Islanders miss
out on lunar eclipse
People on the mainland will observe a lunar eclipse Thursday evening, but it will be a "nonevent" in Hawaii, according to Mike Shanahan, Bishop Museum Planetarium and Observatory manager.
By the time the full moon rises here at 7:03 p.m., only an edge of the moon will be in Earth's shadow, and the phenomenon will end by 8:15 p.m.
"None of moon will be in the deep shadow. The penumbra is all we will see," said Shanahan. "It's so subtle, some people say they see the rest of the moon as brighter."
In North America, western Europe and western Africa, the celestial show will last for more than five hours, with the moon appearing deep red while totally eclipsed for 53 minutes.
It is the first total lunar eclipse visible in the United States in three years, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
An eclipse occurs when the moon slips into Earth's shadow, cut off from direct light from the sun.
Shanahan said Hawaii viewers will also be out of luck for other astronomical events this year, including another lunar eclipse Nov. 8 and solar eclipses May 31 and Nov. 23.
But Hawaii residents and visitors will have the shadow-free "Lahaina Noon" experience later this month, the first of two times during the year when the sun will be exactly overhead at local noon.
The sun is exactly over the equator on the first day of spring.
Every day after March 21, Lahaina Noon occurs a little farther north.
By May 18 the sun is directly overhead at local noon for Big Island locations.
Here are a few dates and times for the spring Lahaina Noon:
>> Hilo: Sunday, 12:17 p.m.The only-in-the-tropics phenomenon will occur again in the fall starting with Lahaina Noon at the equator Sept. 20.
>> Kona: Sunday, 12:19 p.m.
>> Kahului: May 24, 12:22 p.m.
>> Honolulu: May 27, 12:28 p.m.
>> Lihue: May 31, 12:35 p.m.
Bishop Museum