Hi Donna:
You wrote in your post of April 30, 2008 (see link below)
--
In regards to blood red moons occuring
during total lunar eclipses, it is my understanding from reading about lunar
eclipses and looking at the diagram at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse that a blood red moon occurs during a total
(umbral) lunar eclipse, and that when a partial (penumbral) lunar eclipse takes
place that "The penumbra does not cause any noticeable darkening of the Moon's
surface, though some may argue it turns a little yellow." So
it looks like blood red moons occur during total lunar eclipses but not during
partial lunar eclipses.
Well first of all, hopefully all the doves can have time for
heavenly star gazing in between courses at the Marriage Supper of the
Lamb.
Secondly, Wikipedia is well known to be a dubious provider of
information on any particular field (though obviously it can sometimes be
correct), since most of the information can be and is provided (and edited), by
anyone out there on the internet. It is not a valid scientific reference
point.
I have been involved in astronomy (though not to any great
extent recently), for the previous 20 years, having been an active member of the
Ottawa Chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. I was the chapter
guru on the subject of astrophotography, and took many telescopic photographs of
most of the planets, as well as lunar eclipses, star clusters and galaxies. One
thing that I have never experienced, however, is a total solar
eclipse.
I would like to reiterate that regardless of what it says on
wikipedia, the moon is not always seen as a blood red moon simply because
it is passing through the umbra during the mid-phase of a total eclipse. I know
this from my various personal experiences. Been there ... done that ... got the
t-shirt. (LOL)
Allow me to provide for your perusal, a copy of an email which
I have received today, from Michael Bakich, who is the both the Senior
Editor as well as the Photo Editor, of
Astronomy Magazine, which is one of the bibles within
the astronomy world (Sky & Telescope being the other).
His response is to my question:
"In a total lunar eclipse, when the moon passes
through the umbra, is there an unequivocal 100% guarantee of a blood red
moon?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, Eric.
Thanks
for your e-mail and question. The color during totality depends on how clean or
dirty Earth’s atmosphere is at the time. When our air is clean, the Moon may
appear golden, coppery, yellow-brown, or other light colors. When the air is
dirty, after, for example, a large volcanic eruption, the Moon may appear shades
of dark red or brown, or it may disappear altogether. I remember this happened
during the total lunar eclipse of 1974 and 1992 (if my memory servers). I hope
this helps.
Best wishes,
-Michael
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
His reply is
obviously "no"
... and for the same reasons which I had pointed out here a couple of days
ago. The moon is not guaranteed to be blood red in total
eclipses, when it passes through the umbra.
As it relates to the 2015 total
lunar eclipse from Jerusalem, at mid-eclipse the moon would be in setting mode
and only 9 degrees off the horizon. So as I've noted in my chart from the other
day, it would be a poor showing, as it's light would be severely detracted by
it's close proximity to the horizon. Assuming of course you even had a clear
view to the horizon, and that it was not overcast.
But guaranteed blood red?
Predictions are for gypsies.
God bless!
See ya in the
air,
Eric