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SALT LAKE CITY — Night owls, insomniacs and astronomy buffs enjoyed a celestial show that played out over several hours overnight. Starting after midnight, with clear skies across the state, a total lunar eclipse appeared as a "blood moon."
"Astronomy is the most accessible science," said Seth Jarvis, director of Clark Planetarium. "All you have to do is look up."
You don't need a telescope to see the eclipse, as long as you can stay up or wake up for the main event. Look for maximum eclipse around 1:45 a.m.
"Stay up all night. Make hot cocoa," Jarvis suggested.
For people on spring break that might be an option, or they could set an alarm.
"How often do you get to see the moon get eaten up and go totally dark?" he asked.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, Jarvis said. The only light from the sun that makes it to the moon is refracted through the Earth's atmosphere. That refracted air is colored red by dust and other particles, similar to a sunset, thus the image of a "blood moon."
11:59 p.m. — Partial Eclipse begins April 14
Eastern (left side) edge of the Moon enters Earth's umbra with noticeable darkening/reddening.
1:08 a.m. — Full eclipse begins
All of the Moon is now in the umbra and the moon is a deep red.
1:46 a.m. — Maximum eclipse
Mid-point of the eclipse.
2:23 a.m. — Full eclipse ends
Moon begins to exit the umbra. Eastern (left side) edge of the Moon begins to emerge from shadow.
3:32 a.m. — Partial eclipse ends
Moon is now fully out of umbra, but still in the penumbra. For most folks, this is the end of the eclipse.
4:36 p.m. Penumbral eclipse ends
The Moon is now completely out of the penumbra.
"The moon may only turn orange," Jarvis said. "So, how orange versus how dark red the moon becomes, is a kind of global snapshot of how much crud there is in the Earth's atmosphere."
Right now, he said, the atmosphere is considered relatively clear with little ash or other particles that can cloud the air.
Here's the timing:
Around midnight, as the moon approaches the Earth's umbra (or shadow), the eastern edge of the moon will start to dim.
"By 1 a.m., the moon is fully involved in the Earth's umbra, and that's where you get the blood red moon."
Maximum eclipse: 1:46 a.m. The full eclipse is over by 2:25 a.m.
This eclipse will be the first of four total lunar eclipses that will occur over the next 18 months, a so-called tetrad. According to NASA, the next total lunar eclipses will occur Oct. 8, 2014, April 4, 2015, and Sept. 28, 2015. The last eclipse tetrad occurred from 2003 to 2004. The next time sky-gazers will be treated to four consecutive total lunar eclipses will be in the years 2032 to 2033.
Just above the moon and a little bit to the right tonight, you'll see the planet Mars, which just finished its closest passage to the Earth a week ago.
"Mars is unusually red and bright tonight because it's so close to us," Jarvis said. "Mars will grow brighter because the moon has grown darker."
With clear skies across the state, the eclipse and Mars can easily be seen with the naked eye, but a telescope or even binoculars will give you a more detailed view.
"You do not have to go up into the mountains or get away from city lights,." Jarvis said. "Just go on your front lawn and have a look at the thing."
