2008 SPACE SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| GET READY FOR FEBRUARY'S TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE (720p/59.94)
| G08-HD043 | 2/15/08 | 7:40 | You may want to stay up past your bedtime on Wednesday, February 20th, to watch as a total lunar eclipse dazzles the night sky. And observers should take special notice of this lunar eclipse, because it will be the last one until December 2010. By the time the next lunar eclipse rolls around, our knowledge of the moon could be quite different, thanks to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, NASA's upcoming mission to study the moon.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): What You Can Expect to See Animation - A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow over the moon's surface. The February 20, 2008 eclipse will last for nearly 3 and a half hours. For a full 50 minutes of that time the moon will be in totality - the period when the lunar surface is completely covered by the Earth's shadow.
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (2): Viewing Guide for the United States - This map shows where and when the February 20th total lunar eclipse will be visible in the United States. The entire eclipse will be visible for the majority of the country. However, residents on the West Coast will miss out on watching the early stages of the eclipse, as it begins before moonrise.
Courtesy: NASA
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| ITEM (3): Scenes from Past Lunar Eclipses - The ancient Mayans referred to lunar eclipses as the moon being devoured by a giant jaguar. In reality the sun, Earth and moon align so that the Earth's shadow is cast onto the moon. This sequence shows a previous total lunar eclipse from November 29, 1993.
Courtesy: Fred Espenak
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| ITEM (4): Once in a Red Moon? - During an eclipse the moon changes color, going from a light grey color to an orange or deep red shade. This is totality. The moon takes on this new color because indirect sunlight is still able to pass through the Earth's atmosphere and cast a glow on the moon. The exact color that the moon appears depends on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere.
Courtesy: Fred Espenak
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| ITEM (4): Return to the Moon: LRO - The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is NASA's first mission to return to the moon, slated to launch in 2008. This instrument will map the moon, seek landing sites, and continue to search for water and other useful resources, helping to pave the way for humans to return to the moon.
Courtesy: NASA
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