Watch for Blood Red Moon from Campground

Total Lunar Eclipse - April 14 - 15, 2014

The heavens are never more beautiful than from a campground far away from the city lights.  I still remember watching a meteor shower on a family camping trip to the southern Colorado Rockies when I was twelve.  I've tried to recreate that experience every August since.

Your favorite campground is the perfect setting to watch the lunar eclipse!  So linger a little longer on your campout this weekend and stay up late Monday night to see it.

West Coast: April 14th, 11pm - 1:20am, April 15th

East Coast:  April 15th,  2am - 4:20am

Blood moon seen over Gaza City in March 2007.  Click on photo to see the CNN article.

Check the weather and pick a campsite that's doesn't have too many trees directly overhead.  If you are really energetic, talk to the campground host for permission to organize a star party with fellow campers.  The host can guide you to an area of the campground away from campers, who cannot participate, so the oooooo's and aaaahhhh's don't wake them.

West coast campers can see the total lunar eclipse between 11pm on April 14th and 1:23am on the 15th.  The earth's penumbra starts to touch the moon around 10pm but the color of the moon will begin to change at the partial eclipse at 11pm.  The total eclipse begins just after midnight and the maximum eclipse is about 12:45am.

East coast campers may want to catch a nap first.  But set an alarm to wake you at 2am on April 15th to watch the color of the moon change to the dark orange color.

Blood moons are not all too common.  We usually see 2 lunar eclipses per year but some are so subtle they are hardly visible.  But, for the next 18 months, we'll see 4 total lunar eclipses about 6 months apart and all will be visible from most of the United States!

Check here for specific times in your area.