Is this the same as when there's no moon visible? Or is that something else entirely? Anywa, no clear skies in my location tonight - overcast & drizzle only.
See "Modeling Activity" on this page for an explanation: http://www.morehead.unc.edu/Shows/EMS/moon_phases_and_eclipses.htm Lunar phases occur because we're seeing the moon obliquely, with the sun off to the side. Lunar eclipses happen when Earth gets between the moon and the sun. This is why you can't have an eclipse of a moon that isn't full. Clouds went away, it was a beautiful night for the eclipse!
Bah! We're in the middle of the hottest, driest part of our year. Weeks without a cloud in the sky, but yesterday? Clouds rolled in at 4 p.m. and we had complete cloud cover until after midnight.
I saw SOME of it that night. The Moon's lower half was covered over by clouds. The upper half was visible, but NOT the Moon that nite folks were expecting!