Astronomers, including our local Dark Skies Smokey Jack Observatory crew, are looking forward, clouds cooperatÂing, to the lunar eclipse tonight. A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon created by Earth moving directly between the Sun and the Moon. The Earthâs shadow on the lunar surface does not totally darken the Moon, as longer wavelengths of sunlightâreds and orangesâbend into Earthâs shadow and eerily illuminate the Moon. Hence the phrasing, âBlood Moonâ during these total lunar eclipses.
This will be the first lunar eclipse since November of 2022, and is the first of three across 2025-2026. There are some odd matters associated with the Blood Moon phenomenon. For example, Christopher Columbus, knowing the catalogued prediction of a lunar eclipse while stranded and ill among the Arawak peoples of Jamaica in 1504, threatened the indigenous peoples with stealing the moon if they did not provide the proviÂsions Columbus needed. Awed by the âdisappearanceâ of the Moon, the Arawak complied, and Columbusâ fourth and last âNew Worldâ venture was spared.
As late as 1972, scores of people were injured in Phnom Penh when Cambodian soldiers shot into the sky to avert the dragon eating the Moon during a lunar eclipse.
Well, thanks to Dark Skies, we will have no shenanigans like that here in the Valley. Dark Skies President Chuck Jagow will be opening Smokey Jack Observatory on the southwest corner of the Bluff for a rare off-season public event tonight about 10 p.m. He candidly says he may not last the cold, but will keep SJO open until at least 1 or 2 a.m. Jagow provides precise informaÂtion for Valley viewing:
Magnitude: 1.1782
Duration: 6 hours, 2 minutes, 41 secÂonds
Duration of totality: 1 hour, 5 minutes, 20 seconds
Penumbral begins: 9:57:28 p.m.
Partial begins: 11:09:40 p.m.
Full begins: 12:26:06 a.m.
Maximum: 12:58:43 a.m.
Full ends: 1:31:26 a.m.
Partial ends: 2:47:52 a.m.
Penumbral ends: 4:00:09 a.m.
During this public event letâs note the simply stated mission of Dark Skies:
1. to preserve the night sky;
2. to educate people about the best ways of preserving our night sky; and
3. to provide opportunities for people to experience the night sky.
The volunteers who currently address this mission could use some help. And hereâs how you can do that!
There is no pre-requisite of special experience or education necessary to join in the activities. Volunteers help with accomplishing the preservation aspect of the Dark Skies mission by working with local individuals, organizations, property owners, businesses, and hardware stores in reducing or eliminating nightscape light pollution. Further, volunteers advance the Dark Skies educational mission by providing astronomy-related books to the children at our school. Not only that though, as Dark Skies, working with the art teacher, judge astronomy related art projects and provide an award to the winner. Most importantly though, Dark Skies provides a Sam Frostman ScholÂarship each year to a locally deserving student to support their higher education goals in a Science, Technology, EngineerÂing or Math (STEM) field. Volunteers are also needed in this area to assist in seeking out and writing grants to fund the STEM scholarship program. Details regarding the STEM scholarship and holders are availÂable at darkskiescolorado.org, clicking the Sam Frostman STEM Scholarship Fund link. The 2025 scholarship application proÂcess is now open, and closes April 18.
Weâve barely scratched the surface of Dark Sky volunteer opportunities. A great way to look in on it all is this very night, accepting Jagowâs gracious opening of SJO for the spectacular full lunar eclipse, and visually scratching the lunar surface! Maybe you can warm him up as the Blood Moon appears, and decide for yourself if you might jump in on the Dark Sky activiÂties You can be part of enhancingâŚ
Happy viewing!
(By the way, if you donât make it to SJO tonight, you can follow the total lunar eclipse at space.comâs live blog. But being here on the Valley floor with neighbors and friends will be so much more fun!)
â W.A. Ewing