A total lunar eclipse—the first in two years—will make an appearance on the night of Monday, December 20th. For those of you not familiar with the phenomenon, here is a brief explanation from Wikipedia: “A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle.”
Unfortunately, due to the early setting of the moon at certain places, not the entire world will have the privilege of observing the lunar eclipse in its entirety. To find out if the event will be available at your geographic location head to SpaceDex. For those interested in the science behind the phenomenon, NASA will also host a live chat with lunar experts from the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center.
Update: Slooh will also host a free live event with host Bob Berman at 1:20 a.m. EST, 6:20 a.m. UTC. If you are at a geographic location from which the eclipse will not or only partially be visible, this is your chance; Slooh's telescopes will provide an excellent opportunity to observe the phenomenon.
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