Unusual lunar-grazing Aldebaran eclipse visible Tuesday, October 18 across US
As seen from a path about a mile wide extending from Los Angeles, California, to Denver, Colorado, and on to Minnesota south of Minneapolis (and further east, to Lake Superior and Labrador), the bright star Aldebaran's angular diameter will be evident to anyone using binoculars or a small telescope (weather permitting) as the star rapidly fades in and out multiple times among mountains near the moon's north pole. The fades can last even over a second to cover the star's disk, which subtends 120 feet at the moon's distance, as it is repeatedly covered and uncovered by the craggy lunar edge. In some cases, the star will fade, but not completely disappear, then reappear to full brilliance as a small hill covers only part of the star. Similarly, "faint flashes" can be seen as a shallow lunar valley drifts by. Aldebaran is the 13th brightest star in the sky (not...