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Community Corner

Pictures of this Morning's Eclipse

First total lunar eclipse to coincide with Winter Solstice since 1638.

George Welty, Neighbor
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 This morning marked the first lunar eclipse to fall on Winter Solstice since 1638. The total eclipse lasted 72 minutes and any Arlington residents who stayed up to watch the event this morning braved freezing temperatures. 

The color and brightness of the totally eclipsed moon was a "dark eclipse," NASA says, because of Mount Merapi's recent volcanic eruptions in Indonesia. Dark eclipses are caused by volcanic gas and dust that filter and block much of the sun's light from reaching the moon, according to the website. This morning's eclipse and this evening's moonrise were both blood red at times due to this phenomena.

Although this is the second lunar eclipse of 2010, it is the first total lunar eclipse since Feb. 20, 2008. 

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