Lunar eclipse to be visible this Thursday, May 15th

Here's something for you to do while you're waiting to get into the theater to see "The Matrix Reloaded" this Thursday: check out the first lunar eclipse visible in the U.S. in three years.

Unlike a total eclipse of the Sun, which often requires an avid viewer to make a long journey in order to stand under the path of totality, lunar eclipses can more frequently be observed from one's own backyard. The passage of the Moon through the Earth's shadow is similarly visible from all places within the hemisphere where the Moon is above the horizon.

The total phase of the upcoming event will be visible across much of North America, all of South America, as well as central and western Europe and most of Africa (except the extreme eastern part). This makes for a potential viewing audience of nearly 2 billion people.

The article includes a brief guide to the coverage of the event as seen from various vantage points and time zones. For East Coast viewers, the eclipse begins around 10 PM EDT and should reach totality approximately an hour later. Just the thing to take your mind off that guy on the cell phone in front of you in line...(Thanks to Kennedye for the write-up)

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