Why is the total eclipse of the Moon of tomorrow the longest of the century?

The total lunar eclipse of tomorrow, July 27, will be the longest of the twenty-first century with a duration of 103 minutes in its total phase and it is important to know the reasons for this peculiarity in the same way.

In this type of event, the Earth interposes between the Moon which must be in its "full" phase and the Sun, so that the natural satellite disappears little by little as the planet is in motion. the shadow of the "blue planet" covers it. 19659003] This Friday will be observed a blush in the moon because the sun's rays pass through the atmosphere of the Earth, explained the head of the astronomy and space science area of ​​the Luis Enrique planetarium Erro, Wilder Chicana Nuncebay. 19659004] "What we actually see in the color of the moon has to do essentially with some of the pollution of the Earth's atmosphere," he said.

In an interview with Notimex, the astronomer explained that the duration of an eclipse depends essentially on the relationship between the distances and the alignment of the three participants: Earth, Sun and Moon.

For the date, he said, the Moon will be at the greatest distance from the Earth, and this one will in turn be from the Sun. This makes the Earth's shadow, which really hits the moon, extended. and, being so big, the time when the Moon has to move throughout this area is bigger.

This type of event is possible because any extended object projects two types of shadows, threshold and gloominess; the first is solid, while the second is slender and broad.

"There are really two shadow cones that are the ones the Earth projects on the moon, when the moon begins to enter the outermost cone, that is, say the penumbra, the first contact, here begins the penumbra phase of the eclipse "explained Chicana Nuncebay.

At the passage of minutes, the Moon enters completely in the penumbra area and begins to touch the phase of the shadow, darker part, it is where a reddish color is projected on the satellite , a so-called partial step.

"When the whole moon goes into the shade, we say that we are in the totality, so the greater the main shadow, the longer the total eclipse will last long," he said. said.

Thus, from the beginning of the eclipse until its end, it will take about six hours and as a reference, the physicist said that in the Canary Islands the phenomenon will begin at 18:18 and will end at midnight .

This type of phenomenon is also used by the scientific community to make observations and surveys through which they can obtain information on the atmosphere, the degree of contamination and even on the diaper. ozone.

Because the total eclipse of the Moon can be observed in Mexico, the Luis Enrique Erro planetarium of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) is planning to project a simulation of the l & # 39; eclipse for the general public as seen from the Canary Islands, at the end of each of his shorts that are exposed in his dome.

According to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), at the scientific level, lunar eclipses are phenomena known since ancient times by Chinese and ancient Mesoamericans.

JB