Teachable Moment: How to Watch the Only Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019 – Plus a Supermoon

["NASA/JPL Edu" <education@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: How to Watch the Only Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019 – Plus a Supermoon

Teachable Moment: How to Watch the Only Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019 – Plus a Supermoon

Turn your eyes to the sky the evening of Sunday, Jan. 20 for a total lunar eclipse, the last one visible in its entirety from North America for several years. The pairing of the lunar eclipse and a “supermoon” has some calling this event a super blood moon. However you refer to it, this eclipse is a great opportunity for students to observe the Moon and for teachers to make connections to in-class science content.

In the latest Teachable Moment from NASA/JPL Edu, education specialist Lyle Tavernier explains how lunar eclipses happen and how they’ve led to both ancient and modern discoveries. Find out when to watch and what to expect on Jan. 20, plus how you and your students can use the eclipse as an opportunity to observe and evaluate properties of the Moon.

Read the Blog
 

For more about supermoons, see this related Teachable Moment from NASA/JPL Edu: What's a Supermoon and Just How Super Is It?

Related Lessons and Activities

Use this lesson to have students evaluate the Moon's brightness during the lunar eclipse.

Evaluating a Lunar Eclipse (Grades 3-12) - Students use the Danjon Scale of Lunar Eclipse Brightness to illustrate the range of colors and brightness the Moon can take on during a total lunar eclipse. Get started

Explore more standards-aligned lessons and related activities to get students excited about the eclipse, moon phases and Moon observations.

Observing the Moon (Grades K-6) - Students identify the Moon’s location in the sky and record their observations in a journal over the course of the moon-phase cycle. Get started

Moon Phases (Grades 1-6) - Students learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. In 30 minutes, they will act out one complete, 30-day, Moon cycle. Get started

Whip Up a Moon-Like Crater (Grades 1-6) - Whip up a moon-like crater with baking ingredients as a demonstration for students. Get started

Measuring the Supermoon (Grades 5-12) - Students take measurements of the Moon during its full phase over multiple Moon cycles to compare and contrast results. Read more

Modeling the Earth-Moon System (Grades 6-8) – Students learn about scale models and distance by creating a classroom-size Earth-Moon system. Read more

Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator - Like a decoder wheel for the Moon, this calendar will show you where and when to see the Moon and every moon phase throughout the year! Get started