“For the first time in many years, northern winter is beginning with a total lunar eclipse. On Dec. 21, 2010, the date of the northern winter solstice, the full Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow, turning the lunar orb a delightful shade of coppery-red.
“Sky watchers in North America are favored with an overhead view as the eclipse unfolds on Tuesday morning between 02:41 am and 03:53 am EST.”
Obviously, only the very earliest bird will catch this eclipse.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
02:41 am. Tough. The one we had here a few years ago was more gentle…
I was actually up at the time but was preoccupied with a novel, Gregory Benford’s “Across The Sea of Suns.”