We seem to be having a lunar eclipse - now - amazing - take a look

Can't find its scheduled anywhere

So cool, thank you for sharing

Beautiful I am watching it from across the water :-)

the eclipse was amazing.
Just a thin sliver of the moon left when i first saw it around 6.30 and it just looked odd so i got my binnoculars and had a good look - about a 99% eclipse - i could clearly make out the shape of Africa on the outline against the moon - sadly it dropped over the Western horizon from where we live after about 25 minutes

A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon when the earth shadow hits the moon. Yesterday was nearly new moon and what we saw was the light reflected from the earth lighting up the rest of the moon. We will see it again tonight if the sky is as clear as yesterday.

thanks salagut - it was a mystery to me - but still incredable to see

Happening again tonight - it's "the old moon in the arms of the new", not an eclipse - supposed to be a sign of a period of dry weather to come.....

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How does this work Sagalout?

The moon at this time is in the west, the sun has dipped over our horizon to the west.
We are to the east of both so how can our shadow cover the moon?

Also how can the earth reflect light back to the moon?

I couldn't make out any details within the shadow but remain baffled and still like the view.

regards

Because the moon orbits around the earth, which both then orbit around the Sun. (I think :-)!)
It`s a beautiful view I agree.
The space station is also an amazing view too. Only visible at sunrise at present (I prefer sunset!)

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata...o#.UPSG2yfk2So

Well I have only seen the ISS once. That was from the UK when there was a break in the cloud cover.

Of some interest at the moment is the orbit of a recently released Japanese satellite called FitSat 1 which is currently in orbit around the earth, and with the use of powerful LED's flashes morse code signals down to earth.
Unfortunately its orbit details on its web site are all in Japanese.

regards

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetshine
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020419.html

always something new to learn and enjoy

Thanks Steve01. All is explained.

www.N2YO.com is a great site for tracking & predicting satellites- it would appear that Fitsat1, like the ISS is also only visible pre-sunrise at present, but I'm sure that will change over time.

Am dying to know the purpose of FitSat 1. Why the LED's and why is it using morse code. (something close to my past)

It's an experiment to demonstrate high speed VLC (Visible Light Communication).