by Ashton Goodell
Thursday, December 31, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A partial lunar eclipse and full moon showed its face in the morning sky over Anchorage Thursday.
This is the second full moon this month -- the phenomenon occurs every three years-- and is called a blue moon.
A lunar eclipse happens when the earth is between the moon and the sun, which blocks the sun's rays from touching the moon.
Some in Anchorage started their New Year's celebration early by watching the moon move across Cook Inlet.
"If you look at it now it's also shining off the inlet, off the ice and the water. It's beautiful. Only in Alaska," said Shelly McCormick, a moon-watcher.
The National Weather Service says the eclipse was visible around moonset during the 10 o'clock hour.
