The largest lunar eclipse of the 21st century brings another phenomenon that has not been seen in 15 years – Observe

Keep an eye on the night sky from Thursday to Friday as the Portuguese will be able to observe a unique astronomical phenomenon over the last hundred years. Throughout its translation around the Sun, the Earth will be placed between the star and the Full Moon which will make it hidden by the shadow projected by our planet. But it will not be a lunar eclipse: first because it is total, that is to say that the Moon will be completely covered ; then because it will become red ; and especially because it will be the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century.

In addition to all this, the astronomical conditions still add a bonus to the night sky from Thursday to Friday: March which is exceptionally bright and red throughout July and August of this year, will appear brighter than it has ever been in the last 15 years . All because tonight the Sun and the Earth will also be aligned with the red planet.

Total lunar eclipses occur when "the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon to cast its shadow on the Moon" which "completely crosses the shadow of the Earth", explains L & # 39; Lisbon Astronomical Observatory. Adding to this phenomenon joins another: instead of being in the dark as one would expect during the eclipse, the Moon will take a hue somewhere between dark yellow and bright orange-red

This coloration is due to "the refraction of light by the atmosphere," says astronomer Susana Ferreira of the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory: "When we are facing the sun, it is normal to see in the sky many colors close to red.It is an effect that comes from refraction of light by the layers that make up the atmosphere that extends then through space. This color depends not only on the new speed that light assumes but also on the characteristics of the atmosphere : "For example, the Blue Moon is named because there was a year where the second full moon of the month coincided with a big fire that threw a lot of dust into the atmosphere. "

This corresponds to what clarifies the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory:" The different tones that can be observed in a lunar eclipse can demonstrate the state saturation of our atmosphere by the dust of a recent volcanic activity or by large-scale meteorological phenomena. As late as January of this year there was a red moon . As far back as January this year there was a red moon . In addition, there was a Full Moon, the second of the same month, which in addition to being closer to the Earth than it usually is, also suffered a total eclipse that made it red in a large part of the event. Alone, none of these events was particularly exciting: blue moons occur on average every three years, giant moons occur once every 14 months and blood moons occur twice a year when the Earth lies between the Sun and our natural satellite. T Udo at the same time is something special.

But this red moon has another peculiarity: it is the longest in the 21st century. The total phase of the eclipse – the one in which the moon is completely hidden by the shadow of the Earth – will last one hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds . Before and after this, the Moon will be covered only partially for one hour and six minutes in each of the parts.

This eclipse will be visible, at least in part, in Portugal: "In mainland Portugal, the moon is born in one when the entire eclipse already takes place and is close to the planet Mars in the constellation of Capricorn: The planets Saturn, Jupiter and Venus will be on the right, "says the Observatory. According to Susana Ferreira, the country will be able to see the eclipse since the birth of the moon, at 20:47, until dusk, which takes place at 00:30

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