Almost Missed the Full Moon Post--Don't Miss the Full Lunar Eclipse

I really wanted to crash to bed early tonight, but remembering it is not only the Full Cold Moon, on the Winter Solstice, but it is also a Lunar Eclipse, which supposedly can be seen after midnight tonight.


So, the full moon is officially on the 21st at 8:15 p.m. but since tonight is the warmest in weeks I think I'll check it out tonight.  And if I am up late enough maybe I'll watch the first lunar eclipse in three years. (Update--just learned that on the East Coast we can't see it till 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. but you are in better luck on the West Coast with 11:30 or midnight to see it...).


I love this tidbit about Christopher Columbus and the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse (not loving what he did to natives though): (the following is from the site called Starry Skies)

"Chris Columbus asked the native chiefs to attend a meeting with him just before sunset on February 29, 1504.  They were tired of being treated badly by him and wanted to cut off supplying him with food/supplies.

Columbus opened the meeting with a somber announcement, "The Almighty was unhappy, He didn't like the way the natives were treating Columbus and his sailors. The Almighty would now show his disapproval by removing the Moon from the sky." Shortly thereafter, the full moon began to appear over the eastern horizon. As the Sun set, the full moon rose, and the sniggering probably continued. 

And then, ever so subtly, the moon began to change. The Moon began to dim and turn a blood red colour. Soon all eyes were riveted on the dimming orb. Clearly, as it rose, there was something wrong. Not only was the Moon the colour of blood, by the time the lunar disk was completely above the horizon, the lower half of the Moon was missing! 

Over the next few hours, little by little the Moon became harder and harder to spot. A dim red orb hung in the sky where once the brilliant Moon had bathed them in moonlight. It looked as if the Moon had been reduced to a dim ghost of its former self.

Supposedly, the natives were terrified. It is doubtful that they had never observed a lunar eclipse before, but they likely believed the gods controlled such events, and now, here was a mere human who could not only communicate with the gods but could predict his actions as well! Clearly they were frightened by this display of power.

The natives pleaded with Columbus to return the Moon to its former self. They promised food and anything else Columbus or his men wanted. They begged for forgiveness With high drama, old Chris told the natives he would just nip inside and seek a bit of counsel with the Almighty and see if he was in the forgiving mood. In this particular case, "the Almighty" was most likely an hourglass clever Chris was using to time the 48 minute duration of totality. 

Strolling casually back out from his ship, Columbus reappeared just before totality ended and announced that the Almighty Power was indeed in a forgiving mood and if the natives would thusly promise to provide food for Columbus and his crew, the Almighty Power would have the Moon reappear. Of course the Natives agreed and with much nodding, smiling and posturing, the deal was sealed and quite soon thereafter, the Moon was its former brilliant self. 

Thereafter, it is doubtful that Columbus had much trouble with the Natives. He probably even gained a bit more respect from his sailors but one thing is for sure, Columbus did have a good bit of knowledge from Persian, Greek, Islamic and European science. He reportedly had an almanac which he used to schedule the meeting with the Natives based on eclipse times! "

(I will finally get some time off after Thursday....been driving all over the ice in Tennessee last week, but what was crazy is three neighbors slid into our flower bed at home in Georgia......flew to Oklahoma! and back today....got groped at the OK airport......took the boys to Santa and they were happy to see another teen boy was there too with his parents).

Enjoy the Full Cold Moon, Lunar Eclipse (tell me if you see it!), and the longest night of the year!!