If you can keep your kids up till 10:01 p.m. EST tonight (and still maintain their sanity and yours tomorrow), you can share with them the rare occurrence of a total lunar eclipse, the last one until December 2010. Both Sky and Telescope and NASA have details on the event, which should be visible in most of the Western Hemisphere. (Much of Britain will be in fog, alas.) Use the eclipse to teach your kids a bit about science (or have them teach you, if they’re at that age), or make it a starting point for discussion of how myths and legends may have begun.
Oh, heck. You know you want to try out something like: “Look, Junior. Mommy can make the moon disappear. Better clean up your room or I’ll make all your toys disappear.”
