Observe a Lunar Eclipse!

A total lunar eclipse will be visible in the Springfield area, weather permitting, on Wednesday evening, February 20.

Locally, the full moon will enter the earth's shadow at 7:43 p.m. The moon will become totally immersed at 9:01 p.m., and totality will last 50 minutes – until 9:51 p.m. Last contact with the earth’s shadow will be at 11:09 p.m.

The University of Illinois at Springfield observatory will be open for the event from 8 to 10:30 p.m., weather permitting. John Martin, assistant professor of Astronomy/Physics at UIS, will facilitate viewing the eclipse through the observatory's three telescopes.

The event at the observatory is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. The entrance to the campus observatory is located outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner.

Call 206-7328 at 7 p.m. on February 20 to learn if the observatory will be open in consideration of the weather.