TR.LunarEclipse2007.JPG

A lunar eclipse as seen over Portland in August of 2007.

(The Oregonian/2007)

The weather forecast looks favorable in Portland for watching the total eclipse of the moon, which will begin at 12:08 a.m. Tuesday and last until 1:23 a.m.

The National Weather Service, as of Saturday morning, is calling for a clear day on Monday, followed by a partly cloudy Monday night. Weather is changing at that time, because Tuesday calls for a 30 percent chance of rain.

Here is a link

to the timing of the eclipse, based on observation in Seattle but Portland will be similar:

.

Here's some info

from the

about watching the eclipse locally in the Portland:

When totality begins (at 12:08 a.m. on Tuesday, April 15), the moon will be almost due south (azimuth=162 degrees) and at an altitude of 32 degrees. During the entirety of the eclipse the planets Mars and Saturn will be in the vicinity.

at McIver State Park near Estacada (day use permit fee of $5 required) for those interested in viewing the eclipse through telescopes and with others.

Here are the blogger's four

suggested clear sky places to watch the total lunar eclipse (with links to my stories about them), just in case you don't trust the weather forecast for western Oregon:

State Park on the John Day River: This new park has a campground down in the canyon. The moon's southern location during the eclipse should make it visible down by the river, but the table-top flat farm lands are a short drive up the canyon. Find a wide spot and park along a road (there won't be much traffic). Don't trespass on farm fields.

Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument: There's no camping allowed in the monument, but you can set up a tent along Bridge Creek on BLM land about one mile south of U.S. 26 along the road to the Painted Hills. Head for the Overlook viewpoint at Painted Hills.

National Monument: Again, there is no camping (or overnight use in the national wildlife refuge portion of the monument), so you will need to be creative. Park along one of the paved highways. For rough camping, I head out of the refuge boundary to the top of Saddle Mountain (to the north), or to the top of the Rattlesnake Hills (south of Benton City). There is federal land at each location with no restriction against camping.

War Memorial: This is private land (managed by Maryhill Museum of Art) and officially closes at dusk. Look for a wide spot along the back road that descends from the war memorial to the community of Maryhill, where you will camp in Washington's Maryhill State Park on the Columbia River.

Here is some reporting about the coming eclipse:

Total lunar eclipse will darken the moon next week, by Joe Rao, Space.com

Total lunar eclipse on April 14-15: What is a 'blood moon'?, from the LA Times Science Now

Here's a link to where it will be visible, from Sky and Telescope magazine

Skywatch: Total lunar eclipse set for morning of April 15, by Blaine Friedlander in the Wahington Post

And the Wikipeida entry for what exactly is a lunar eclipse

-- Terry Richard