A total eclipse of the moon (a Lunar Eclipse) Monday night will coincide with winter solstice.
This means the moon will appear high in the sky and be visible throughout all of North and Central America, including Seattle — weather permitting.
Starting around 10:33 p.m. PST, the full moon, normally illuminated by the sun, will pass through the shadow, created by Earth blocking the sun's light.
Some indirect sunlight still will manage to pierce through and give the moon a brown or maybe deep red color rather than the usual orange-yellow tinge, thanks to recent volcanic eruptions that have dumped tons of dust into the atmosphere.
More stars will appear in the sky as sunlight reflected from the moon fades.
This would be really cool to see, but the forecast for the Seattle area is for mostly cloudy skies, with showers.
Your best chance might be to watch your computer screen, not the sky.
A nice ritual for the winter solstice is to put out bird food, squirrel, and rabbit food, for the little creatures to feast during the lean times they experience in winter. If you buy a large bag of birdfeed like we do from our local feed store you can feed them for the next month. With many enjoyable moments of birdwatching.
Another nice ritual is to gather as a family and have a special meal, with a homemade dessert, and celebrate the shortest day of the year with a toast to the days turning lighter, and the hope of the coming year,
You could also begin plans for next years garden, by pulling out your seed catalogs, sitting by the fire with a hot cup of coffee, and writing out your design plans. Maybe you'll order some new varieties of vegetable or flowers you've never tried growing before. Or maybe you just want to splurge and buy yourself a new trowel and gloves. Enjoy the Season!
Cheers to all!
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