Starwatchers seek insight into the "blood moon" in the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century

NAIROBI / ABU DHABI: Star-studded astronomers from around the world searched Friday for a glimpse of the blood-red moon when Earth's natural satellite shifted into the shadow of our planet for the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century. [19659002] From the Cape of Good Hope in the Middle East, from the Kremlin to Sydney Harbor, thousands of people turned their eyes to the stars, hoping to see the moon that began to appear orange, brown, or crimson [19659002Advertisement

The total eclipse will last 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds, although a partial eclipse precedes and follows, meaning that the moon will spend a total of 3 hours and 54 minutes in the night. Umbrella shadow of the earth, The biggest eclipse, at 20:22 GMT, will be visible from Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, much of Asia and the world. Australia, although clouds can block the moon.

The moon rose above the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu D habi while in Kenya, he was standing on Marabou storks nesting in the trees of Nairobi.

On the banks of the Indian Ganges, the temples were closed before the eclipse. In Singapore, telescope lovers enjoy themselves at Marina South Pier

Hundreds of people in Australia paid to watch the eclipse of the Sydney Observatory before sunrise.

"Our event is full, we have about a hundred people who are booked to come and see it with us," said Andrew Jacob, curator at the Sydney Observatory, located right next to the Harbor Bridge.

When the moon moves in the conical shadow of the earth, it goes from being lit by the sun to being dark. Some light, however, will always reach it because it is bent by the Earth's atmosphere.

"This is what is called a moon of blood because the sunlight goes through the earth's atmosphere to get to the moon and the earth's atmosphere. It turns red in the same way that when the sun goes down, it turns red, "Andrew Fabian, professor of astronomy at the University of Cambridge

told Reuters at the same time, March Journey closer to Earth Since 2003, some observers can see what looks like a red-orange star – and it's actually the red planet.

"It's a very unusual coincidence of" 39; have a total lunar eclipse and Mars at the same night opposition. ", said Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, who will attempt to look at the eclipse of the Mediterranean Sea.

For millennia, l & # 39; man looks to the heavens for omens of misfortune, victory and joy The Bible contains references to the moon that turns the blood and some ultra-Orthodox Jews consider disturbing lunar eclipses and a cause of moral contemplation.

According to Hindu beliefs, celestial bodies such as the sun and the moon emit negative energy during an eclipse.Temples in India have been closed to minimize any disturbance.

Astronomers, however, have said that it is n & rsquo; There was no reason to worry. "There is no reason to believe that the moons of blood predict death," said Massey. "That does not announce the truth. Apocalypse: see a lunar eclipse and Mars in the Heaven is something that people should appreciate rather than worry about. "

The lunar eclipse will not be visible from North America or most of the Pacific. The next lunar eclipse of such length is due in 2123.