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[Paulie pchris00]

Is it too early to be thinking about next month's eclipse? This will be my first one as an astronomer, and I have every intention of observing it, weather permitting of course. Is anybody else planning on viewing it? The penumbra is expected to start showing just before midnight Chicago time,and last until after 4 AM, so meeting at Adler is out for anybody interested in viewing it. I'd like to have a group observation, but I understand if the overnight hours prevents it. I may contact Calumet Astronomical Society about using their Conway Observatory, or at least the observing pad if there is strong interest in a group outing. If not, I'll observe it from home. We won't have another total lunar eclipse after this one until April 14-15 2014, so for anybody who has never seen one, this is your only chance for more than 3 years. For anybody interested in viewing the eclipse, please reply to this thread, or private message me.

pchris00pnc.blogspot.com/2010/11/upcoming-total-lunar-eclipse-december.html


From the pages of December's Sky & Telescope, here are ways to make useful science observations during the eclipse.

www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/15772912.html

www.alpo-astronomy.org/eclipseblog/?p=24

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Paulie,

On the contary.

I was going to wait till the first of the month to start a thread in prep for the eclipse, but we are a go in Chicago.

The Adler Planetarium will conduct a public session to observe the lunar eclipse on the the 20th/21st of December - from 11:00 pm to 4:00 am. The grounds will remain open and parking available.

I will be working a scope at the Adler and everybody is invited to join and share the eclipse. If you do, then it will be nice to represent the Chicago Astronomer, as I cannot and work the Adler concurrently....at least not directly.

More details as the date approaches, but I have worked lunar eclipses in the past at the Adler, and we do get a lot of people throughout the session.

[Centaur]

Paulie, as is the case with Joe I’ve been waiting until December to initiate a thread regarding the eclipse. I’ve learned that if I announce astronomical events too early, they fall off the most recent posts page far too soon. Currently on my Moon webpage I have a preview animation of the eclipse as it will appear from the Adler. More graphics and data will be linked as the event nears. www.curtrenz.com/astronomical

[Paulie pchris00]

Hmmm... I was going to start a thread about the 2012 Venus transit tomorrow. I REALLY can't wait for June 5, 2012...

Okay, maybe I'm thinking SLIGHTLY too far ahead...

I have to think about Adler.

[Centaur]

Here’s another early notification regarding the eclipse. During the eclipse the Moon will occult the asteroid 348 May and the open cluster NGC 2129. Next month on my website I’ll post data and graze maps.