Longest partial lunar eclipse of the century to occur tomorrow
Astronomers are getting ready to observe one of the longest partial lunar eclipses of the century tomorrow.
Experts say the eclipse will last around three and a half hours, but may not be visible from the UK for the whole of its duration.
“People in the UK will not be able to see every part of the eclipse but will still be able to see the lunar eclipse at totality when the moon turns red,” say astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
It will start at around 7:19am on Friday, reaching its maximum around 9am and ending at 10:47am.
The previous partial eclipse took place in 2018 and lasted just one hour and 43 minutes, so this one is set to be much longer.
What is a lunar eclipse?
An eclipse of the Moon happens when the Earth lies directly between the Sun and the Moon, and the Moon lies in the shadow of the Earth.
Image: Getty Images
For a total lunar eclipse to happen, all three must be in a straight line. This means that the Moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow. The next total lunar eclipse is expected to take place in May next year.
A total lunar eclipse is often called a blood moon because the Moon becomes a bright reddish colour.
A partial lunar eclipse is when part of the Moon travels through the Earth’s full ‘umbral’ shadow. Only part of the Moon’s visible surface moves into the dark part of the Earth’s shadow.
How much of this lunar eclipse you manage to see will depend on where you live.
The further north you live in the UK, the clearer the view will be, but it also depends on the weather conditions. If it is foggy on Friday morning where you are, it’s unlikely you will see the Moon turn orange.
But you are more likely to see the phenomenon if you live in a coastal area of the north west of the UK.
You don’t need special equipment – you will be able to see the eclipse with your eyes – but binoculars or a telescope will give you a closer look.
See more here: bbc.co.uk
Header image: Bataiev Yurii / Getty Images
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Saighdear
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“But you are more likely to see the phenomenon if you live in a coastal area of the north west of the UK.” …. really? Our mountains aren’t that high to see “over Continental America” since it’ll be more of a Pacific THeatre spectacle …..
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Howdy
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You’re not wrong Saighdear. Forget the bbc.
Where will this ‘blood moon’ be visible?
https://www.archyde.com/longest-lunar-eclipse-of-the-century-will-occur-in-november-2021-when-and-where-will-this-blood-moon-be-seen-science/
“it will be the longest lunar eclipse in more than a millennium, since the last one that lasted that long occurred in 1440 and there will not be another similar one until 2669.”
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