Once, the eclipse was met with confusion, panic, and dread, but today we can predict these events with great accuracy, and always look forward to it. To ensure that you don't miss a moment of syzygy (it's really a word, meaning celestial bodies in alignment), find a telescope or quality pair of binoculars with the proper filter and glass the heavens on these dates in 2013.
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Once, the eclipse was met with confusion, panic, and dread, but today we can predict these events with great accuracy, and always look forward to it. |
April 25, 2013: Partial Lunar Eclipse
May 10, 2013: The Ring of Fire Eclipse |
May 25, 2013: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse #2
The second of a series of three lunar eclipses this year will be practically imperceptible. The shadow is so miniscule that most won't even bother getting out their telescopes. But it still counts! The May 25th penumbral lunar eclipse has a small entry into the penumbral shadow and marks the beginning of the Saros Series. Those in North America, South America, Western Europe, and Western Africa will be able to observe this eclipse.
October 18, 2013: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse #3
The October Penumbral Lunar Eclipse is the third and final lunar eclipse in 2013 and it'll make a show for the Americas, Europe, Africa, and most of Asia. The moon will first darken over Asia but at no point this evening will it ever truly vanish from sight. In fact, those in Australia or the eastern portion of Siberia will see a perfectly normal moon this evening.
November 3, 2013: Hybrid Solar Eclipse
The alignment is right but the moon is simply too close to the Earth to block out the sun! When this happens we end up with what is called a hybrid solar eclipse, in which some parts of the world will indeed see a total solar eclipse while others will only see an annular eclipse. The total eclipse will trace across the eastern coast of the US, draw east across the Atlantic Ocean, and end over central Africa. The rest of the world will only see an annular event.
