A bird is seen flying past a full moon in the final stages of a lunar eclipse as it descends over Edmonton about 6:20 a.m. Tuesday. (Tim Smith/Special to the Sun)
Insomniacs and night owls who were watching the sky early Tuesday morning got a special treat, as the full moon passed through the Earth’s shadow and created a total lunar eclipse.
The eclipse took several hours, but between the hours of about 3 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. the moon glowed a stunning shade of ochre.
It then passed completely into the Earth’s shadow, nearly disappearing from sight.
It was the second and final such eclipse of 2007.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth is aligned directly between the sun and moon.
As sunlight passes around the Earth, shorter wavelengths of coloured light are absorbed by the
planet’s atmosphere.
Photo Gallery: Total lunar eclipse
The next total lunar eclipse will be Feb. 21, 2008, and will be visible from Alberta.
