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The longest "blood moon" eclipse this century dazzled skygazers across the globe Friday, coinciding with Mars' closest approach in 15 years in a thrilling celestial show.
As Earth's constant companion slowly sailed across the skies, crowds gathered around
Beside Lake Magadi, 100 Kilometers (60 miles) southwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, young members of the Maasai community watched the eclipse through a high-powered telescope provided by a local
"Until today I thought Mars, Jupiter and the other planets were in the imagination of scientists," Purity Sailepo, 16, told AFP
"But now I've seen it I can believe it and I
Unlike a solar eclipse shadow from 1714 to 2328 GMT – 6 hours and 14 minutes in all.
The period of complete eclipse – known as "totality", when the moon appears darkest – lasted from 1930 to 2113 GMT.
At the same time, March hovered near the moon in the night sky, easily visible to the naked eye.
Amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere were especially rare, especially in southern Africa, Australia, and Madagascar, though it was also visible in Europe, South Asia and South America.
More than 2,000 people including many children in Tunisian capital of Tunis.
Jakarta Planetarium to public host lunar eclipse viewing [19659002] "I hope this eclipse will bring us happiness and peace," said Karima, 46, without taking care of the eyes of the sky.
Widespread monsoon rainstorms and thick clouds hid the moon across much of India and its neighbors, which should have had a prime view.
Similarly, eager observers who had assembled on cliffs and beaches in the English county of Dorset were left in the dark due to an overcast sky.
"It's disappointing," Tish Adams, 67, told AFP. "I took a few pictures but there was nothing but a streak of pink in the sky."
Those gathered in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro had more luck, snapping the red moon in the clear night sky with their phones and cameras. 19659002] "I thought it was very pretty and I liked the planet March even more, which you could see right next to the moon," said Talita Oliveira, 34.
Celestial bodies align
Mars has been reported unusually wide and bright, a mere 57.7 million kilometers (35.9 million miles) from Earth on its elliptical orbit around the sun.
A total lunar eclipse happens when Earth takes a position in a straight line between the moon and sun, blotting out of direct sunlight that makes our satellite glow whitish-yellow.
The moon travels to a similar position every month, but the tilt of its orbit a full moon without an eclipse.
When the thr ee celestial bodies are perfectly lined up, however, the Earth's atmosphere scatters blue light from the sun while refracting or bending red light onto the moon, usually giving it a rosy blush.
This is what gives the phenomenon "blood moon" ", though Mark Bailey of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland said the color can vary greatly.
Read also: Red planet and 'blood moon' pair up to skygazers dazzle
It depends partly on "how cloudy or transparent," he told AFP.
"During a very dark eclipse the moon may be almost invisible."
The long duration of this eclipse is part of the fact that the moon will make a near-central passage through Earth's umbra – the darkest, most central part of the shadow.
'Eerie and beautiful'
The moon was also at the farthest point on its orbit from Earth, making (19659002) "If that were the case, it would have been a big problem for us in the future." true, we'd be in big trouble given the gravitational pulls on Earth, Mars, and our moon! " NASA website stated.
Mars instead appeared a very bright star.
"In the middle of a lunar eclipse it can look like a planet has taken up residence near the Earth – they are both eerie beautiful, "said Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society in London.
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