Watch the Skies: it's a Total Eclipse of the Moon

Father Frost, the Slavic version of
Santa Claus. Illustration by Ivan Bilibin

(with thanks to comic creators John Reppion and Leah Moore for the reminder): 21st December 2010 is not only midwinter (also known as DōngZhì, Yule, Şabe Cele/Yalda, Soyal, Şeva Zistanê and many other names) but it’s also the date of a total lunar eclipse.

Because the eclipse occurs on the Solstice means that the Moon will be at the maximum northern position in its orbit. The last time a lunar eclipse occurred on 21st December was in 1991 and the next one is in 2094 - so you may want to try and catch it!

While the effects of a lunar eclipse on people might be in doubt, there is some evidence that it can affect climate. The Altius Directory notes that popular values on the effects of the Moon on weather possibly revisit to when ancient civilizations pursued a lunar calendar, the Moon went from being a simply temporal allusion of becoming an underlying reference.


• More info on the eclipse can be found at www.nasa.gov and www.mreclipse.com (which includes an eclipse time table so you don't miss it and have to wait 84 years for the next one).