Total lunar eclipse, December 21, 2010

On the morning of December 21 (or the night of the 20th for those in the western United States), plan to get out your lawn chairs, binoculars, and low-power eyepieces. And, this year, youò??d better add a blanket. The first total lunar eclipse in nearly 3 years is on its way.

This event will thrill viewers across North America and the Pacific. And it takes place just 15 hours before the winter solstice, which places the Moon exceptionally high in the winter sky, near the borders of the constellations Taurus, Gemini, and Orion.