Night owls/skywatchers: Lunar eclipse very early Saturday

ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:18 PM: In the most recent “Skies Over West Seattle“ written by Alice Enevoldsen for WSB, she called tomorrow morning’s lunar eclipse the most exciting upcoming event. The excitement’s been dampened a bit by the weather – but we have some blue sky right now, so we have hope for tonight/early tomorrow, and we’re publishing a reminder. It peaks with totality at 5 am; here’s the rest of the timeline. (Photo by David Hutchinson – 2011 lunar eclipse, seen from Alki)

SATURDAY UPDATE, 4:42 AM: We’ve been working all night and caught a few glimpses – around the half-eclipsed and 3/4-eclipsed marks – just looked again, seems the clouds are winning as totality approaches in about 15 minutes.

ADDED: Thanks to Jack Miller for this photo of the “blood moon” phase:

And “Diver Laura” James shared a time lapse:

Han April 3, 2015 (5:40 pm)

Do you know where is the best place to watch lunar eclipse?

JayDee April 3, 2015 (5:45 pm)

And, since it will be setting over the Olys, there is a better chance of clear since sometimes clouds restrict themselves to land. I think there a 60% chance. Though I would hate to get up on a day when sleeping in is possible.

JayDee April 3, 2015 (9:17 pm)

@Han: Look to the west above the Olympics–but only if it is clear near 5 AM. It will be only a handswith above the horizon, so you should see the horizon from where you are. Assuming there are not clouds.

bsmomma April 3, 2015 (10:29 pm)

We’re super excited for this! My 8-1/2yro daughter may not like me at 5am tomorrow, but she’ll thank me later AND will totally appreciate the comfy bed when we get back. :)

WSB April 3, 2015 (10:37 pm)

Good for you for the memories, BSM – I have a good one from lunar-eclipse-watching with my mom from when I was about three times your daughter’s age :) That was in Las Vegas and it was warm enough for everyone to sit outside, and then there’s the memory of eclipse-watching with my teenage son while visiting Victoria a few winters ago, when it wasn’t. – TR

cbof April 4, 2015 (4:46 am)

It’s too cloudy in that direction, yes? Don’t have a clear horizon view from my house, but that’s what it looks like.

WSB April 4, 2015 (4:48 am)

It was visible in gaps a few times that we checked in the past hour and a half, but right now, I think it’s behind the clouds. Going to check one more time before going off watch! – Tracy
.
(added 4 minutes later) Definitely out of sight. But … the birds are singing. It’s that time of year already.

jwright April 4, 2015 (5:20 am)

It’s been in and out of the clouds for the past couple hours. Very visible right now with just a sliver not in shadow. One of the coolest things ever…watching an eclipse in bed!

Gina April 4, 2015 (5:50 am)

Great view to the west right now.

Jennifer April 4, 2015 (6:15 am)

Absolutely spectacular from the Dungeness river!! At the total eclipse point there were a couple of “falling stars” and a few flashes of lightning from in the distant northwest. Amazing. Beautiful. Emotional!

Jennifer April 4, 2015 (6:25 am)

Absolutely gorgeous from the Dungeness river!! Not a cloud in sight, beautiful stars! At the moment of the total eclipse, there were a couple of “falling stars” to the lower left of the moon and several flashes of lightning from an oncoming storm in the northwest. Amazing. Beautiful. Emotional!

Dustin April 4, 2015 (1:40 pm)

Was very very cool! W/ the “falling stars” & lightning!

Alice April 4, 2015 (2:12 pm)

bsmomma,
You rock. One of my earliest memories is being awoken in “the middle of the night” to see a lunar eclipse with my mom and dad. I think I was 3 or 4.
We got my daughter up to see the beginning bits around 3:30am. Then we all slept in this morning. :)
-Alice