VIDEO – The longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century

► What are we talking about?

For a lunar eclipse to occur, there must be an almost perfect alignment of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon. Our planet, lying between our star and the Moon, then projects its shadow on its natural satellite, as it was the case this Friday, July 27 during the second total lunar eclipse of 2018, the first having taken place on January 31st.

Deprived of the rays of the Sun, the moon has darkened and taken on a brick tinge as the Earth's atmosphere deflects the red rays of sunlight into the shadow cone. The Moon could then send them back.

A super, blue, blood-red moon … but not in metropolitan France

The eclipse, which corresponds to the moment when the Moon plunges into the shadow of the Earth, was visible , partially or totally, in one half of the world (especially the eastern hemisphere). It has been observed, depending on weather conditions, from Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.

The complete phenomenon (half-light understood, imperceptible to the naked eye) began at 17 14 GMT and finished at 2328 GMT. The phase called "totality" when the Moon was completely in the shadow cone projected by the Earth, lasted 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes), the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century

► A rare observation, from Kenya to Germany

"It's so interesting to see how red the moon is, as if it were covered with blood" exclaimed Marion Rotich, mother of the family observing the phenomenon with her two daughters in Naivasha, southern Kenya

Near Lake Magadi, isolated region far from light pollution cities 100 km south West of Nairobi, a couple had set up their telescope so that the inhabitants of the neighborhood could admire the eclipse. "We had already done this on the occasion of the solar eclipse in 2016" said Susan Murabana. Some 300 members of the local community, mostly Masai, came to use their telescopes.

"Until today, I thought that Mars, Jupiter and the other planets were in the imagination of scientists " told AFP one of the young observers, Purity Sailepo, 16 years old. "But now that I have seen this, I can believe it and I want to become an astronomer to tell others" .

At the same time in Tunis, more than 2,000 people had gathered at the Capital City of Science to admire the eclipse. Amazed by the color change of the satellite, men, women and especially children with binoculars waited their turn to look at the moon through the telescopes. Others were filming, portable by hand. "I hope that this eclipse will bring us happiness and tranquility" testified Karima, 46 years old.

In Berlin, people gathered on the Drachenberg, a hill which rises to a hundred meters to West Berlin. "For the people who live today, it's a unique event" commented Sven Melchert, the director of Heppenheim's Friends of the Stars Association in western Germany , quoted by the DPA news agency.

► Views obscured by the clouds

But not everyone had the chance to enjoy the show. The monsoon rains and clouds have hidden the moon in much of India and its neighbors, who should have had an unobstructed view. Even disappointment in much of Europe where thick clouds disrupted the lunar show.

North of London, on the terrace of the Alexandra Palace, hundreds of people were frustrated by clouds obscuring all sky View. With a very British humor, they consoled themselves by singing "Total eclipse of the heart" planetary tube of the local singer Bonnie Tyler, released in 1983.

The eclipse of Moon will be visible only partially from France

► March, other star of the evening

Those who gathered in Rio de Janeiro were luckier, grabbing the red moon in the clear night sky with their camera. "I found it very pretty and I liked Mars more than I could see right next to the moon" Talita Oliveira, 34, was delighted.

Another star of the night was indeed Mars, which is only 57.6 million kilometers from the Earth. To the naked eye, one could see a bright spot while with a telescope or a telescope, it was possible to observe it in detail.

The Cross (with AFP)