THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
2021-2022: LXIII
"Wonder rather than doubt is at the root of all knowledge." -Abraham Joshua Heschel
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
May 2022 Lunar Eclipse Part II
Today we conclude our two-part series about the May 15/16, 2022 total lunar eclipse. As is often our wont, we'll use the Q/A format. While some of these queries have been previously addressed, a couple will be new, including a fascinating question a subscriber posed just yesterday.
WILL THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM BE OPEN FOR THIS ECLIPSE. IF SO, WHEN WILL YOU OPEN AND CLOSE?
Weather permitting, of course, the planetarium will be open for the total lunar eclipse. We will open at 9:30 p.m. At 9:45 p.m. we'll present a brief show about the lunar eclipse in our star dome theater. At 10:25 p.m., a couple of minutes prior to the moon's first contact with the umbra (inner shadow), we'll gather outside to observe the eclipse. We will close at 1:00 a.m., just after the end of totality. It has been our experience that the vast majority of people lose interest once the moon starts leaving the umbra. Again, if the sky is overcast, we will not open. Note: the penumbral eclipse will be in progress during our star dome presentation. However, as mentioned yesterday, the penumbral phase of the eclipse isn't truly noticeable.
EVERY LUNAR ECLIPSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SOLAR ECLIPSE THAT OCCURS EITHER AFTER OR BEFORE IT. WHEN WILL THAT ECLIPSE HAPPEN AND WILL WE SEE ANY OF IT?
A partial solar eclipse will occur on April 30th. Unfortunately, it will only be visible in the southern hemisphere: South America and Antarctica.
WILL ANY OTHER LUNAR ECLIPSE OCCUR THIS YEAR? IF SO, WILL WE SEE IT?
Yes, another total lunar eclipse will occur on November 8, 2022. We will see the first half of this eclipse. Totality begins at 5:16 a.m. and ends at 6:41 a.m. However, in Portland, the moon will set at 6:32 a.m. Although the moon shall remain above the horizon for most of the totality period, it will be exceedingly difficult to see owing to its low position along the horizon. And, in anticipation of the question, no we likely won't be open for that event.
WILL ECLIPSES EVER STOP BECAUSE OF THE MOON'S RECESSION FROM EARTH?
Yes, we've answered this question many times before, but it is always worth repeating. The moon is moving away from Earth at the rate of 3 -4 cm per year. However, Earth's shadow extends about 840,000 miles into space and the moon's distance from Earth, which currently can't exceed about 252,000 miles, will only increase to about 325,000 miles by the time the Sun expands into the red giant stage. Consequently, lunar eclipses will continue as long as the Sun continues to shine.
NO OFFENSE, BUT WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THIS ECLIPSE? -JB
I find this question, which I've been asked many times, fascinating. The short answer is, well, you shouldn't have to care about it at all. You are under no obligation to be interested in astronomical matters. In fact, many people lead rich, wonderful lives without giving more than a passing glance at the night sky. (Of course, in modern day, the night sky is wholly obscured for most.) On the other hand, to watch an eclipse is to observe the interplay of worlds: a satellite that has been revolving around our planet for nearly four billion years will be moving through a shadow it has entered more than a billion times in the past and will continue to do more than a billion times in the future. The vast majority of those passages have gone unnoticed. Now, by virtue of the complex cosmos contained within our heads, we can watch, study and predict these eclipse motions. We care because through us the Universe becomes introspective and, ultimately, admires itself.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Daily Astronomer: