Space.com reports that a total lunar eclipse will be visible over most of North and South America on February 20. Totality will occur at 10:01 EST. It looks to be a very good one, indeed.
Mark Wednesday, Feb. 20, on your calendar as "Lunar Eclipse Night," for if the weather is fair you should have no difficulty observing a total eclipse of the moon.
The eclipse will be visible wherever the moon is above the horizon during the time frame that the eclipse is taking place. As it turns out, North and South America will turned toward the moon and will be in excellent position for this sky show.
Europe, Africa and a part of western Asia will also be able to see the eclipse, although for these regions the event will take place in hours just before sunrise on the morning of Feb. 21.
All told, given clear skies, about three billion potential eclipse viewers will be able to partake in the spectacle of the full moon becoming completely immersed in the Earth's shadow.
This will be the third total lunar eclipse within the past year. The previous two favored different parts of North America, but this one will be readily visible from start-to-finish across much of the continent, weather permitting.
I just hope it's a little warmer than it has been. Right now, standing outside for any length of time is difficult.
I am an avid amateur astronomer who has ground a mirror and built an 8″ Newtonian telescope. Now I also live on the East coast. Living on the East coast means you get all excited about some celestial event and stand outside watching the clouds suddenly appear just before that event occurs.
It did enjoy the recent comet Holmes which was as large as the full Moon a few weeks back.