A total lunar eclipse, commonly known as a “blood moon,” occurs only during a full moon when the Earth completely blocks the moon from the sun. When the Sun, Earth, and Moon are precisely aligned, light from simultaneous sunrises and sunsets around the Earth is projected onto the Moon, causing a temporary copper-red coat on the Moon’s surface. According to NASA, the more dust and clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during a solar eclipse, the redder the moon will appear.
A total lunar eclipse from the Moon illuminates a bright red aura around the Earth’s dark surface.
“It’s a great reminder of this really special connection between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun,” said Noah Petro, a NASA Lunar Orbiter Project Scientist.
The entire moon will be lit copper red from 5:17 a.m. to 6:42 a.m. Eastern time. But lunar fanatics can wake up at 3:02 a.m. to see the Moon move outside the Earth’s shadow in what is known as a “penumbral” lunar eclipse. This makes the moon slightly darker.A partial eclipse that appears to have gnawed at the surface of the Moon is scheduled to begin at 4:09 a.m.
Anyone on the night side of the Earth can see the eclipse. West Coast viewers will be able to watch the entire lunar eclipse without interruption, as it occurs at midnight. Residents of the East Coast will see the Copper Moon sinking on the horizon due to the early sunrise time. According to Petro, Hawaii is “absolutely the ideal place” to watch the eclipse.
“In effect, locations west of the center of the country are a little more prime,” Petro said. “Like real estate, it’s all about the location.”
The first lunar eclipse of the year bathed the moon in its rusty bronze cloak last May.
Jeff Chester, an astronomer and spokesman for the U.S. Naval Observatory, told The Washington Post that there could be at least two lunar eclipses and up to four lunar eclipses each year. If there are two in a year, both tend to be total lunar eclipses.
“In a year where there are two lunar eclipses twice a year, someone somewhere on Earth will see a total lunar eclipse,” Chester said.
According to NASA, unlike the eclipse’s blinding effect, you don’t need special equipment to see the reddish tint, but it’s best viewed in a dark environment away from bright light. Become.
Astronomers can determine total lunar eclipses many years in advance because they know the moon’s orbital patterns.
“It’s all about knowing the moon’s orbit so accurately that you can predict the eclipses of the sun and the moon to the minute,” Petro told the Post.
Scientists can predict exactly when the various phases of the eclipse will occur, but there is one thing they cannot predict. that’s the color. The hue of a total lunar eclipse varies from coppery gold to deep red with each eclipse.
“We don’t know exactly from eclipse to eclipse. [what color] We are reaching for the whole time. And it adds an element of fun to it,” Chester said.
This is the last time residents across the United States will be able to see the fully tinted Moon until May 14, 2025.
A penumbral lunar eclipse is scheduled for May 5 and 6 next year, and a partial lunar eclipse is scheduled for October 28 next year, but neither lunar eclipse will appear red.
“Every solar eclipse is special because it gives us a wonderful opportunity to go out and see our closest neighbor in the universe, the Moon,” Petro said.
