Lunar Eclipse???

[Big Boy]

I've seen a few things on the net indicating a Lunar Eclipse this Saturday. I'm not sure if it's serious or the remnants of an April Fool. Does anybody know?

[Norseman]

Yes it's a fact.
The eclipse is at it's maximum at 7: pm seen from Bangkok on Saturday April 4.

[JD]

Sure is a Lunar Eclipse.

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/thailand/bangkok

I use this site for checking such things.

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html

[Big Boy]

Thank you - I'll have to watch out for it when walking the dogs on Saturday.

[Vital Spark]

Went out about half an hour a go to have a look at it. Missed the total bit, but caught it just as the moon was appearing. It looked particularly good through binoculars.

Photos anyone? (Buksi?)

[Big Boy]

I took the dogs early this evening in the hope I would see something. I didn't bother taking my little camera as I knew it wouldn't be up to the task.

I arrived at the Soi where I normally park, and managed to squeeze into the last parking space. Mine is normally the only car in Alley 75.

I stepped onto the beach at 18:45, and it was still light. There were loads of people on the beach, some swimming, and some sitting waiting for a glimpse.

I walked South, regularly checking the sky for the moon. I spotted it in the distance in a generally Easterly direction at 18:53. My first impression was not impressed, I couldn't decide whether or not it was a full eclipse, or whether it still had the last bit to go.

I continued my journey South, and the shadow on the moon stayed fairly static. It was only when the shadow started to move, revealing the moon that I believed it had been a full eclipse. As the moon came from behind the shadow, the moonlight started turning the previously black sea, silver.

I'm glad I saw it, I don't think I've seen a full lunar eclipse before. However, I don't think the excitement will keep me awake tonight.

[NOKYAI]

I went outside at 7 and couldn't find the moon .....doh! Only when I started to pass did I locate it, then sat watching it over dinner. Mrs N wasn't impressed, neither beware all the other Thais around us.

[HHTel]

I spotted it in the distance

Brilliant!!

[Big Boy]

It was actually, as it wasn't dark at that point

[joelle]

for those who missed it the next one will be September 28 2015

Total Eclipse - Will be visible in Asia, Australia, Pacific and the Americas with a duration of 3h 20m. Of this time the eclipse will be total for 1h 12m.

What is a Lunar Eclipse
A Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth. For this to happen the Sun, Earth, and Moon must be closely aligned with the Moon and the Moon located furthest from the Sun. There are a few different types of Lunar Eclipse that are determined by where the moon is in relationship to the shadow of the Earth.

Total Eclipse
A Total Eclipse occurs when the moon is completely blocked from the sun. When the Moon is in this location it is in the Umbra region of the Earth's Shadow. The Umbra is darkest region of the Earth's shadow and recieves little or no solar radiation.

While other types of Lunar Eclipses can be viewed in wide regions of the earth the part of the eclipse that is "Total" is viewable is a much smaller region. The same can be said for the duration of the Eclipse. An Ecplise can last around 3 hours but the time that it is full is generaly around an hour or less.

Partial Eclipse
A Partial Eclipse occurs when the moon partialy enters the Umbra shadow of the Earth but is no completely blocked from the sun. When the Moon is in this location it is partialy in the Penumbra and partialy in the Umbra on the Earths Shadow.

The effect that this type of Eclipse has when located on Earth is that the Moon is partialy shaded on one side. The shaded side of the moon is the darkest part of the earths shadow(Umbra).

Partial Eclipse are generally visible in a wide area of the earth.

Penumbra Eclipse
A Penumbra Eclipse occurs when the moon only enters the Penumbra area of the Earth's shadow. The Penumbra is a region of the shadow that is not completely obscured from the rays of the sun. This lighter shadow is a result of the relative size of the Sun to the Earth.

This type of Eclipse causes the moon to only darken slightly when viewed from earth and is one of the less dramatic Lunar eclipse.