(PCM) Today will be an absolutely epic day for space enthusiasts! You will not only be able to witness a rocket being launched into space, but you will also be able to see Mars and witness a total lunar eclipse in the overnight hours.
Starting late this afternoon the private space company Space X will launch a robotic Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station. The launch is set to begin at 4:58pm EST from the launchpad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. You can watch live webcasts of the launch at both NASA.com and Space X by clicking here!
As it begins to get dark later this evenings the planet Mars will be at its’ very brightest as it is currently making its’ closest approach to Earth since 2008 at 57 million miles away. Those that look to the sky just after sunset will be able to see Mars as large orange beacon overhead. According to Space.com, it will be blazing as brightly as Sirius, the most luminous star in the sky other than the sun.
If all that wasn’t enough, a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the overnight hours that will be visible to all of North and South America. The Slooh, Virtual Telescope Project and NASA webcasts will provide viewers with a front-row seat to all the eclipse action. The total lunar eclipse, the very first of 2014, is set to begin at 12:53 am EST with the moon entering Earth’s shadow. The total eclipse will be visible around 3:06 am EST and it will end around 4:24 am EST.
The next lunar eclipse is set to take place on October 8th later this year.
Looks like we aren’t getting any sleep tonight!