If the weather was clear, people could see the moon gradually darken and even turn a reddish-coppery color as some light reached the moon thanks to sunbeams going around the edges of the earth. The next time a lunar eclipse happens on the winter solstice is in 2094. The last time North America saw a total lunar eclipse was in February 2008.
Other lunar eclipses have had historical significance. Here's a brief look at some of them thanks to NASA's website.
Ferdinand Columbus, the second son of intrepid explorer Christopher Columbus, noted a lunar eclipse in his log as his Spanish troops were negotiating with natives in the New World. Columbus used the eclipse to his advantage as the natives became frightened and gave the Spaniards any supplies and food they needed when they saw the moon darken in 1504.
Young astronomer Tycho Brahe was an ardent pupil of the science he was able to predict a lunar eclipse with great certainty in 1573. Recorded by Dr. John Steele, even Brahe himself said he was surprised his prediction had come true.
The Arabs saw the amazing site of two eclipses in 15 days in 1433. The first eclipse was a partial solar eclipse on the new moon followed by a lunar eclipse 15 days later. Both of them occurred during the Muslim prayer time.
The total lunar eclipse of Dec. 20 and into Dec. 21 is a rare astronomical phenomenon made possible by the precise alignment of the sun, moon and Earth. Because of the positioning needed, lunar eclipses only happen when the moon is full.
Other phenomenon are even rarer than the most recent eclipse. In 2012, two very distinct events happen regarding astronomical phenomenon. Nov. 13, 2012, sees a total solar eclipse followed by an extremely rare transit of Venus across the sun on Dec. 21, 2012. A transit of Venus happens in eight years but only in clusters of two every 130 years.
The lunar eclipse December 20 was a rare event indeed as the last lunar eclipse on the winter solstice happened when the U.S. was first being settled by colonists.
