The Eclipse of the Harvest Moon

You will not have to attend the Door  Peninsula Astronomical Society’s Astronomy Evening to see the “The Eclipse of the Harvest  Moon” on Sunday, September 27.   But you will learn more about the Moon and the constellations if you come to the Crossroads Astronomy Campus ( 2200 Utah Street in Sturgeon Bay)  that night.  Members of DPAS and Friends of Crossroads will collaborate to offer free indoor family-friendly activities in the Stonecipher Astronomy Center at 7:30,  but the Moon- related demonstrations and exhibits.will close down about 8:15 when  the Moon enters into the shadow of the Earth.

The Moon goes around the Earth every month…actually every 29.5 days—which is how we humans developed the concept of “a month.” “A month–“a moonth”–is the elapsed time from one full Moon until the next. So you might suppose that the Moon would pass through the Earth’s shadow every month. Clearly, it does not.

The rarity of this phenomenon is the result of the the Moon’s orbit which is at an angle to the Earth’s orbit. It’s not much of an angle… a mere 5 degrees…but it  means that  most of the time, the Moon is just a little bit above or a little bit below the shadow of the Earth. Occasionally, maybe three or four times a year, the Moon passes part way or completely  through the Earth’s shadow. That doesn’t mean the Moon goes totally dark. Enough  sunlight gets around the Earth to illuminate the Moon, but the light at the blue end of the spectrum gets filtered out by our atmosphere. Consequently, only red light gets bent toward the Moon.

In some ways, the lunar eclipse  is even more beautiful than a solar eclipse  because the filtered light makes the Moon appear red. Some people call it a Blood Moon. The more pollution in the air, the redder it will be. This year, out west where smoke fills the skies, the moon ought to be dark crimson. But if it’s clear, we will have quite a show….and one that it completely safe to watch.

But the sky show will not be limited to the colorful Moon. As the moon gets dark,  stars appear brighter. So members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society will be on hand with their laser pointers, astronomical binoculars and small telescopes  to help visitors explore the night sky.

The event is free and open to all ages…come early and take in the educational activities, or later ..around 9:30 to see the Moon at its darkest. The event will go on,  clouds or no clouds. Sometimes, even on overcast evenings, the sky opens up.

The meadows of the Crossroads Preserve  are magnificent this time of year. Join the naturalist on Saturday, at 11:00 for a casual meander through the meadows of the Crossroads preserve to enjoy  natures’s final flower show of the season. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. The trip will last about an hour with easy hiking.

On Sunday afternoon, at 2:00, the Door County Historical Society will offer it’s final lecture of the season with “The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal” featuring Captain  Bob Desh.

Crossroads at Big Creek is a preserve welcoming learners of all ages to programs in science, history and the environment. The Collins Learning Center, located at 2041 Michigan, is open 2:00-4:30 daily and during scheduled events. Trails at Crossroads, Big Creek Cove, and the Ida Bay Preserve are free and open to the public.

The meadows of the Crossroads Preserve  are magnificent this time of year. Join the naturalist on Saturday, at 11:00 for a casual meander through  Crossroads preserve to enjoy the natures’s final flower show of the season. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. The trip will last about an hour with easy hiking

Capt. Bob Desh will tell of the history of the Ship Canal. Collins Center .

Friends of Crossroads will join with members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society to offer family-friendly hands-on demonstrations about the moon. Find out why moon watching is better when the moon is not full,  how craters were formed,  what causes the phases of the moon and so on.  Demonstrations in the Stonecipher Astronomy Center. Free.

Join member of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society as they enjoy an eclipse the harvest moon. As the moon darknes to an ethereal red, stars will appear brighter and members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society will be on hand to help participants explore the beauty of the night sky. Meet at the Stargarden of the Astronomy Campus 2022