Viewing the ‘blood moon’ eclipse in Shenandoah Valley

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The bright moonbeams that woke me at 3:30 this morning (see Up early to watch lunar eclipse of ‘blood moon’) dimmed as the lunar eclipse began a couple of hours later, slowly darkening what had been a brightly-lit night. Watching from the front yard beginning around 5:45, the “blood red” color, which seemed like more of a burnt orange, took over the moon as the eclipse proceeded.  The wind was blustery as it has been the past six days and the temperature was 54 degrees, not cold but nippy enough that I retreated to my car and turned on the heat. At about the halfway point, I posted a grainy eclipse iPhone photo on Facebook.

Up early to watch lunar eclipse of ‘blood’ moon

(Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Update: See Viewing the ‘blood moon’ eclipse in Shenandoah Valley.

A bright October full moon woke me at 3:30 this morning as its spotlight beams shone through the window so I’m up early and hoping to catch the lunar eclipse that should occur around 6:30 — about an hour-and-a-half from now — when the moon will turn red.

According to the experts, Earth will pass between the moon and sun, blocking the sun’s rays from reaching the moon. However, a “blood moon” will occur when the moon turns red as some of the sun’s light passes through the dust-filled atmosphere, causing the moon to appear red (see Wake up early Wednesday morning to see a total eclipse of the moon):