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A Total Lunar eclipse photographed in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 2014
Skywatchers will be treated to the longest "moon of blood" eclipse of the 21st century on Friday.
During this total eclipse, the earth's natural satellite will become a shade of red or reddish brown
The "totality" period, when the light of the moon is totally obscured, will last one hour , 43 minutes
The eclipse is visible from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, most of Asia and the world. South America and the United Kingdom from 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm. Over the next few days, Mars will be at its closest point to Earth since 2003 – visible as a "bright red star" where the sky is clear.
Why will the eclipse last so long?
The Moon will pass through the center of the Earth 's shadow, at the widest point of the shadow.
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This will be the longest "blood moon" of this century because the light of the sun is filtered through the earth's atmosphere
"It's actually almost as long as a lunar eclipse could be," explained Professor Tim O. Brien, an astrophysicist at Manchester University.
This coincides not only with the close approach of Mars, but with what he describes as a "procession of planets" – an alignment of our celestial neighbors that will give sky observers a particularly good view Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.
Eclipse Terms
Umbra: The Darkest and Central Part of the Earth's Shade
Penumbra: The Outside clearer from the shadow of our planet
] Because the Moon is far from Earth relatively speaking – its orbit is an ellipse, so it gets closer and closer and looks smaller and smaller Earth.
"Mars will look like this beautiful bright red star just below the moon," said Professor O. Brien.
"Every two or three years, the Earth overtakes Mars in the interior as it orbits the Sun, so Mars is closest to us." And because of the elliptical shape of the orbit, it is even closer than normal; it's really a good time to see Mars. "
Where will the eclipse be visible?
Where the sky is clear, the show will be visible almost everywhere in the world, with the exception of America's North eclipse will have already begun as the Moon rises over the United Kingdom and Western Europe.
Prof. O. Brien explained that people in the UK "would need to". a clear southeast horizon that the moon is rising "
The best views – weather permitting – could be in eastern Europe, central and eastern Africa and south-east Asia, from where all the eclipse will be visible.
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To his Nearest approach, Mars will be 54.6 million km from Earth and 400 million km from its furthest point on Earth.
Thus, from the United Kingdom and from Europe, the southeast will be the place to look for the eclipsed Moon, with bright red Mars below. But for views from elsewhere in the solar system, Jupiter will be in the southern sky and Venus in the west.
Dr. Emily Brunsden, Director of the Astrocampus of the University of York, added that this eclipse was a "micro-blood moon"
"It's a total eclipse at a time of its orbit when it is close to being the farthest from the Earth, or at the climax, "she said.
"Where the moon is smaller than usual."
The steps of a total lunar eclipse
- The Penumbral eclipse begins: It starts when the outer part (and more clear) from the shadow of the Earth begins to move on the Moon
- Start of partial eclipse: This step installs when the inner part of the shadow of the Earth begins to cover the Moon
- Total eclipse begins: Also called totality, this occurs when the shadow completely covers the Moon, turning it into a reddish brown color
- Maximum eclipse: The midpoint of the totality
- The end of the total eclipse: The shadow begins to move away from the face of the moon after the totality
- L & # 39; partial eclipse ends: The shadow of the Earth completely leaves the surface of the Moon
- End of e penumbral eclipse: The outer part of the shadow (penumbra) completely moves away from the moon
Source: timeanddate.com
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