December 21- Full Moon, Winter Solstice, Total Lunar Eclipse

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Not only a full moon on the winter solstice, but a total lunar eclipse will take place on December 20/21, 2010. It will be visible after midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 21 in North and South America. The beginning of the total eclipse will be visible from northern Europe just before sunrise. The end of the total eclipse will be visible rising at sunset for Japan and northeastern Asia, it also appears very visible to the Philippines just after sunset (as in Partial lunar eclipse). It will be the first total lunar eclipse in nearly 3 years, the last being on February 20, 2008. Eclipse times in North America HERE.

What is a partial eclipse or totality? When the Earth’s shadow engulfs the Moon, it is a lunar eclipse which occurs in two phases. The outer shadow cone is called the penumbra and the dark, inner shadow is called the umbra. A round body, such as a planet, casts a shadow “cone” through space. When it’s at Earth, the cone is widest at 13,000 kilometers in diameter, yet by the time it reaches the Moon it has narrowed to only 9,200 kilometers. Considering the distance to the Moon is 384,401 kilometers, that’s hitting a very narrow corridor in astronomical terms.

total lunar eclipse december 21 2010Everyone should try and see one of these in their lifetime

The winter solstice occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26′. Though the winter solstice lasts only an instant in time, the term is also a turning point to midwinter or the first day of winter to refer to the day on which it occurs. More evident to those in high latitudes, this occurs on the shortest day, and longest night, and the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest.The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.

The December full moon has many names. The Algonquian people call it Cold Moon, the northern Europeans named it Oak Moon, Frost Moon, Long Night’s Moon, Moon Before Yule.

oak king winter solstice lunar eclipse december 2010The Oak King celebrates the Full Oak Moon and The Solstice


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Holte Ender

Holte Ender will always try to see your point of view, but sometimes it is hard to stick his head that far up his @$$.
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BigHarryH
13 years ago

My wife won’t let me outside the house when there’s a full moon.

Reply to  BigHarryH
13 years ago

Harry, there is going to be an eclipse. Pay attention!

“A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon.”

Without the sun to lighten it, it will be virtually hidden with a scarey space ball put it its place. Your wife will not be aware of the full moon: quite the opposite; she will believe there is no moon at all.

John Myste

P.S. Holte, can you send me a text a few hour prior? Thanks.

13 years ago

[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kristin Blanchette, Holte Ender. Holte Ender said: RT @madmike1 December 21- Full Moon, Winter Solstice, Total Lunar Eclipse http://bit.ly/fIWZ5v […]

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