BLOOD RED MOON TONIGHT

Last total lunar eclipse until 2010. [Which I realized after initially frantically typing that in, is only two years away. TWO years til 2010! Don't you remember when 2010 was, like, FOREVER away? I mean, it was a "Space Odyssey," for crissakes!]

Returning from tangent now...

Anyway, Space.com has some pretty good info about the eclipse, but NASA's site has some great photos. The kids are all excited 'cause it'll actually happen just before bedtime, and there's nothing special you have to do or wear to see it, since it's not a solar eclipse.

It was a little difficult to explain to almost-5-year-olds, but I took the "it's like cutting in front of someone in line who's holding a flashlight" approach, and that analogy seemed to work pretty well. Although now they think the earth is awfully rude!

I always get so excited over these things. It's like Mother Nature forces us for a few minutes to stop and take notice, and I'm all at once awed and centered, somehow. I feel the same way about natural disasters.

The blood-red moon also stirs up some old spiritual memories for me. Reminders of passages from Revelations and the signs of the Apocalypse, and I honestly get a little weak in the knees thinking about it all.

They're all just very humbling experiences. And they make me feel so very small -- but at the same time a part of something so huge.

Anyway, if you have the chance (and the clouds clear up long enough), you should definitely try to take a peek. The total eclipse should happen between 7:01 and 7:51pm (PST).

Portrait of Totality The total lunar eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21 was photographed from Dunkirk, Maryland. An AstroPhysics 120 EDT Refractor (5" F/6) and AP 2X Barlow produced a focal length of 1500mm. The image was made on Kodak Royal Gold 100 with a Nikon N70 camera (4 seconds at f/12). (click to see more photos)