Central Total Lunar Eclipse

Today a fairly rare central total lunar eclipse occurred, where the center point of Earth's shadow passed across the Moon.  The red moon was not visible from my location, North America, but was visible in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia.  Although not visible from where I am, it was experienced.  The last time a lunar eclipse was closer to the center of the earth's shadow was on July 16, 2000. The next central total lunar eclipse will occur on July 27, 2018.

The next total (not central) lunar eclipse will occur December 10, 2011, and will be visible from North America, weather permitting.

Solstice

A total lunar eclipse occured last night.  The last lunar eclipse on a solstice happened in the 1600s, and the next one will take place in another 400 years. The clouds parted long enough so that the lunar thumbnail disappeared, then glimmered, then went totally dark before the clouds closed in again.  From this darkness, during the eve of the longest night of the year, the earth continued on its path and the moon was once again revealed. "Remember, my friends, no matter how dark it is now, Solstice means the light is coming." [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee] ...And from the dark depths of the lunar eclipse on the solstice, the emergence and ever-increasing duration of light comes from a deeper source.