Winter Solstice coupled with TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE on 21st Dec 2010

Spectacular two phenomena are combining on the earth on Tuesday,December 21st 2010 when Winter Solstice is happening around 0638PM EST (0508hrs,22nd Dec IST) and a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE visible in North and South America on 20-21st Dec 2010.

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is on Dec 21 2010 at 0638PM EST(0508hrs IST,on 22nd Dec) . Winter Solstice happens when the Earth's Axial tilt is the farthest from the sun. Axial tilt or obliquity is the difference between the rotational axis and line perpendicular to orbital plane. Earth's Axial tilt at present is 23.44°. The axial tilt is al

ways constant ( minor change over a period). The axial tilt undergoes a 360° revolution around the sun. At a time on June 20 or 21 which is the SUMMER SOLSTICE , axial tilt is inclined towards the sun at angle of 23.26°

From Dec 21, length of days will start increasing ( IN Northern Hemisphere) but DEC 21-22 night period will be the LONGEST NIGHT ON THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

LENGTH OF NIGHT ON THAT DAY WILL BE AROUND 13HRS AND 50 MIN in Nagpur,India

Daylight time will reduce in South Pole and increase in North Pole!

Some interesting Orbital tilts of different planets!

Venus - 177.4° ( As Venus rotates from East to West direction),its Axial tilt lies in III quadrant as per Cartesian Convention where X axis is the orbital plane direction and y axis is the direction of Perpendicular line to the Orbital direction)

Moon - 6.8°

Mars- 25.19°

Saturn- 26.73°

Uranus- 97.77° ( Uranus rotates on its "equator " than its pole. If compared to earth, uranus' equator are at poles and poles are at equator

Pluto-119.61°

( ABOVE ALL VALUES ARE POSITIVE)

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality	1:13:12
Partial	3:29:22
Penumbral	5:38:22

A total Lunar eclipse will happen on 20-21st Dec 2010.Lunar Eclipse will begin before sunrise time over Northern Europe at around 05:27:43 UTC on Tuesday (21st Dec) morning.Sunrise in London is around 0802hrs GMT

Greatest Lunar Eclipse will happen at 08:16:56 UTC and between 0241-0353 AM EST ( For USA)

People in USA will be the most lucky to see ENTIRE ECLIPSE and the TOTALITY as well.For people in South America, eclipse will be visible at Moonset ( Sunrise time) similar to people in Europe.

** SINCE ITS A WINTER PERIOD WITH FREEZING TEMPERATURE AND INTENSE SNOWFALL AT MANY PLACES LIKE NORTHERN USA, PARTS OF EUROPE, PEOPLE MUST CHECK WEATHER FORECAST BEFORE VENTURING OUT!

Places that see the lunar eclipse during the night of December 20. North and South America, the islands of the Pacific, Greenland, northwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. For the islands of the Pacific, Hawaii and Alaska, the eclipse starts at early to mid-evening. On the U.S. West Coast, the eclipse starts at late evening. As for the North American east coast and the South American west coast, the eclipse happens in the predawn hours on December 21. In northwestern Europe, northwestern Africa and the South American East Coast, the lunar eclipse is seen at or close to dawn on December 21.

Places that see the lunar eclipse tomorrow – on Tuesday evening, December 21.Northeast Asia, the Philippines, eastern Indonesia, eastern Australia and New Zealand.

Eclipse will end with a sunset in Japan and NE Asia..

Contacts
P1	05:27:43 UTC
U1	06:32:17 UTC
U2	07:40:21 UTC
Greatest	08:16:56 UTC
U3	08:53:34 UTC
U4	10:01:39 UTC
P4	11:06:04 UTC

For people in India,Eastern Africa and India's western neighbours, NO ECLIPSE will be visible as it will be day time here!!!

Timings are 10:58AM to 04:36PM IST on 21st Dec 2010 ! Winter Solstice is at 0508hrs on 22nd Dec 2010!

DON'T MISS IT IN ANY CASE

NEXT TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE IS ON 15TH JUNE 2011.

ITS VISIBLE IN INDIA!!!!

BEGIN 22:53HRS,15TH JUNE

GREATEST AT 0142HRS(16TH JUNE 2011)

ENDING AT 0432HRS(16TH JUNE 2011)

CREDITS- EARTHSKY.ORG

NASA- ECLIPSES

WIKIPEDIA.ORG( FOR TIMINGS)

MY LAPTOP SKY TRACKING SOFTWARE