SKY WATCHING -- For the price of being up most of the night, sky watchers in the West will be treated to a lunar eclipse early Wednesday, Oct. 8, starting shortly after 1 a.m.

The Full Moon will slide through the dark shadow of the Earth and for 58 minutes. The only light hitting the Moon will be the reddish glow from Earth's sunrises and sunsets resulting in a total lunar eclipse.

 Unlike solar eclipses in which the Sun's rays can damage the eyes, lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye. Lunar eclipses are unique in that no one can predict what color the Moon will turn during totality. Binoculars and telescopes will enhance the view. 

The penumbral eclipse begins around 1:15 a.m. and the umbral shadow will take a small, dark bite out of the left edge of the Moon starting about 2:15 a.m. For 61 minutes of the partial phase, the darkness engulfs more of the Moon's disk as it slides into the shadow.

The partial eclipse ends and totality begins at 3:27 a.m. and the point of the greatest eclipse occurs at 3:55 a.m. The eclipse's total phase will lasts for 58 minutes. The Moon will be 34 degrees above the southern horizon at the instant of the greatest eclipse. Finally, the partial eclipse ends at 5:32 a.m.
 
On the scheduled day of the Total Lunar Eclipse Viewing Party, it is suggested that visitors call the OMSI Star Parties Hotline at 503- 797-4000, and hit #3 then #5, or check the OMSI Star Parties website for possible weather-related cancellations.

If you're one of those poor people who has to work on Wednesday day, you can get a good night's sleep while still getting a fix on what's going to happen tonight by viewing the lunar eclipse that occurred this spring through this time lapse and photos posted on OregonLive.com on April 15.