While much of southern Moore County remained overcast, patchy holes in low-lying cloud cover gave observers in the Dark Park area around Robbins, Westmoore, High Falls and areas south to the county seat tantalizing snapshot views of an eclipsing moon.
By the end of the evening, everybody willing to come out got a chance to see.
Sunday’s startlingly clear weather, brought in by a cold front moving down over the state, did not arrive in time to give a flawless view of the night sky. This eclipse started even as the sun was setting and things were gray overhead.
But a buttermilk sky was laced with viewing spots, and watchers waited eagerly as a reddening harvest moon danced in and out of sight.
Off N.C. 705 outside Robbins, far from the masking glow of city lights, those clouds formed a rippling charcoal gray-black blanket. It was pierced here and there by patches of stars dotting the blackness.
Just below and to the left of the moon, people now and then glimpsed the Seven Sisters plain and bright. The cold night air beyond the clouds was clear enough that 10 or 11 stars of the Pleiades cluster could be counted without the help of binoculars.
By 8 p.m., Dark Park skywatchers saw their Japanese Lantern moon peek through, a ruddy glowing ball hanging from a silver crescent.
Dogs complained from hillsides along Howard’s Mill Road between Robbins and High Falls, calling the moon back to her business of lighting the night.
Luna danced teasingly in and out of sight. At times she was half hidden, a dim orange glimmer flickering just the other side of velvety curtains. Then, suddenly, an appearance, as if for a bow.
Cries of “Look, its coming!”
As a cloud space moved past, the moon’s full orb would appear, colored a dusky copper red over most of the surface, details somewhat hidden as Earth’s shadow swept over dusty plain and craggy mountain peak.
Warm red, or brownish, with the lower left darkest, this strange moon provoked feelings akin to awe, despite modern awareness of orbit and umbra.
Past the Deep River below High Falls, the sight was much the same. Watchers even further south could enjoy the show.
As the shadow was passing from the surface, clear spaces in clouds over Carthage were offering glimpses of a sharp curved edge of darkness to the right and above an emerging brighter rim.
The globe shape of Earth was being revealed like a hand shadow on the wall of the moon.
The shadow curtain slowly pulled from the giant reflector; and backyards brightened now and again as the moon, retreating from eclipse, shone through.
For those on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, this eclipse ran in prime time on Saturday night. Totality lasted 24 minutes, as the moon passed only through the edge of the darkest part of earth’s shadow this time.
The only ticket needed was a place away from blinding lights, and patience.
