No eclipse for you, North America – but Mars is ready for a close-up



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Sorry, North America. The longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century should take place on Friday – but you will not be able to see it. Unless you are in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, or South America, you should not be too excited about the Moon of Blood that will dominate the sky for just under two hours

At a place that is endowed with more astronomical wonders, note that just three nights after the eclipse, the orbit of Mars will be closer to the earth than it has been in. more than a decade – and it's something you'll be able to see from here in the Bay Area

"Which one would I rather watch? Both," said Rick Elphic, a scientist at the NASA Ames at Mountain View.

So what's so good about this eclipse? "The moon will pass very close to the center of the earth's shadow", a point where the moon is the farthest from the earth, explains Elphic. The further the moon is from the earth, and the closer it gets to the center of the shadow of the earth, the more we can see what is called the "totality," when our shadow completely covers the moon.

For the enthusiasts of our neck On the planet, Foothill College President Emeritus Andrew Fraknoi suggests joining a Friday morning viewing party. Organizations such as Slooh will stream live streams from telescopes around the world, so you'll be able to catch what's called the "Full Buck Moon" around 10 am Pacific Time.

While the moon will be like far away, Mars will pose for its super close-up. And it's not just a 103-minute show, like the eclipse. It's a heavenly event that you will see "every night, for days and days," says Elphic.

Monday night will be the closest and brightest of this orbit – 35.8 million miles – or about 12,300 trips from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Statue of Liberty

It is then that the Science Center and Chabot Space in Oakland will host an observational party to welcome the March enthusiasts, starting at 10:30 pm. Monday and ending Tuesday at 2:30

Miss it – and really, what is your excuse? – and you will have to wait until October 6, 2020 – a month before the next presidential election – for the next March approach. "There will be weeks from now, it will be very similar," says Elphic.

Admiring the red planet to the naked eye will be memorable, but the telescopes will not be the show that they could have imagined: The details of the planet will be obscured by a global dust storm, said Fraknoi, the "caller" a pain in the telescope. "

Fortunately, we should be "ideally placed" for future astronomical events

The next total lunar eclipse visible in our skies will occur in January 2019, with those in the San Francisco Bay Area receiving "first dibs" this time. Mark your calendars for the evening of January 20, when a partial eclipse will begin at 19:34. and a total eclipse hits just at 8:41 pm

Not only will this eclipse occur early in the evening, making it more accessible, but it will be closer to the earth, making it easier to see.

no, North America. New celestial events are still on the horizon. In early August, the annual summer show known as the Perseid meteor shower, which culminates on August 11 and 12. During this second night, Elphic is invited to see the planet Venus in the western sky, where the sun sets and shares the sky. Crescent moon.

Take this, rest of the world.

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