CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Parkland College’s William M. Staerkel Planetarium will be hosting a free telescope viewing of the total lunar eclipse.
The eclipse will take place on Friday, March 14 and will be visible to most of North America if the skies aren’t cloudy. The moon will be dimmer in Champaign around 11:00 p.m. on March 13 and will bein moving into earth’s full shadow just after midnight. The eclipse begins around 1:30 a.m. and will last for over an hour. A lunar eclipse happens when Earth goes between the Sun and the Moon.
The earth’s shadow completely covers the moon, making it look much dimmer and red. Planetarium staff, members of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society, and the Parkland Astronomy Club will set up several telescopes outside the planetarium so visitors can look at the Moon. The eclipse date also happens to be Pi Day.
Contact the planetarium at planetarium@parkland.edu or call 217/351-2568 for questions about the event or for information about booking the dome.