Sunday night will offer a chance to see the last total lunar eclipse until 2018.
This eclipse is special, says Brian Jackson, an astronomer who teaches at Boise State. That’s because it will also be what’s known as a “Blood Moon.”
“As the moon is rising, the lunar eclipse will have already begun. So the moon will rise on September 27th and it will be this really dark, blood red, classic, you know, science fiction moon,” says Jackson.
A lunar eclipse is when Earth’s shadow blocks the sun, blotting out the moon’s light. A Blood Moon eclipse is when light is refracted from Earth’s atmosphere. The light only shows up on the moon when it is in Earth’s shadow.
“I think it will be a really great opportunity for the kids - bring the kids out, come look at the blood red moon.”
Jackson and the BSU Physics and Astronomy club are planning an eclipse party Sunday night at 7 p.m. on the roof of the Brady Street parking garage. They’ll have 11 inch telescopes on hand for anyone to watch the eclipse happen.
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