The longest total lunar eclipse of the century awaits us

At the end of July, a rare astronomical event awaits us : the full moon becomes the moon of blood. We will tell you how it happens, and what myths circulate around the celestial phenomenon.

Rare natural spectacles have always given rise to speculation and superstition. The same goes for the lunar eclipse, considered by men as a messenger of disaster.

Even today, the fireball on the horizon feeds on conspiracy theories and apocalyptic dramas, although there is a plausible scientific explanation for the phenomenon. 19659006] From the full moon to "Bloodmoon" – what's going on?

On July 27, be sure to look at the sky. Because even with the moonrise at 8:58 pm, something will be different.

Reminder: The earth revolves around the sun, the moon moves in a month around the earth. The Trabant can not shine alone, but it reflects the sunlight. So when the earth is between the sun and the moon, we see a full moon.

But at irregular intervals, something else happens: the full moon walks in the shadow of the earth. At first, the shadow moves in front of the moon, a shrinking sickle remains visible. If it is completely in the shadow of the nucleus, we are talking about the total lunar eclipse.

This year the show will be particularly long to watch, provided the weather conditions are good. From 21:30 the clock starts the total phase, the moon darkens and for 103 minutes, the total lunar eclipse prevails. What we see in the sky has terrified humanity for millennia.

As sunlight is broken by the earth's atmosphere, the long-wave red light reaches the celestial body, making it reddish, almost bloody. And around this "Bloodmoon" circulate the wildest rumors

Witches Sabbath, angry gods, or angry dragons?

This is the same phenomenon that makes sunsets appear in a red light. According to current knowledge, so no reason for excitement. But before we can explain the celestial phenomenon, he has put humanity in terror.

Already in Nordic mythology the lunar eclipse was interpreted as a sign of the impending end of the world (the so-called Ragnarok). Two giant wolves follow the god of the moon Mani and the goddess of the sun Sól. As they catch up with the hunted, they devour the moon and shed blood will darken the sun, according to superstition.

At the sight of an eclipse, humans swallowed the l & # 39; 39, orb of a star, and in ancient Greece, it was thought that witches would hurt and taint the blood-red moon.

Playing with fear

And this superstition could be exploited. This is what happened on February 29, 1504. The Italian sailor Christopher Columbus was stuck with his people in Jamaica, they could only survive by trading with the locals. However, when Columbus and his men snatched the islanders, they stopped trading.

But Columbus, who knew astronomy well, knew that there would be a total lunar eclipse on February 29, 1504, in Jamaica. With cunning, he promised the inhabitants the anger of the gods and threatened to extinguish the moon. When the moon really darkened, the Jamaicans were scared to death. They took over the trade and Columbus "made the moon," says the tradition.

Also, this year, rumors are alive again: fanatics of the end times see the show as a disaster for humanity. But that should not tarnish our anticipation.

Fact: The Bloody Moon is a fantastic sky show, which we absolutely do not want to miss. And at one hour and 44 minutes, it is the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century. It is only surpbaded by the lunar eclipse of June 9, 2123, which will take two minutes longer.

Who can see the entire lunar eclipse on July 27th? In Switzerland, the whole is visible. Travelers will discover on this interactive map where in the world they can best follow the lunar eclipse.

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