Club to host eclipse viewing
The Local Group Astronomy Club is set to observe the lunar eclipse looming over the Santa Clarita Valley this Sunday.
The club invites all SCV residents to a free viewing party starting at 6:30 p.m. in Central Park. The group will provide telescopes at the park near the basketball courts for all interested participants, said organizer Dave Flynn.
This will be the first total lunar eclipse visible in its entirety across the U.S. since Dec. 21, 2010.
The lunar eclipse will lead to the moon turning a strange dark red color, colloquially called a “blood moon.”
Weather-permitting, if clouds stay clear, the eclipse will be visible in the SCV area, Flynn said.
The first phase of the eclipse, known as the penumbral phase, will begin when the event does, at 6:30 p.m. However, the moon may not become noticeably darker until the partial phase of the eclipse begins at 7:30 p.m. The total eclipse is set to end around 9:43 p.m.
A total lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon, when the moon passes directly through the Earth’s shadow, causing it to turn rusty orange or dark red in color, according to the group’s website.
Those who miss this eclipse will need to wait until May 26, 2021, for the next opportunity to witness a total lunar eclipse.
More information can be found at lgscv.org.
The park is located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road in Saugus.