LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Set your alarms: Between 3:30 and 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, there will be a total lunar eclipse.
This will be the second eclipse to occur in 2014.
The Oct. 8 eclipse will last for approximately 60 minutes.
There will not be another eclipse until September 2015.
A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon are lined up, with the moon in the earth’s shadow.
Since the moon has no light of its own – it shines with reflected sunlight – it ceases to shine when in the Earth’s shadow.
You can still see the moon during an eclipse, but it will be very faint.
The moon may change color during an eclipse, orange-red being the most common.
Lunar eclipses have played an important part in history.
For example, in 1503 Columbus used his knowledge of when an eclipse would occur to intimidate the indigenous population.
Since you got up early to view the eclipse, you may want to note Jupiter rising in the east.
Jupiter is the largest of the planets, and the brightest object in the morning skies.
If you have binoculars or even a small telescope, you can see Jupiter’s four brightest moons.
Before we go, we should take note of changing constellations in the evening night skies.
Our star chart shows the high flying winged summer constellations – Cygnus the Swan and Aquila the Eagle – beginning to sink in the west.
The fall constellations gain prominence, and many are at home in water, Capricornus the Sea Goat, Pisces the Fish, Pisces Austrinus the Southern Fish, Cetus the Whale, and Aquarius the Water Bearer.
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .