Latest news with #AarranShaw
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Look up tonight at the blood moon. Here's when the lunar eclipse arrives in Kentucky
Millions of people will soon watch the full moon turn a coppery shade of red during a rare total lunar eclipse. For Kentucky, the celestial event will begin late Thursday night. This year's total lunar eclipse isn't one to be missed, say experts, because of how high the moon will be positioned in the sky. Future eclipses — not happening in the Americas until 2026 and 2029 — will be lower on the horizon and possibly more difficult to see. Here's what to know about watching the total lunar eclipse, commonly referred to as a "blood moon," in Kentucky. Kentuckians can start watching the eclipse late Thursday evening, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14, 2025. The entire process will take several hours. Story continues after photo gallery. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon's surface, Earth's shadow falls on it. During an eclipse, two shadows are cast, according to NASA. The first and innermost darkest shadow is called the umbra (pronounced UM bruh). This dark cone-like shadow gets smaller the further it gets away from the sun. The second shadow in an eclipse is known as the penumbra (pronounced peh NUM bruh). This partial outer shadow is lighter than the umbra and gets larger as it goes away from the sun. You'll want to either drink lots of coffee Thursday night or set an early morning alarm Friday to catch the eclipse. Dr. Aarran Shaw, who serves as director of Holcomb Observatory and teaches Physics and Astronomy at Butler University, says this year's rare lunar moment is for night owls. "The partial phase will begin at 1:09 a.m. EST (Friday) and totality will start at 2:26 a.m. and last for over an hour, much longer than the solar eclipse last year," Shaw said in an earlier message. Here's what time Kentuckians can start watching the eclipse, according to NASA: 11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle. 1:09 a.m., Partial eclipse begins: The moon begins to enter Earth's umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark. 2:26 a.m., Totality begins: The entire moon is now in the Earth's umbra. The moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. 3:31 a.m., Totality ends: As the moon exits Earth's umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before. 4:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth's penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle. 6 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over. Weather permitting, Kentucky should have clear skies for watching the eclipse despite a slight chance of thunderstorms Thursday. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Louisville are forecasting mostly sunny skies Thursday with a high near 75 and a low around 54. A 20% chance of thunderstorms is possible, according to NWS, but skies should clear by the late evening. "We do have the possibility of some showers and thunderstorms, but that's later Thursday afternoon, said NWS meteorologist Brian Neudorff. "We're looking at mainly clear skies from midnight to 3 a.m. Generally, overall, it looks like we've got good viewing weather." During a total lunar eclipse the moon appears red, but why? According to NASA, that's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere. Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange, writes NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears. The process occurs regularly on Earth with every dawn and dusk, explains Shaw. "This reddish color comes from the Sun's light being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere such that only the red portion of the rainbow falls on the Moon," Shaw said. "This is actually the same physical process that causes the sky to be red at sunrise and sunset." In addition to the eclipse, Friday, March 14, is when the full Worm Moon wriggles its way into the night sky. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Lousiville area will happen by roughly 8:26 p.m. Friday, March 14, crossing the meridian at 1:51 a.m. before setting at 8:05 a.m. Saturday. You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online. The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026. "This is probably our best shot at taking in the full glory of a total lunar eclipse for a while, simply because of the altitude of the moon during totality — more than 50 degrees above the horizon," Shaw said, adding the next total lunar eclipse for the Americas might be difficult to watch because of how close it will be to the horizon. More about full moons in 2025: When's the next full moon? Dates for every one in 2025 and what time you can see them. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What time is the lunar eclipse tonight in Kentucky? When to watch
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watching tonight's lunar eclipse in Indiana. What time is the blood moon?
Millions of people will soon watch the full moon turn a coppery shade of red during a rare total lunar eclipse. For Indiana, the celestial event will begin late Thursday night. This year's total lunar eclipse isn't one to be missed, say experts, because of how high the moon will be positioned in the sky. Future total lunar eclipses — not happening in the Americas until 2026 and 2029 — will be lower on the horizon and possibly more difficult to see. Here's what to know about watching the lunar eclipse, commonly referred to as a "blood moon," in central Indiana. Hoosiers can start watching the eclipse late Thursday evening, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14, 2025. The entire process will take several hours. Story continues after photo gallery. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon's surface, Earth's shadow falls on it. During an eclipse, two shadows are cast, writes NASA. The first and innermost darkest shadow is called the umbra (pronounced UM bruh). This dark cone-like shadow gets smaller the further it gets away from the sun. The second shadow in an eclipse is known as the penumbra (pronounced peh NUM bruh). This partial outer shadow is lighter than the umbra and gets larger as it goes away from the sun. You'll want to drink either lots of coffee Thursday night or set an early morning alarm Friday to catch the eclipse. Dr. Aarran Shaw, who serves as director of Holcomb Observatory and teaches Physics and Astronomy at Butler University, says this year's rare lunar moment is for night owls. "The partial phase will begin at 1:09 a.m. EST (Friday) and totality will start at 2:26 a.m. and last for over an hour, much longer than the solar eclipse last year," Shaw told IndyStar in an earlier message. Here's what time Hoosiers can start watching the eclipse, according to NASA: 11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle. 1:09 a.m., Partial eclipse begins: The moon begins to enter Earth's umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark. 2:26 a.m., Totality begins: The entire moon is now in the Earth's umbra. The moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. 3:31 a.m., Totality ends: As the moon exits Earth's umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before. 4:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth's penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle. 6 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over. Weather permitting, Indiana should have clear skies for watching the eclipse. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis are forecasting sunny skies Thursday with a high near 76 and lows around 52. Central Indiana should enjoy clear skies in the evening in time for the eclipse, according to NWS. During a total lunar eclipse the moon appears red, but why? According to NASA, that's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere. Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange, writes NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears. The process occurs regularly on Earth with every dawn and dusk, explains Shaw. "This reddish color comes from the Sun's light being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere such that only the red portion of the rainbow falls on the Moon," Shaw said. "This is actually the same physical process that causes the sky to be red at sunrise and sunset." In addition to the eclipse, Friday, March 14, is when the full Worm Moon wriggles its way into the night sky. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen by roughly 8:27 p.m. Friday, crossing the meridian at 1:52 a.m. before setting at 8:07 a.m. Saturday. You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026. "This is probably our best shot at taking in the full glory of a total lunar eclipse for a while, simply because of the altitude of the moon during totality — more than 50 degrees above the horizon," Shaw said, adding the next total lunar eclipse for the Americas might be difficult to watch because of how close it will be to the horizon. "After 2026, the next total lunar eclipse visible from Indiana won't be until 2029 — again close to the horizon," he said. More about full moons in 2025: When every full moon shines in 2025. Dates, times and the history behind each name. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What time is the lunar eclipse tonight? Watch the blood moon in Indiana
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A rare total lunar eclipse happens this week. Will skies be clear for the 'blood moon' in Indiana?
Despite a chance for thunderstorms, central Indiana can be cautiously optimistic about catching North America's one and only total lunar eclipse of 2025 when it shines above the Hoosier state later this week. Beginning Thursday night into early Friday morning, the full moon will turn a coppery shade of red as it slips behind the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, or umbra, in what's referred to as a "blood moon." This year's total lunar eclipse isn't one to be missed, say experts, because of how high the moon will be positioned in the sky. Future total lunar eclipses — not happening in the Americas until 2026 and 2029 — will be lower on the horizon and possibly more difficult to see. Enjoying this rare lunar spectacle will hinge largely on the weather. Here's what we know about central Indiana's forecast ahead of the total lunar eclipse. The moon will pass through Earth's shadow and appear red the night of Thursday, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14, 2025. A lunar eclipse is an alignment of the Earth, moon and sun where the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, or umbra. As it does, the moon will appear to darken and take on a crimson shade of red. Story continues after photo gallery. You might need an extra cup of coffee (or two, or three) if you plan on catching