Wednesday Night Lunar Eclipse Thrills Spectators
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS-SKYGAZERS around the Federation were treated to what may be a once-in-a-life-time spectacle when they viewed the total lunar eclipse last night.
What made the event so spectacular was the fact that when the moon was fully hidden viewers could also see the planet Saturn and the very bright star Regulus.
The Federation happened to have perfect conditions for viewing the eclipse as clear skies allowed the beginning of the eclipse to be seen in the southern sky around 9:42p.m.; with the total eclipse lasting from 11p.m. to 11:51p.m.
Persons gathered at various locations to view the phenomenon, many seeing an 
eclipse of the moon for the first time ever.
“You see these things on TV. from time to time but to experience it right here was really cool. I called all my friends and family to tell them to watch it ‘cause they might not see it again for a few years,” one excited man said.
This was predicted to be the last total lunar eclipse until December 21st, 2010, but when the moon was fully hidden viewers could also see Saturn and Regulus.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, “a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow over the moon's surface.”
~~Adz:Left~~ The moon does not remain totally dark, however, due to light from the sun refracting through Earth’s atmosphere, the moon is given an orangish-red glow.
Viewers in Europe and the western Americas had a harder time viewing the eclipse as it occurred either much later at night when the moon was setting or earlier in the evening before the sun had completely set.
