CNN: Moon to turn Red

[La_Serpiente]

OK People. Are there demons in the air or something? Anyhow, why is it that every day, we are inching closer and closer to the Apocalypse? There is Bush who keeps on using God in his speeches, but also seems hellbent on engaging in empire. Is this a sign???
By the way, I am joking.

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http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/11/06/lunar.eclipse.ap/index.html

AP) -- Stargazers across North and South America, Europe and Africa will watch the full moon dim into a dark, ruddy orb over the weekend as the moon drifts through Earth's shadow in the latest celestial event this year to pull eyes skyward.

Sky watchers scrutinized Mars during its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years this summer and were awed by red and green aurora displays as far south as Florida thanks to big explosions on the sun in recent weeks.

And now more heavenly happenings are on the way.

[Wednesdays]

1. Um, there have been lunar eclipses before...

and civilization as we know it didn't collapse. :evilgrin:

Thanks for the heads-up!

[Zero Gravitas]

11. twice a year

Lunar eclipses happen twice every year. Obviously not all are visible to viewers at any given location, but they are common events.

[youngred]

12. Tis a beautiful thing to see anyway

eh?

[Terwilliger]

2. This IS a sign...

that science is fascinating!

[Ediacara]

3. the Moon ALWAYS turns red durring an ecplipse

It's caused by the refraction of the light going through the atmosphere at the terminator from night to day. In other words, light goes from the sun, to the Earth at the spot on Earth where every sunrise and sunset is, and then is refracted onto the Moon.

This AFAIK, happens during every single lunar ecplipse.

[Goldmund]

4. No, not always

It depends on the composition of the athmosphere at the point of the eclipse. More than anything, it depends on the level of recent volcanic activity and the amount of volcanic ash in the air.

[pmbryant]

9. ok, *almost* always ;-)

Non-red eclipses are quite rare, in my recollection.

There was an eclipse back in 1982 that was quite dark, almost black, because there had been a huge volcanic eruption (El Chichon, Mexico?) a short while before and the amount of particles in the upper atmosphere severely cut back on the amount of refracted light that hit the Moon.

But have there been any similar eclipses since? I'm not sure.

:shrug:

--Peter

[everythingsxen]

5. OMFG!!! NOOOOO!!!

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHH!!!!!!

WE ARE ALL DOOMED!

THE BELLS THE BELLS!!

:eyes:

K thanks.

I've seen a red moon before.

It wasn't the apocolypse before. I doubt it will be this time.

[commander bunnypants]

6. and if you see the four horseman

Blame the Chimp


DDQM

[jobycom]

7. Just the light refracting through the blood that now covers our nation

Hey, I felt morbid, so sue me. :loveya:

[Kolesar]

8. & its electoral votes will go to Bush in 2004

aaaaagh! I better go do some housework.

[Cat Atomic]

10. Sorry- you're all close, but here's the scientific explanation:

The moon turns blood red when really creepy shit is going down. I got this from the Harvard Book of Really Indisputable Scientific Facts and Stuff You Can't Argue with Because it's Just True So Don't Try It, Heretic. 1987 edition.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. THe bible says something about the moon turning to blood...

Not just turning red...I don't think the apocalypse is near. It's just a shadow.
Duckie

[Throckmorton]

14. Not the Communist Moon thing again

Where is Barry Goldwater when we need him?

[Astarho]

16. Moon Commies!

Shit! now we got Moon Commies! The moon turns red and the sun turns pink. What a world!

[FlashHarry]

15. Don't forget. Revalations was written...

...by a guy who may well have been high on ergot (mouldy psychedelic bread!).

(St. John of Patmos, I think... AKA St. John, the Divine.)

[supernova]

17. I have wondered if ole John

was stoned out of his gourd when he wrote that! That explains a lot.

[supernova]

18. It was lovely last night

though, I didn't see a lot of red in it. It was just a normal dark grey eclipse. Still spectacular though.