Eclipse produces spectacular 'blood moon'
<p>The moon turns red during a lunar eclipse at 1:17 a.m. Tuesday as seen from Big Mountain. The phenomenon is known as a “blood moon.” (Brenda Ahearn photo/Daily Inter Lake)</p><p>Ten images are combined to show the progression of the lunar eclipse Tuesday morning. (Patrick Cote photos/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Sky-gazers in North and South America were treated Tuesday morning to a full lunar eclipse.
The moon was eclipsed by the Earth’s shadow early Tuesday morning. The total phase of the eclipse lasted just 78 minutes.
In the Flathead Valley, the eclipse scene was visible after 1 a.m.
For some viewers, the moon appeared red-orange because of all the sunsets and sunrises shimmering from Earth, thus the name “blood moon.”
It’s the first of four eclipses this year and the first of four total lunar eclipses this year and next. In the meantime, get ready for a solar eclipse in two weeks.
NASA got good news Tuesday: Its moon-orbiting spacecraft, LADEE survived the eclipse. Scientists had feared LADEE might freeze up in the cold darkness.