the total lunar eclipse in Indiana. Dr. Aarran Shaw, who serves as director of Holcomb Observatory and teaches Physics and Astronomy at Butler University, says this year's rare lunar moment is for night owls. "The partial phase will begin at 1:09 a.m. EST (Friday) and totality will start at 2:26 a.m. and last for over an hour, much longer than the solar eclipse last year," Shaw told IndyStar in an earlier message. "This is probably our best shot at taking in the full glory of a total lunar eclipse for a while, simply because of the altitude of the moon during totality — more than 50 degrees above the horizon." Shaw said the next total lunar eclipse for the Americas isn't scheduled until early March 2026 and might be difficult to watch because of how close it will be to the horizon. "After 2026, the next total lunar eclipse visible from Indiana won't be until 2029 — again close to the horizon," he said. Keep your fingers crossed. The weather forecast for central Indiana includes a chance for thunderstorms, but as of Monday, local meteorologists say conditions should be favorable for watching the total lunar eclipse. "Right now, it looks like great viewing conditions," said meteorologist Cody Moore with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. "It looks like we'll have partly cloudy skies clearing out at night." According to NWS, Thursday calls for a high near 73 with partly sunny skies and a 20% chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. There's a 10% chance of thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Thursday, with lows near 52 and partly cloudy skies. "Highs will be in the mid 70s and lows in the low 50s, so perfect weather for being outside," Moore said. AccuWeather also predicts "good viewing conditions for the lunar eclipse," forecasting Thursday night into early Friday morning will be clear to partly cloudy and mild. From start to finish, a total lunar eclipse is a magnificent sight to behold. Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA: 11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle. 1:09 a.m., Partial eclipse begins: The moon begins to enter Earth's umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark. 2:26 a.m., Totality begins: The entire moon is now in the Earth's umbra. The moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. 3:31 a.m., Totality ends: As the moon exits Earth's umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before. 4:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth's penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle. 6 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over. During a total lunar eclipse the moon appears red, but why? According to NASA, that's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere. Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange, writes NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears. The process occurs regularly on Earth with every dawn and dusk, explains Shaw. "This reddish color comes from the Sun's light being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere such that only the red portion of the rainbow falls on the Moon," Shaw said. "This is actually the same physical process that causes the sky to be red at sunrise and sunset." The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026. More about full moons in 2025: When every full moon shines in 2025. Dates, times and the history behind each name. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Total lunar eclipse 2025: What is Indiana's weather forecast March 13-14
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
When is the next full moon? Right after Kentucky gets a 'blood moon.' How to see both
Kentucky skywatchers have a lot to look forward to in March. A total lunar eclipse, also known as a "blood moon," will cast Earth's lunar satellite in a coppery reddish glow for hours this month ahead of the full moon, provided you're willing to stay up late to watch it. Here's what you should know about March's full moon, dubbed the "Worm Moon," as well as other astronomical happenings. Friday, March 14, 2025, is when the full Worm Moon wriggles its way into the night sky. That's also coincides with a rare total lunar eclipse, according to NASA. The moon's phases in March are: 🌓 First Quarter: March 6. 🌕 Full Moon: March 14. 🌗 Last Quarter: March 22. 🌑 New Moon: March 29. North America will experience a total lunar eclipse the night of Thursday, March 13 into the early morning of Friday, March 14, 2025. Referred to as a "blood moon" because of its reddish and orange hue, this is the one and only total lunar eclipse happening over the U.S. in 2025, according to NASA. Story continues after photo gallery. You might need an extra cup of coffee (or two, or three) if you plan on catching the total lunar eclipse in Kentucky. Dr. Aarran Shaw, who serves as director of Holcomb Observatory and teaches Physics and Astronomy at Butler University, says this year's rare lunar moment is for night owls. "The partial phase will begin at 1:09 a.m. EST and totality will start at 2:26 a.m. and last for over an hour, much longer than the solar eclipse last year," Shaw said. "This is probably our best shot at taking in the full glory of a total lunar eclipse for a while, simply because of the altitude of the moon during totality — more than 50 degrees above the horizon." More about the total lunar eclipse: America gets one total lunar eclipse in March 2025. How to watch in Kentucky: times, date, more It was once believed the Worm Moon's name was derived from earthworms wriggling through March's warming soil, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which heralded the first signs of spring as birds returned to feast on them. Perhaps the full moon in March should've been called the "Robin Moon." However, more research revealed the name likely originates from notes taken by Captain Jonathan Carver, who in the 1760s visited Native American tribes and wrote that the "Worm Moon" refers to a species of beetle larvae that emerged from thawing bark around this time. Other names for March's full moon from Native American tribes include the Crow Comes Back Moon, the Eagle Moon and the Sugar Moon. