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Lunar Eclipse Experience
Why watch this spectacular
astronomic display merely from your backyard?
By Monique Cole, Special to The Denver
Post
Every
month, the Moonlight Hikers meet at the base of Pikes Peak and
hike seven miles up to Barr Camp by the light of the full moon.
But this Thursday, this small group of friends will need flashlights
to show them the way because they will be hiking in the midst
of a total lunar eclipse.
Normally the gang meets at the base
of the Barr Trail in Manitou Springs at 5 p.m. on the Friday
nearest the full moon, however this week they rescheduled the
hike to coincide with the eclipse. The 14-mile round-trip takes
anywhere from four to seven hours, depending on conditions. Since
June 12, 1992 the group has done 94 consecutive moonlight hikes.
"It's just a group of people who
enjoy being out on Pikes Peak in all kinds of weather enjoying
the awesome city views and full moon luminance," says coordinator
Brian Berliner. "We pick the hike dates a year in advance
and go up regardless of the weather outlook."
The hike turnaround point is Barr Camp,
a remote collection of cabins just off the trail that sees quite
a few visitors in the summer who stay in the $10 per night bunks.
Once the weather turns cold, however, the volunteer caretakers
lead a lonely life. "Sometimes we are the only visitors
to Barr Camp from one month to the next in the winter,"
Berliner says. "The caretakers are fantastic people who
welcome us and serve us delicious hot cocoa. They also surprise
us with scrumptious home-cooked pies, cakes, and cookies on occasion."
In November of 1993, the Moonlight Hikers
enjoyed their first total lunar eclipse. "We hiked up to
Barr Camp, enjoyed the company of the caretakers, then hiked
about 2 miles down, took off our backpacks, and layed down to
watch the lunar eclipse work its magic," Berliner says.
"It went from very bright out there away from the city lights
to very dark at the middle of the eclipse."
"It was a beautiful and magical
night - perfect weather without a cloud in the sky," he
claims, adding, "I cannot promise the same lovely weather
this month, however."
During a total lunar eclipse, the moon
passes into the shadow cast by the earth. This shadow is a sort
of bulls-eye in space with an umbral circle right in the middle
surrounded by a penumbral ring where some, but not all, of the
sunlight is blocked by the earth. We cannot perceive that the
moon is darkening until it has moved far into the penumbral zone.
In the umbral zone, the moon is completely in the shadow of the
earth.
Although total lunar eclipses occur
approximately every 16 months, they sometimes happen before the
moon has risen over our horizon. Colorado residents most recently
viewed a complete eclipse on September 26, 1996.
"Being able to predict an eclipse
was a sign of power back in the day when astronomers were high
priests," says Geoff Skelton, Programs Supervisor for the
Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Adding
to the mystique of eclipses, each one casts the moon in a different
shade of copper or red. "The redness is very difficult to
predict because it has to do with atmospheric conditions on earth,"
Skelton explains.
A hefty hike is not necessary to view
this exciting phenomenon. "You don't have to be at the top
of a fourteener," Skelton says. "You can go anywhere
- your own backyard, or head to a camping area or trailhead."
Of course, dark skies away from city lights will make for a more
dramatic show, and you'll want unobstructed views to the east
and south to follow the moon's path.
Unlike solar eclipses which can be dangerous
to view directly, you can stare at the moon as long as you please.
While the naked eye is sufficient, binoculars, or better yet
a telescope, will make your viewing more dramatic. Just remember,
if the skies are completely cloudy Thursday night, even a telescope
will not help you see the moon.
Here are some ideas of where to go:
Viewing Venues
- The Fiske Planetarium's Sommers-Bausch
Observatory at the University of Colorado, Boulder, will hold
a special open house Thursday evening from 7:3010:30 p.m.
Visitors can get a close-up view of the eclipse through the observatory's
telescopes. Regent Drive, Boulder. (303) 492-5001
- The Denver Museum of Natural History's
Gates Planetarium is closed for renovations but the museum is
hosting a free event from 610:30 p.m. on its West Patio
adjoining City Park. Astronomers will be on hand to explain the
eclipse and guests can peer through telescopes or use them for
taking photos with their own 35mm cameras. (303) 322-7009
- Rocky Mountain National Park has many
beautiful places to view the eclipse far from city lights, including
Moraine Park and the middle of Bear Lake which is completely
frozen over. Rangers will lead a Lunar Walk from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
starting at the Lawn Lake trailhead, and hikers are welcome to
watch the eclipse afterward. Reservations are required by calling
(970) 586-1206.
- Encircled by towering 400-foot red
sandstone fins, Red Rocks Amphitheater is a spectacular place
to view any full moon, much less a total eclipse. Hiking trails
also wind through the 2,700-acre park near Morrison, which will
be open until 11 p.m. For more information, call the Trading
Post at (303) 697-8935.
If the clouds do not cooperate and you
miss seeing the lunar eclipse this week, don't despair. The next
total lunar eclipse visible from Colorado will occur May 15,
2003.
Eclipse Schedule
(source: Fiske Planetarium's
Sommers-Bausch Observatory Web site at http://lyra.colorado.edu/sbo)
7:08 p.m. East/Northeast First Penumbral
Contact (Moon will begin receiving less than 100 percent of sunlight,
but darkening won't be noticable by the naked eye.)
7:20 p.m. East First Umbral Contact
(Lower left edge of moon receives zero percent sunlight giving
the appearance of a dark "bite" being taken out of
edge)
9:09 p.m. East/Southeast Totality Begins
(Moon completely immersed in earth's shadow as it takes on a
coppery or reddish appearance. Stars appear around the moon that
were invisible before.)
10:20 p.m. Southeast Totality Ends (The
lower edge of moon begins to receive sunlight again.)
11:23 p.m. South/Southeast Last Umbral
Contact (Entire moon now receives at least some sunlight and
appears "whole" again.)
12:20 a.m. South Last Penumbral Contact
(Moon completely clears earth's shadow and returns to full brightness.)
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