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SALT LAKE CITY -- It's not a rare occurrence, but for astronomers and space enthusiasts it's a pretty exciting event. A lunar eclipse will take place Monday, Dec. 20 around 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time, though Utah may miss it because of the dreary weather.
Utah would need a hole in the clouds just enough to see the totally eclipsed moon, according to Patrick Wiggins, NASA/JPL solar system ambassador to Utah.
KSL Meteorologist Jodi Saeland said there's really no chance that Utahns are going to be able to see this eclipse.
"It's pretty much statewide," said Saeland. "With this weather pattern and moisture, what you see is what you get."
Wiggins said while an eclipse comes along often, it's special for him because a lunar event such as a total eclipse makes people appreciate the sky.
"So many people in their hum-drum lives are always looking down at computers or whatever," explained Wiggins. "But they're not looking up at the sky enough. I really think that the sky is a natural resource that we should come to appreciate."
That's because, as Wiggins put it, there are few interesting activities that take place in the sky.
"So often the sky is kind of stagnant, it seems to be unchanging. The moon goes through its phases and of course that takes like a month to happen," said Wiggins. "But during an eclipse of the moon, over an hour's time you actually see things happening above you in the sky and that's kind of neat."
Wiggins explained that it would surprise people to know that theoretically, it's possible to have seven eclipses in one year. However, "The thing is you have to be able to travel to see all of them," Wiggins said.
This eclipse was supposed to be the best one for awhile. "This is going to be our last eclipse until December 2011," said Wiggins. Even then, he explained, the circumstances around that upcoming eclipse won't be as good as the December 2010 eclipse.
"It won't be as high in the sky. It won't be in the middle of the night," said Wiggins. "So this is really kind of our best eclipse hope until 2012."
May 20, 2012 to be exact. That's when Wiggins says there'll be a rare annular eclipse - when the moon just about covers the sun. Wiggins says you'll need special inexpensive viewing equipment to protect your eyes and the best view will be from Southern Utah.
"So if you happen to be in Kanarraville (Utah)," said Wiggins, "you'll see a golden ring of sun hanging low in the sky just before sunset. So let's hope it's clear for that one."
Meanwhile, since the weather doesn't seem to want to cooperate, "Technology gives us an opportunity to see this lunar event," Wiggins said.
He recommended getting online to watch the lunar eclipse.
"Someone is going to have clear skies and they're going to pipe it onto the web," he explained. "So I'm sure if you 'Google' for example 'lunar eclipse web cam,' you'll find all kinds of places to watch it live."
More information on Monday's eclipse and other eclipses visible from Utah are available on Wiggins' website utahastro.info.
E-mail: niyamba@ksl.com
