Pack a blanket, bring some snacks and head to 麻豆原创鈥檚 Memory Mall on Sunday, Jan. 20, for a front-row seat of 2019鈥檚 first total lunar eclipse.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that won鈥檛 happen again here until May 2022,鈥� says Yan Fernandez, a professor and director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Robinson Observatory. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty cool event regardless. This particular eclipse also happens to occur when the moon is at its closest to the Earth, which some people call a 鈥榮uper moon.鈥� The total eclipse itself gets called a 鈥榖lood moon鈥� since it鈥檚 casting that reddish hue while in Earth鈥檚 shadow. And because it is happening in January, the Farmers鈥� Almanac calls it a 鈥榳olf moon.鈥� But whatever you call it, watching the moon change color as it creeps its way through the shadow is a terrific sight.鈥�
鈥淸The total lunar eclipse] is something that won鈥檛 happen again here until May 2022.鈥� 鈥� Yan Fernandez,聽director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Robinson Observatory
The observatory, the library, and the student-run Astronomy Society are hosting the free public event on the main campus to give the community an opportunity to take it all in.聽 Telescopes and volunteers will be ready to help the public find the best view of the moon and answer questions.
In addition, there will be one telescope set up with a camera feed that will be projected on a screen so experts can share specific features of the moon with the public. Weather permitting, other planets or star systems may be visible as well.
The eclipse totality is expected to last from 11:45 p.m. Sunday to 12:45 a.m. Monday. Weather permitting, volunteers will be on hand from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The eclipse begins about 11:30 p.m.
For weather updates, follow the observatory on or . If you鈥檙e unable to make it to this event, keep an eye on the Robinson Observatory website for more upcoming events.
To help get you ready for the event, the John C. Hitt Library on the main campus will host two activities on Thursday, Jan. 17. From noon to 3 p.m. the public can visit the main floor of the library and visit a craft table to create a moon-phase calendar, which helps track the phases of the moon. Then at 3:30 p.m., join Assistant Professor Adrienne Dove, who will present 鈥淣ew Insights into an Old Moon.鈥� The one-hour talk will be held in Room 223. For more information about these events .
