Lunar Eclipse 2018: When and Where to See the Moon of Blood Today

Stand: 18:14 | Reading time: 4 minutes

A On Friday night, the hour came: the world's longest lunar eclipse of 103 years begins, a show for astronomers and tourists alike. The moon wanders in the center of the shadow of the earth. If you can see the moon darkened – because this is not obvious to German observers depending on where they live.

The first condition for good visibility is likely fulfilled: the good weather is expected Friday in all of Germany, only in the south to occur. But there are other factors that limit good visibility.

Read why the lunar eclipse is so special today

The moon rises in Germany around 9 pm Friday, according to the place a little earlier or more late – in Munich at 20:49, in Berlin at 20:58, in Cologne at 21:18 and in Hamburg at 21:17. "The more we are in Germany or Europe, the more favorable the viewing conditions are," says Monika Staesche of the Planetarium Berlin Foundation in WELT. In addition, observers in the southeastern region may have a small advantage: "The farther east we go, the more we can see the darkness." Those who are on holiday in Greece, for example, can hope to see the lunar eclipse that's in Germany.

Black-eyed observers need a place of observation with an unobstructed view to the southeast. At the end of the lunar eclipse, the terrestrial satellite in the Bavarian Oberstdorf is at 16 degrees and on Sylt at ten degrees above the horizon. With binoculars, the lunar eclipse is even better to watch.

However, the best conditions do not prevail in Europe, but in Saudi Arabia, in Central and East Africa and in the Indian Ocean. The lunar eclipse is visible in full length.

Lunar eclipse problems: flat position and brightness

According to Staesche, a challenge for observation in Germany is that it is still relatively bright at the time of the rising of the moon. The darkness begins already before the sunrise at 20:24. He is completely in the shadow of the earth at 9:29 pm. Staesche says, "When the moon is completely in the shadow of the earth, it is only three degrees above the horizon. Especially in the city, there are often trees or houses on the way. "

Visibility improves, however, later he gets: In the capital Berlin, the total eclipse of the moon, where by the incidence of sunlight to the red" Bloodmoon " will be until 23:13. "Until then, the moon has risen at least 13 degrees above the horizon, which should make it more visible, especially since It is also darker, "says Staesche.From 0.19 o'clock lies the moon and then again as a full moon" normal "in the sky." The moon is then still partially in the air. shadow, but to the naked eye, it is visible only by the observer experienced as a darkness, "says the expert

Next lunar eclipse only in ten years

An eclipse is the result of the celestial Interaction of the sun, the moon and the earth In a lunar eclipse, the earth is on a straight line between the sun and the moon – so the full moon dives in the shadows that the sunlit earth projects into space. On New Year's Eve 2028, a lunar eclipse will be exhibited again in Central Europe – as it is the case now – in its complete journey. And only on June 9, 2123, there will be a lunar eclipse that surpasses this year by three minutes

A similar event, a total lunar eclipse that is also long, and exactly the same level of Mars against the Sun – and so next to the earth – according to Stefan Krause's calculations of the Volkssternwarte Bonn, they will appear on average only in about 105 000 years

The moon is not the only sky show that can be observed for the moment: our neighboring planet Mars as close as it was 15 years ago. Therefore, the red planet shines even more than the giant planet Jupiter for once. At the lunar eclipse, Mars is only six degrees below the moon.