Those watching the sky early this evening will be treated to one of nature's rarer spectacles - a total eclipse of the moon.
Unlike eclipses of the sun, which often require long journeys and special observation equipment, lunar eclipses can be viewed in comfort and safetyThe partial phase of the eclipse begins at 2:59 p.m. MST when the moon begins to move into the shadow of the Earth. Total eclipse, when the moon is totally enveloped in the Earth's shadow, will occur at 4:07. In the West, however, neither event will be visible as the moon will still be below the horizon when they occur.
Moonrise for much of Utah should occur between 4:45 and 5:15 p.m., at which time the moon will still be totally eclipsed. However, the then early evening sky will still be rather bright, making observations of the total eclipse difficult, said Patrick Wiggins of the Hansen Planetarium staff.
The moon will then start to emerge from the Earth's shadow at 5:22 and be completely clear of the darker part of the shadow by 6:29. Both of these latter events should be easily visible to observers throughout the Mountain West.
Along the Wasatch Front, the weather will be partly cloudy. The eclipse will probably be seen between breaks in the clouds. The sky is not likely to be completely overcast, said William J. Alder, meteorologist in charge of the Salt Lake office of the National Weather Service.
To provide the best possible view of the eclipse, the planetarium and the Salt Lake Astronomical Society will hold a special eclipse viewing party for the public on U-138 just west of Grantsville, Tooele County.
Call the planetarium's starline information number, 532-STAR, for more information.