The Moon's Maroon

Or it will be tonight between 10:00 and 10:51 p.m., when there will be a total lunar eclipse over Toronto (and various other cities North America and Western Europe, but 10 p.m. is when it’s happening here).

Lunar eclipses may not be as apocalyptic and awe-inspiring as solar eclipses, but they do have the advantage of not blinding you if you stare at them. Also, if you catch one at just the right moment, it will look a bit like the Firefox logo.

Eclipses, like streetcars, are rare creatures that make their long-awaited appearances in clusters of three or more, and the next few years will see several partial eclipses. Tonight, however, is your last chance to catch a total one until 2010. So it’s worth braving the cold, wind, and augers of snow and staking out somewhere with a clear view of the moon to point, take pictures and go, "Ooh."

Or possibly, "Aooooooo."

Photo by ohsleepless1.