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Lousiville area will happen by roughly 8:26 p.m. Friday, March 14, crossing the meridian at 1:51 a.m. before setting at 8:05 a.m. Saturday. You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online. If you plan on observing the night sky this month, writes NASA, keep the following dates in mind for March 2025: March 7-9 – Catch Mercury: Look for Mercury beginning about 30 minutes after sunset in the west, about 10 degrees above the horizon. March 13-14 – Total Lunar Eclipse: The moon becomes a crimson orb for a few hours March 13 into March 14, depending on your time zone. March 14 – Full moon. March 29 – New moon: This is when the dark side of the Moon faces toward Earth. The new moon appears close to the sun in the sky, so it's essentially invisible from the surface (except during solar eclipses). The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations. SkyView Lite for iPhone | Google Play Star Walk 2 for iPhone | Google Play Star Chart for iPhone | Google Play for iPhone | Google Play The Pink Moon should reach peak illumination by Sunday, April 13, 2025. When is the next full moon?: When's the next full moon? Dates for every one in 2025 and what time you can see them John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: When is the full moon? When to see it and the 'blood moon' in Kentucky
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
America gets one total lunar eclipse in March 2025. How to see it in Indiana: times, date, weather
Millions across the United States will be able to watch a rare total lunar eclipse when the full moon slips behind the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, or umbra, in March. Referred to as a "blood moon" because of its reddish and orange hue, this is North America's one and only total lunar eclipse of 2025, according to NASA. Local astronomy experts say Indiana should have a good view of the eclipse so long as the weather cooperates and Hoosiers don't mind staying up late to see it. Here's what you should know about the lunar eclipse happening soon. A lunar eclipse is an alignment of the Earth, moon and sun where the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, or umbra. As it does, the moon will appear to darken and take on a crimson shade of red. The moon will pass through Earth's shadow and appear red the night of Thursday, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14, 2025. Story continues after photo gallery. You might need an extra cup of coffee (or two, or three) if you plan on catching the total lunar eclipse in Indiana. Dr. Aarran Shaw, who serves as director of Holcomb Observatory and teaches Physics and Astronomy at Butler University, says this year's rare lunar moment is for night owls. "The partial phase will begin at 1:09 a.m. EST and totality will start at 2:26 a.m. and last for over an hour, much longer than the solar eclipse last year," Shaw told IndyStar. "This is probably our best shot at taking in the full glory of a total lunar eclipse for a while, simply because of the altitude of the moon during totality — more than 50 degrees above the horizon." Shaw said the next total lunar eclipse for Indiana isn't scheduled until early March 2026 and might be difficult to watch because of how close it will be to the horizon. "After 2026, the next total lunar eclipse visible from Indiana won't be until 2029 — again close to the horizon," he said. From start to finish, a total lunar eclipse is a magnificent sight to behold. Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA: 11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle. 1:09 a.m., Partial eclipse begins: The moon begins to enter Earth's umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark. 2:26 a.m., Totality begins: The entire moon is now in the Earth's umbra. The moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. 3:31 a.m., Totality ends: As the moon exits Earth's umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before. 4:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth's penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle. 6 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has yet to issue a forecast on what skies will be like in Central Indiana on March 13-14. AccuWeather, however, predicts the total lunar eclipse might get rained out with overcast skies and steady rain Thursday evening. Despite the less than rosy forecast from AccuWeather, our Midwest weather could always surprise us. "We need the weather to cooperate with us on this one, as with all astronomical events, so keep your fingers crossed," Shaw said. During a total lunar eclipse the moon appears red, but why? According to NASA, that's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere. Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange, writes NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears. The process occurs regularly on Earth with every dawn and dusk, explains Shaw. "This reddish color comes from the Sun's light being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere such that only the red portion of the rainbow falls on the Moon," Shaw said. "This is actually the same physical process that causes the sky to be red at sunrise and sunset." The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026. More about full moons in 2025: When every full moon shines in 2025. Dates, times and the history behind each name. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: When is the March 2025 total lunar eclipse? How to see it in Indiana
