also. I sent this out to most folks in my email address book too!
Gotten a few 'WILL ATTENDS' already

"Hi everyone, (sent to a large eclectic group of friends and acquaintances)
I'm going up to the hill between Portlock and Hanauma Bay to hang out and watch it!
Here are the coords if they're useful to you. N21* 15.727 W157* 42.250
Moonrise will be at 5:39pm, so I'll be there by then with my liquid refreshments in hand. Sunset will be at 5:53pm. Wanna join me?
We'll see a spectacular total lunar eclipse from about 9:45 to 10:50 p.m., the moon should turn a dark, eerie red.

Park at: 21 16.437N 157 41.989W on Nawiliwili Street.
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&hl=en&q=Nawiliwili+Street,+Honolulu,+HI&um =1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Nawiliwili+St,+Honolulu,+HI+96825&gl=u s&ei=ArP2TNnMBJL0tgPdiIHPCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result &ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA
Park underneath a street light. You'll understand this better upon your return, the street is really dark.

To find trailhead walk back onto Kalanianeole highway and head up the hill for a short distance. Pass two driveways on your right and then look for a concrete barrier.
On the other side of this barrier is a dirt trail that will lead you to the main asphalt trail.

Once you step onto the asphalt trail, mentally mark the nearby telephone pole so you can find this trail on the way back down... have I mentioned that it gets -really-dark around these parts?

At some point in your upward stroll, you'll have a bird's eye view of Hanauma Bay on one side and Hawaii Kai on the other.
You'll also enjoy views in the distance of Koko Head, Makapuu, Waikiki and Diamond Head.

Bring a flashlight, whatever eats and drinks you wish, towel or something to sit on, jacket...

See ya there,
Jeff aka.-Menehune Man"

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Maybe someone from HT will post pictures afta, huh, willya?

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

The J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum, in partnership with the Hawaiian Astronomical Society, will host a free eclipse viewing party on the great lawn of the museum from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on December 20th. Volunteers from the Hawaiian Astronomical Society will be on hand with their large telescopes to help people observe the moon in its large, reddish detail.

The viewing event is FREE but interested participants should RSVP at 848-4176.

Other highlights of the evening include:

* The large telescope in the Museum’s observatory will be open for moon watching.
* Planetarium programs on eclipses. Show times 8:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
* NOAA’s Science on a Sphere, the glowing six-foot globe in the planetarium lobby, will be used to project images of the moon, sun and planets.

I'm still keeping my night off and will head up the hill above Portlock.
Wanted to share this event, some of you may wish to go.

[mel]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Here is the sequence I shot during the August 27 - 28, 2007 eclipse. Hopefully this year's lunar eclipse will be as good as that one. Clear skies for everyone I hope.


Total Lunar Eclipse by macprohawaii, on Flickr

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

It doesn't look like the weather will be very cooperative. This week.

Though Hanauma Bay side may be our best chance.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

It doesn't look like the weather will be very cooperative. This week.

Though Hanauma Bay side may be our best chance.

I was thinking Leeward, Even Kaena Point!... as Windward is socked in and very wet.

Hanauma Bay?? Which way is the weather coming from?
Guy says the rain will continue until Tuesday, at least!

Anyone got an airplane with a sunroof (moonroof) capable of holding all HT and flying above the clouds?

(Sigh) didn't think so...

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Have asked the powers that be and crossed my fingers for good clear skies. HaHa!
We'll see...

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Mel, those are spectacular photos. I just went outside in Pearlridge and the moon is quite visible. Clouds are there, but not obstructive so far.

[mel]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

I did not bother to look tonight since all reports stated cloudy skies and they were as such most of the day. I hope someone got a look and took pictures of the event. I love eclipses.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

I love ellipsis...

[pzarquon]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Got notice that the Bishop Museum event was canceled, though I suspect some turned out anyway. Menehune Man, how did your viewing go?

I was bummed for the Hawaii Astronomical Society members that were gearing up to share their telescopes with the 1,300+ people expected at Bishop Museum last night. The clouds were pretty heavy last night so I didn't even venture out to try and sneak a peek. Fortunately people elsewhere in the world were in a sharing mood. Here are some photos via Boston.com, and another series of shots featured on MSNBC.

The combination of Winter Solstice and an eclipse isn't common, per NASA:

This lunar eclipse falls on the date of the northern winter solstice. How rare is that? Total lunar eclipses in northern winter are fairly common. There have been three of them in the past ten years alone. A lunar eclipse smack-dab on the date of the solstice, however, is unusual. Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory inspected a list of eclipses going back 2000 years. "Since Year 1, I can only find one previous instance of an eclipse matching the same calendar date as the solstice, and that is 1638 DEC 21," says Chester. "Fortunately we won't have to wait 372 years for the next one...that will be on 2094 DEC 21."

[Menehune Man]

Re: Hawaii Lunar Eclipse Dec.20, 2010

Mrs. Menehune and I stayed home...
We cooked a nice meal together, drank some wine(her) and beer(me), while occasionally trying for a look at the eclipse. No good li'dat. But we had a nice time anyways.

I'll talk to my guys tonight about the canceling of the museum event.