Luner eclipse 2010

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon completely passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. As a result the moon is cast in spectacular shades of red and orange.

This five picture combination shows various stages of a total lunar eclipse over Baghdad, Iraq, between 1:30-2:30am local time on March 4, 2007. Weather permitting, skygazers in North and Central America and a tiny sliver of South America will boast the best seats to this year's only total eclipse of the moon, scheduled for Dec. 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (Marko Drobnjakovic - AP)

The moon appears totally covered by shadow as the earth passes between the moon and the sun, during the lunar eclipse in this Jan. 9, 2001 file photo taken in Kiel, Germany. On Tuesday Dec. 21, 2010 the first day of northern winter, the full Moon passes almost dead-center through Earth's shadow. The eclipse begins at 1:33 am EST. At that time, Earth's shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It takes about an hour for the "bite" to expand and swallow the entire Moon. Totality commences at 2:41 am EST and lasts for 72 minutes. According to NASA the last total lunar eclipse that happened on the winter solstice was Dec. 21, 1638. The next one will Dec. 21, 2094. (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper, File) (Heribert Proepper - AP)