Viewing party for 1st blue moon total lunar eclipse since 1866

The first blue moon total solar eclipse seen in almost 152 years will occur on Wednesday, January 31 and the public is invited to a free viewing party at the Jack C. Davis Observatory in Carson City.

To catch this once in a lifetime event you'll have to get up early though as the observatory on the Western Nevada College will open at 3:15 a.m. Viewing will be available until 7:00 a.m.

A blue moon total solar eclipse is unique as it occurs on the second full moon of the month. The last time such a lunar event occurred was March 31, 1866. One won't have to wait so long for the next one. Additional total eclipses of a blue moon will happen in 2028 and 2037.

“The eclipse will begin with shadow onset at 3:48 a.m. and reach totality at about 4:51 a.m.,” said Thomas Herring, JCDO director and WNC physics professor. “The moon will reach the center of Earth's shadow at 5:29 a.m. and the total eclipse will end at 6:07 am. The moon will set behind the Sierras before the shadow completely moves off the moon's disk.”

Herring said that there will be telescope viewing available to the public, as well as video from JCDO’s 14-inch telescope on the big screen inside, weather permitting. There will also be a large pot of coffee on hand for the early morning event.

Jim Bean, Carson High School physics/astronomy teacher and observatory volunteer, and several of his students will be on hand recording video of the event.

The next lunar eclipse visible in Western Nevada will be Jan. 20, 2019, according to Herring.

The observatory is located at 2699 Van Patten Drive in Carson City.