Snow, Solstice, and Full Moon Eclipse

The last hours of fall are waning and what has become the "official" first day of winter is upon us. The Winter Solstice (sometimes called Mid-Winter or Yule) will arrive in just a few hours. In ancient times, this important day marked the half-way point of the winter and brought with it the promise of the lengthening of daylight hours and the time of planting. It is a celebration of surviving the harsh winter, letting go of the old, and welcoming the new.

I have plenty of snow on the ground again this year- perfect for the holiday season. Tonight the heavens will put on a rare show that will create unbelievable beauty on the white, fluffy drifts that are visible across my fields. I am speaking, of course, of the total eclipse of the full moon tonight. The moon will darken to a coppery red and cast its light across the snow in an unforgettable show of nature's brilliance. What an event on the Winter Solstice!

Here is the NASA timeline of the eclipse and all times given are for the Eastern Time Zone. It starts on December 21, 2010 at 1:33 am and totality is at 2:41 am. The best view will be at 3:17 am.

Enjoy!