THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
70 Falmouth Street Portland,Maine 04103
(207) 780-4249 usm.maine.edu/planet
43.6667° N 70.2667° W Altitude: 10 feet below sea level Founded
January 1970
2021-2022: XXXII
"I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and
we're skeptical."
-Arthur C. Clarke
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
May 2022 Eclipse
After many seconds of painful deliberation, we decided not to be open for
the November 19, 2021 nearly total lunar eclipse. Extremism in pursuit of
astronomy is all very well, provided it's at a decent hour and at room
temperature. We remind the crestfallen that the November 2022 event will
occur in the wee-est of the wee hours, the time when precious few souls
would venture out of their dreamscapes and into the deep autumn chill.
However, take solace in the news that we will be open for the following
total lunar eclipse on the night of May 15/16, 2022. Just to clarify, this
event will begin on May 15th and end on May 16th. As totality will begin at
11:29 p.m., we expect many more sky watchers will join us to admire the
blood moon in the mid-May sky. Moreover, at that time of year, when the
warm season stretches out before us like a lush, frond-coated continent,
the world becomes so festive and electric that hardly anyone can sleep,
anyway.
Although the November eclipse hasn't yet occurred, today we focus on the
May 15, 2022 event so you can all plan accordingly. While the experience
detailed in last week's "Lunar Eclipse Story" has rendered us a bit less
cocksure about event attendance, we are still confident that a nifty crowd
will assemble at the Southworth Planetarium on the Ides of May, weather
permitting.
Just a quick review; a total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon moves
directly into Earth's inner shadow, called the *umbra. * Prior to moving
into the umbra, the moon passes into the *penumbra*, or outer shadow.
[image: Earths-penumbra-and-umbra.png]
After leaving the umbra, the moon glides through the penumbra again before
it leaves the shadow entirely.
*The Penumbral eclipse begins at 9:32 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2022. *
Not much to see here, we're afraid. Prior to touching the penumbra, the
moon will be big, bold and brilliant. After it is immersed in the penumbra,
the moon will become big, bold and brilliant. The penumbra hardly obscures
the moon at all. For that reason, the Southworth Planetarium will offer a
brief lecture about lunar eclipses starting at 9;30 p.m.
*10:27 p.m. Partial Eclipse begins*
Now, we'll see shadow! Initially, the shadow will appear as a thin arc
along the moon's limb. That shadow wll gradually grow as the moon maneuvers
into the dark, inner shadow.
*11:29 p.m. Totality begins*
The total lunar eclipse begins. This event will be the first central
eclipse of the Saros 131 series, meaning it will be the first eclipse in
which part of the moon touches the shadow's center. Consequently, this
eclipse will last one hour, 24 minutes, longer than most. (The longest
eclipse of this series occurs on June 28, 2094 and will last one hour and
42 minutes.)
*12:53 a.m. May 16, 2022: Totality ends*
The total eclipse ends and we will likely end our event. We have found that
interest wanes a bit when the moon begins its umbral exit.
*1:55 a.m. Partial eclipse ends*
One can spend nearly an hour watching the moon moving out of Earth's
shadow.
After its exit, the event will become a non-event again.
*2:50 a.m. Penumbra eclipse ends*
This moment marks the end of this eclipse. The moon has left the shadow
altogether.
We are anticipating a fantastic event in mid-May, an inaugural event
marking the warm season's long-awaited commencement. We would love you to
join us as we behold this celestial spectacle. Of course, if a major
sporting event just happens to be scheduled that same night...
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Daily Astronomer:
https://lists.maine.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=DAILY-ASTRONOMER&A=
<https://lists.maine.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=DAILY-ASTRONOMER&A=1>