The longest century eclipse to darken parts of Asia and Africa – but you can see it too

The moon will slide into Earth 's shadow Friday in what will be the longest lunar eclipse of the century. Although it is not visible in the Canadian sky, there are ways to see the show for yourself.

Lunar eclipses occur two to four times a year, but not all are visible

. Penumbral eclipses, where the moon pbades through the lower outer shadow of the Earth, which is not quite visible to the human eye.

Then there are partial eclipses, where part of the moon pbades through the dark shadow. And finally, there are total lunar eclipses, where the entire moon goes through the shadows.

The reason we do not get eclipses every month is that the moon is circling the Earth on a slightly inclined five degree plane. the solar eclipses, which last a few minutes, lunar eclipses last three hours or more.

But the eclipse that will extend from South America to New Zealand on Friday will last nearly four hours, arriving at three hours and 55 minutes. And all, which will occur in Africa, the Middle East and part of Asia, will last one hour and 43 minutes, making it the longest in 100 years.

Lunar eclipses occur. It can cross the outer shadow, weaker, called penumbra. When it pbades in the shade, we can get a partial or total lunar eclipse, depending on the amount of moon going through it (CBC News)

And yes, you will probably hear this eclipse called the "moon" of blood". But there is nothing scary about it.

During a lunar eclipse, the sun sets directly behind the Earth, refracting – or flexing – light. The blue light is scattered, leaving only red. The light of all sunsets and sunrises occurring simultaneously is reflected by the moon, making it appear red

The depth of the red depends on the particles in the air. One can guess how much this eclipse will be red

Although Canadians are not able to directly witness the event, there are ways to capture it in the comfort of their home.

You can see it online with The Virtual Telescope Project or Slooh. Both are resources that provide live astronomical events. While they will show the entire eclipse, if you are looking for the whole, it occurs from 15:30. AND at 17:13 ET

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But there are some extra-special events that night

For one, Mars will be in opposition, when the Earth gets found directly between her and the sun. (Four days later, Mars will be the closest to the Earth since 2003)

And finally, there will be a conjunction between Mars and the Moon. Astronomers often speak of these events, characterized by two celestial bodies appearing very close together in the sky. There is nothing particularly scientific about it, but it allows a vision and beautiful photographs.

The night of the total lunar eclipse, Mars and the moon will be about six degrees into the night. sky. And you can enjoy pairing here in our night sky. You can find the local time of the moonrise by visiting the site Time and Date.

So, while the total lunar eclipse will not be a Canadian sky, you can still go out and enjoy Mars and the moon in the night sky. And do not forget Saturn and Jupiter, who will also be awake during most of the night.

The next visible total lunar eclipse of Canada will take place on January 21, 2019 and will last three hours. and 17 minutes, with a total duration of one hour and two minutes.