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Science Museum offers a closer look at lunar eclipse

Watch for the moon to change color on Wednesday, Feb. 20. As long as the sky is clear, you should see the moon turn a reddish shade. That's what the moon looks like during a total eclipse. Get a closer look at the eclipse when members of the Richmond Astronomical Society share their telescopes at a special Lunar Eclipse Sky Watch at the Science Museum of Virginia from 8 to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20.

"A partial phase of the eclipse starts at 8:43 p.m.," said astronomy educator Leslie Bochenski. "The darkest phase – or total eclipse starts just after 10 p.m. and lasts until shortly before 11 p.m. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon travels completely through a dark inner shadow of Earth. The entire event is over shortly after midnight."

The Lunar Eclipse Sky Watch is a free program held weather permitting. For 24-hour sky information, call 804-864-1503. For Science Museum information call 804-864-1400 or 1-800-659-1727 or visit www.smv.org. The Science Museum is located at 2500 West Broad St. in Richmond.

The preceding was compiled from a Science Museum of Virginia news release.