First-Person: First Lunar Eclipse in Three Years

This morning, the U.S. saw a full lunar eclipse. These don't happen very often; the last one occurred in February 2008. In addition, this full lunar eclipse was even more rare, as it happened on the day of the winter solstice. We have not had a full lunar eclipse on the date of the winter solstice since 1638, and won't see one again until 2094. NASA reports that this is only the second full eclipse on the winter solstice in the last two millennia. As a result, this was a very special night for those interested in eclipses and related topics.

I am currently in central Oklahoma on a temporary military assignment and planned to watch the eclipse from my home. Since it was predicted to begin at 12:33 A.M. CST, I got my little camera out, and checked the sky about every 15 to 20 minutes. I got some great shots of the beautiful full moon as it began to disappear. My kids and even our husky puppies came outside to take part in this amazing event.

The weather in Oklahoma was gorgeous and unseasonably warm. The day greeted us with coat-free temperatures, gentle breezes and gorgeous sunshine. The evening bloomed bright and clear, with the moon fully visible from my home. The moon was full and beautiful and almost directly overhead. I began my moon watch around 12:20 a.m. CST, and the moon was still full. The kids and the dogs were excited for something to start happening, and I was excited to get some great pictures of the events.

At 12:56 a.m., I checked the moon again, and the eclipse had begun. Only about half of the moon was currently visible from our home in the Oklahoma City suburbs. I snapped a picture and went back inside to anxiously await further happenings. At 1:14 a.m., the dogs and I went back outside, to discover that now only one-third of the moon was visible. The shadows were growing in the backyard, and the dogs were becoming hesitant to come outside. It is said that dogs have senses that we don't, and my puppies have been acting differently for about a week, and being very needy and clingy, and won't leave my side. I thought that it had something to do with the eclipse, and their behavior proved my theory.

At 1:32 a.m., my youngest son came running to get me, urging me to hurry outside and see what was happening. Only a tiny sliver of the moon was still visible, and the rest of the moon was a beautiful red hue. The dogs overcame their fear and came bounding out of the house to play and bark. We again checked the moon at 1:46 a.m. and saw the full lunar eclipse. The dogs were scared and knocking us down to get in the house, and my kids were in absolute awe, as was I.

Overall, this was a wonderful thing to experience, both for me and my children. A full lunar eclipse on the winter solstice is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and was much appreciated by my entire family. I also got some great pictures and videos of the kids and the dogs that will keep these memories with me for the rest of my time here on earth.

Sources
Reisinger, Don. (Dec. 20, 2010). Rare lunar eclipse expected tonight. CNET, Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20026147-17.html