West Seattle eclipse-watching: Stay up late tonight (or, get up early tomorrow)

Most of what you’ll see today regarding the lunar eclipse will refer to Wednesday. Technically, that’s correct, but conversationally, it’s more like “tonight” – starting after midnight. In case you missed Alice Enevoldsen‘s latest “Skies Over West Seattle” update on WSB, published here on Saturday, it’s full of helpful info if you’re interested in staying up late tonight to eclipse-watch (or maybe, getting up VERY early – the peak is at 3:25 am). The October SOWS has the schedule, and a look ahead to the partial solar eclipse later this month.

P.S. Wondering about the forecast? “Mostly clear” tonight!

dsa October 7, 2014 (1:07 pm)

Which sky, ne,sw,se, what?

Robert2715 October 7, 2014 (3:58 pm)

dsa,

west. The opposite side from where the sun will be.

dsa October 7, 2014 (6:29 pm)

Thanks for the illuminating response.

WSB October 7, 2014 (6:40 pm)

Seriously, that’s really all there is to it. I saw the moon around moonset last night and it was close to the horizon by then. It will be central-west.

Alice October 7, 2014 (8:03 pm)

Watch high in the sky in the south. During the eclipse it will be starting high in the South and moving to low in the West by the end of the eclipse.

It is, in fact, the ‘opposite’ of what the Sun did today, but mastering the 3-D imagination of concentric circles and spheres to understand exactly when and where that works out to is a topic that takes about a week of focused study and preferably kinesthetic activities. It is deceptively simple: on the one hand, it is easy because full Moons are always opposite the Sun. On the other hand, I have a challenge question in my classes about this very topic that completely illuminates how well you understand the celestial sphere and how it affects what you see with your feet on the ground. 8th & 9th graders can master this, as well as adults, but it depends powerfully on your spatial reasoning skills and practice.

WSB October 7, 2014 (8:12 pm)

Thank you, Alice. Since I’m usually working that late, I hope to be up watching it … or watching for it … clouds in the east when I looked for the moon while driving home from a meeting just now …

Trileigh October 7, 2014 (8:36 pm)

We’re thinking about setting the alarm for 3:15 or so to see the max eclipse. But we have tall trees to the SW – Alice, can you describe where in the sky the moon will be around then? Or direct me to a website that describes that? Thanks so much for all the info you provide, we always appreciate it!
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Ah, just found it! Here’s the website: http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/seattle. At maximum (3:55 am), the moon will be in the WSW (238°), at an altitude of 32.9°. Now I have to go see whether 238° puts it behind the trees…

WestSide45 October 7, 2014 (9:56 pm)

Must you be told where the Moon is? Come on people…

dsa October 7, 2014 (10:32 pm)

Alice’s response *is* exactly why I asked which sky to watch. If it was to be in a sky I could not see from my home there would be no sense to try.

Alice October 7, 2014 (11:30 pm)

Trileigh, I usually install and use Stellarium for this. HeavensAbove also is a site that will always calculate the information. Glad you found one.

I recommend seeing one of the contact points (listed times) in addition to the maximum.

-Alice

Alice October 7, 2014 (11:40 pm)

Simmer down: within my teaching space there’s no such thing as a stupid question, unless you’re purposefully needling me.

Let’s just all shake our fists at the clouds and fog still threatening …

KeelyJoy October 8, 2014 (2:54 am)

People, unless this cloud cover/fog clears, we are SOL.

Noelle October 8, 2014 (3:18 am)

Too much fog.

Chris October 8, 2014 (3:31 am)

Another etch a sketch eclipse in west seattle. Back to sleep now!

WestSide45 October 8, 2014 (7:06 pm)

“/// within my teaching space there’s no such thing as a stupid question, unless you’re purposefully needling me.”

There are loads of stupid questions asked in sincerity. You may not refer to them as stupid because you must be politically correct, but they are still stupid. You must not hurt anyone’s feelings.I am under no constraints to be PC, so if something could easily be grasped by someone with even a basic elementary school education and the question is asked anyway, such as “Where is the Moon” I prefer to call a spade a spade.