# Total lunar eclipse tonight. I hope we get a clear sky **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162 "2007-08-27T22:20:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/1 "2007-08-27T22:20:28Z")
There’s a total eclipse of the moon tonight (Tuesday 28 August) and we should get a great view of it in Sydney, as long as the weather is OK. The period of totality here lasts from 7.52pm until 9.23pm - so no great effort is involved in wandering outside to look at the eclipsed moon. The entire eclipse is also visible from New Zealand, the Pacific and the west coast of North America. There are more details [here.](http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/1312007/) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/2 "2007-08-28T04:56:33Z")
Earlier this afternoon I did read a headline at smh.com.au that said the weather was looking good, but I don’t see it on the site any more. The weather page says > [@](#): > > Tuesday: Fine. Mostly sunny. Light to moderate west to northwest winds. Liverpool Max: 27 Richmond: Max: 27. which sounds promising. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/3 "2007-08-28T07:40:43Z")
The penumbral phase of the eclipse starts in just over ten minutes’ time, and it’s looking ominously cloudy in the east. The full moon isn’t visible. I hope it clears. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/4 "2007-08-28T08:04:51Z")
I read the best time to look is around 8.30pm. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/5 "2007-08-28T08:31:18Z")
Windy and raining here in Auckland, though the moon does occasionally peep through the scudding clouds. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/6 "2007-08-28T08:38:31Z")
At the moment I have a clear sky, and a clear view of [the Moon](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/1255647941/) (that’s my first attempt at taking a picture of an astronomical object). I hope it will still be clear in an hour when there should be a total eclipse. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/7 "2007-08-28T09:17:50Z")
Moon’s well on its way. Cold and blustery tonight, but right now that bluster’s at least blowing the clouds around so we get a chance to see. ---
**Author:** ![uglyduckling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@uglyduckling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglyduckling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/8 "2007-08-28T09:22:14Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] Moon’s well on its way. Cold and blustery tonight, but right now that bluster’s at least blowing the clouds around so we get a chance to see. [/QUOTE] How Cold is it? Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/9 "2007-08-28T09:23:13Z")
It’s just after 2:15am here in Northern California, and I’ve just got back in from a 30-minute walk. The air is **very** clear tonight – no sign of fog where I am – so the moon is wonderfully visible. When I started my walk at about 1:50am, the lunar disk was still full; it’s now got the top-left-hand quarter covered by the earth’s shadow. I’ll go out again in a little while… should be total in another 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![uglyduckling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@uglyduckling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglyduckling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/10 "2007-08-28T09:24:33Z")
[QUOTE=uglyduckling] How Cold is it? Just wondering. [/QUOTE] When do we see it in the US? Up by the Canadian Border by North Dakota. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/11 "2007-08-28T09:27:40Z")
I’m in N. California, not a cloud in the sky. Beautiful. Moon’s almost halfway gone. Giles- that was a great shot. How did you do that and get it uploaded so fast? I thought you could only get shots like that with an SLR. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/12 "2007-08-28T09:32:18Z")
[QUOTE=askeptic] Giles- that was a great shot. How did you do that and get it uploaded so fast? I thought you could only get shots like that with an SLR. [/QUOTE] It is a DSLR – Canon Digital Rebel XT – with a zoom lens at 300mm. Even then, I have to crop severely to just get the Moon and the immediately surrounding sky. ---
**Author:** ![uglyduckling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@uglyduckling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglyduckling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/13 "2007-08-28T09:34:26Z")
It is totally clear here in North Dakota, I see all the stars, where would the moon be to the East or West? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/14 "2007-08-28T09:39:59Z")
[QUOTE=uglyduckling] It is totally clear here in North Dakota, I see all the stars, where would the moon be to the East or West? Thanks [/QUOTE] It should be in the west, going to set in a couple of hours, but it’s nearlt in total eclipse now. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/15 "2007-08-28T09:44:12Z")
[QUOTE=uglyduckling] How Cold is it? Just wondering. [/QUOTE] 13 degrees celcius, but there’s a wind chill factor, I’d say. Next time I head out, I’ll have the woolley hat on! 😉🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/16 "2007-08-28T09:44:13Z")
Apparently my in-laws out in the LaTrobe valley are getting a great view of it (they just phoned to say…). There’s loads of cloud here, but we can sort of see what’s going on behind it - at least enough to go ‘oh look, there’s a bright fuzzy sliver at the top and the rest’s all dark and fuzzy’. I really wanted to see the moon go all orange though… ---
**Author:** ![uglyduckling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@uglyduckling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglyduckling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/17 "2007-08-28T09:44:53Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] It should be in the west, going to set in a couple of hours, but it’s nearlt in total eclipse now. [/QUOTE] That’s what I thought, I see something behind all the trees up here, but it sure would be nice to be at the lake or out in the country. Thanks for confirmation ---
**Author:** ![uglyduckling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e99b99/32.png) [@uglyduckling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglyduckling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/18 "2007-08-28T09:48:31Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] 13 degrees celcius, but there’s a wind chill factor, I’d say. Next time I head out, I’ll have the woolley hat on! 😉🙂 [/QUOTE] What is the Farenheit? Just Curious, I can’t remember how to figure it out, but here in North Dakota it is 50 degrees farenheit. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/19 "2007-08-28T09:51:25Z")
[QUOTE=uglyduckling] What is the Farenheit? Just Curious, I can’t remember how to figure it out, but here in North Dakota it is 50 degrees farenheit. [/QUOTE] Handy converter [here.](http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm) Does 55.4 degrees farenheit sound right? Been ages since we used farenheit here. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162/20 "2007-08-28T09:54:24Z")
Been outside since about 4:30. Woke the seven-year-old up to watch it. She liked it and is back asleep. Lady Chance took pix and if they come out we’ll make them front page material for Wednesday’s edition. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-lunar-eclipse-tonight-i-hope-we-get-a-clear-sky/417162.md?page=2)