A portion of the Moon will be fully darkened by Earth’s umbra (shadow). The eclipse will be visible throughout most of eastern Africa, central Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Australia.
If you live anywhere in North America, don’t you dare schedule anything else for this day (excepting weddings, reunions, and vacations.)
THIS IS IT. A total eclipse of the sun that runs smack through the middle of the USA. Plan a car trip, bus ride, or plane trip to the narrow strip of Earth stretching from Salem, OR through to Nashville, TN in which the sun will *completely disappear* for two minutes. (Not many large cities are in the path of the totality, so make your reservations early if you want to observe it from the comfort of civilization.)
If you’ve already got plans, the next total eclipse passing through the USA is on April 8, 2024…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_21,_2017
The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The nearly new moon will not be a problem this year. Skies should be dark enough for what should be good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
The Quadrantids meteor shower can yield as many as 40 meteors per hour, radiating from the constellation Bootes. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. Bummer though: this will occur during a nearly full moon, so all but the brightest meteors will be washed out. Still, looking up at the sky isn’t a bad way to start the new year!
This eclipse should be visible for most of western North America, eastern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes completely through the Earth’s dark shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, western and central Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Western Australia.