So tonight we will see the only total lunar eclipse of 2008. Considering my sons recent fascination with the moon I really am wondering how I can let him see it. When you take into consideration we’ll have the total eclipse at approx 3am until 4am in the UK and we don’t own a video camera I think I’m stuck.

Theres so many things kids can learn from these kind of things the main problem is just how much do you think they can take in. It’s no use trying to explain the difference between prenumbra and umbra if your kids only 4 or 5 but if there that little bit older you might make some headway.

The two main things that kids might get from witnessing the eclipse is why the moon turns red and why it’s a circle that gradually eats away at the moon until it has gone.

The most obvious one to start with is the shape of the shadow as it takes a while before the moon starts to turn red. Thinking back to the times in history when it was thought that the earth was flat it must have been a confusing and scary thing to see happening in the night sky. You also have to think of those great scientists who started to question that belief and realised that what they were seeing was proof that the world was indeed round.

The matter of the reddish caste to the moon is one that took me quite a while to understand and believe. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks most of the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon. If you were sitting on the moon you would see the Earth completely eclipse the Sun much like the diamond ring effect during a total solar eclipse. What they would see would be a bright red ring from all the sunrises and sunsets around the world. This colour comes from the indirect sunlight bouncing through the Earths atmosphere that can still reach the moon while its within Earth’s umbral shadow. The Earth’s atmosphere filters out most of the blue coloured light. and so the remaining light is a deep red or orange in colour and this is why the sky can turn red just before sunrise on Earth and just before sunset.

If your lucky enough to be in North and South America tonight get outside in the evening and take your kids with you. It’s always an amazing sight if the weather holds out for you.