Buies Creek–Rather than having to rely on the official NASA Web site or some other source for breathtaking photos of the total eclipse of the moon on February 20, Campbell University students were able to view it for themselves. One of the university’s latest purchases, a Newtonian Reflector telescope with a Dobson mount and 20-inch scope, is five times more powerful than any other university owned telescope.Discovered by astronomy instructor Jason Ezell while surfing a government surplus Web site, Energy-Related Laboratory Equipment (ERLE), the telescope was a purchased last fall.On Wednesday night, February 20, the university was given a real opportunity to see what the telescope could do.During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and very dark gray. An eclipse of the Moon can only take place at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth’s shadow. From start to finish, February’s lunar eclipse lasted about three hours and 26 minutes. The total eclipse phase is called totali.y At this time, the Moon is completely immersed within the Earth’s dark umbral shadow. During the February eclipse totality lasted for just under 50 minutes.”It was really quite a fun night,” Ezell said. “At one point we probably had 60-70 students and teachers out at the Astronomy building. Students have already been able to identify Mars’ polar ice caps using other telescopes, with this one maybe we’ll get to see the little robots on Mars rolling around and poking at things.”Photo Copy: A photo taken of the total eclipse of the Moon by Campbell’s Newtonian Reflector telescope.
Lunar Eclipse captured by Campbell astronomy instructor