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The longest "blood moon" eclipse of this century will coincide with the closest approach to Mars in 15 years to offer skygazers an exciting double astronomical project tonight.
For about half the world, the moon will be partly or entirely in the shadow of the Earth from 18:54 to 00:28 Irish time – six hours and 14 minutes in all.
The complete eclipse period – known as "Totality", when the moon appears the darkest – will last from 20:30 to 22:13 Irish time.
"The Totality will last 103 minutes, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century!" The Royal Astronomical Society of London said:
At the same time, Mars will hover near the moon in the night sky, easily visible to the naked eye.
Our next planet will appear unusually large and brilliant, barely 57.7 The longest "blood moon" eclipse of this century will coincide with the closest approach to Mars in 15 years on Friday, to offer astronomers a double astronomical astronomers. https: // t.co/PadJWSgurn pic.twitter.com/3WsZP87pV7
– AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 27, 2018
"We have a rare and interesting conjunction of phenomena "Pascal Descamps, astronomer of the Paris Observatory, told AFP
" We should have a copper-red hue on the moon with Mars the "Red Planet" just next to it, very bright and with a slight orange hue. " [19659002TheastronomersofthehemisphereswillbeplacedinthebestplacestoenjoyaspecialshowinAustraliainAustraliaandintheMiddleEastandEuropeandinSouthAmerica
"If you want a close-up view of the moon when it turns red, a pair of binoculars is useful," said the Royal Astronomical Society
The Celestial Bodies align
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth takes a position in a straight line between the moon and the sun, wiping out the direct sunlight. The moon moves in a similar position every month, but the tilt of its orbit means that it normally goes above or below the Earth's shadow – so most month, we have a full moon without eclipse.
When the three celestial bodies are perfectly aligned, however, the Earth's atmosphere diffuses blue light from the sun while refracting or bending red light onto the moon, usually giving it a pink blush [19659014]. phenomenon the name "Blood Moon", although Mark Bailey of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland has said that the color can vary greatly.
It depends partly on "the transparency of those parts of the earth's atmosphere that allow the light to reach the moon". he says to the AFP
"During a very dark eclipse, the moon can be almost invisible.
" The darker eclipses can show the moon in dark gray or brown … in rust, in red brick, or, »
The long duration of this eclipse is partly due to the fact that the moon will make a nearly central pbad through the shadow of the Earth – the darkest and most central part of the # 39; shadow.
& # 39; Eerie and beautiful & # 39;
Our constant companion will also be at the farthest point from Earth's orbit, making its movement across the slower sky of our perspective, thus pbading longer in the darkness
The NASA, meanwhile, has denounced social media mystifiers claiming that Mars "If this were true, we would be in great trouble given the gravitational effects on Earth, Mars and our moon!", Says NASA website [19659014].
"All eclipses are spectacular," said Robert Mbadey of the Royal Astronomical Society.
"In the midst of a lunar eclipse, it looks like a red planet has taken up residence near Earth – they are both mysterious and beautiful and I will certainly interest myself there. "
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