The Red Planet and the "blood moon" marry to dazzle skygazers :: Kenya

The longest "blood moon" eclipse century will coincide with the closest approach to Mars in 15 years on Friday to offer skygazers an exciting double astronomical bill.

Viewers will not need goggles to watch the show – contrary to what happens when watching a solar eclipse.

"All you have to do is … go out!" the Royal Astronomical Society of London advises.

For about half of the world, the moon will be partly or entirely in the shadow of the Earth from 17:14 to 23:28 GMT – six hours and 14 minutes in all.

The complete eclipse period – known as the "totality", when the moon appears the darkest – will last from 1930 to 2113 GMT.

"The Totality will last 103 minutes, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century!" the Royal Astronomical Society 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 bright, barely 57.7 million kilometers (35.9 million miles) from Earth in its elliptical orbit around the sun.

"We have a rare and interesting conjunction of phenomena," Pascal Descamps, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory, told AFP.

"We should have a copper-red hue on the moon with Mars '' Red Planet '' just next, very bright and with a slight orange hue itself."

Southern Hemisphere amateur astronomers will be in the best position to enjoy this show, especially in southern Africa, Australia, India and Madagascar, but also in Europe and South America.

"If you want a close-up view of the moon turning red, a pair of binoculars is useful," said Royal Astronomical Society.

Celestial bodies aligned

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth takes a position in a straight line between the moon and the sun, erasing the direct sunlight that normally makes our satellite bright yellow-yellow.

The moon moves to a similar position every month, but the tilt of its orbit means that it normally goes above or below the Earth's shadow – the most months, we have a full moon without eclipse.

When the three celestial bodies are perfectly aligned, however, the atmosphere of the Earth diffuses blue light from the sun while refracting or bending the red light on the moon, usually giving it a pink blush.

This is what gives the phenomenon the name of "blood moon", although Mark Bailey of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland has said that the color can vary considerably.

It depends in part on "the haze or transparency of those parts of the Earth's atmosphere that allow sunlight to reach the moon," he said at the time of the day. ; AFP.

"During a very dark eclipse, the moon can be almost invisible.

"Darker eclipses can show the moon in dark gray or brown … in rust, in brick red or, if they are very bright, in red or orange copper."

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 shadow.

"Erestre and Beautiful"

Our constant companion will also be at the furthest point from Earth's orbit, making its movement across the sky slower from our point of view, thus spending more time in the dark.

NASA, meanwhile, has denounced social media hoaxes claiming that Mars will appear as big as the moon during the eclipse.

"If it were true, we would be in great trouble considering the gravitational effects on Earth, Mars and our moon!" the states of the NASA website.

Mars will most likely appear as a very bright star.

"All eclipses are spectacular," said Robert Mbadey of the Royal Astronomical Society.

"In the midst of a lunar eclipse, it may seem like a red planet has chosen home near the Earth – they are both mysterious and beautiful and I will certainly occupy myself with # 39; it "!