Blood Moon

Election Day Blood Moon Eclipse

Tuesday, November 7, a total lunar eclipse will be visible in North America, Central America, Colombia, and western Venezuela and Peru. It’ll begin just before sunrise and will last about an hour and a half.

From the NPR article below:

The phenomenon causes the moon to appear red, often nicknamed a “blood moon.” During a lunar eclipse, what little sunlight that’s left passes through Earth’s atmosphere to get to the moon. The more cloudy or dusty the atmosphere is, the redder the moon looks.

“It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon,” NASA said.

A total lunar eclipse is happening Tuesday — and it won’t happen again for 3 years

NPR

Nov. 7, 2022

Ayana Archie

A total lunar eclipse is happening Tuesday, and it might be a good time to catch a peek, because the next one isn’t for three years.

The initial phase of the eclipse begins at 3:02 a.m. ET, according to NASA. The partial eclipse then begins at 4:09 a.m. ET, when to the naked eye, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the moon. The lunar disk enters totality at 5:17 a.m. ET and will last for about an hour and a half.

People in North America, Central America, Colombia, and western Venezuela and Peru will be able to see the eclipse in totality. Those in Alaska and Hawaii will be able to see all stages of the eclipse.

For the best view, it is best to be in a dark area with little light pollution.

A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon align. During a full lunar eclipse, the moon falls completely in the Earth’s shadow.

The phenomenon causes the moon to appear red, often nicknamed a “blood moon.” During a lunar eclipse, what little sunlight that’s left passes through Earth’s atmosphere to get to the moon. The more cloudy or dusty the atmosphere is, the redder the moon looks.

“It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon,” NASA said.

The next full lunar eclipse will occur on March 14, 2025, but there will be partial lunar eclipses before then, according to NASA.

SUPER FLOWER BLOOD MOON Tomorrow, May 26

 
 
Heads up, stargazers. Tomorrow, May 26, you can see the SUPER FLOWER BLOOD MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE from pretty much anywhere in the world.
 
It’s a Supermoon because the moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit.
 
It’s a Flower Moon because that’s a nickname for the Spring moon.
 
And it’s a Blood Moon because the Earth will be positioned directly between the moon and the sun, blocking the sun’s rays and causing the moon to appear red.
 
Viewing times and details in the article below. Enjoy.
 

How to Watch this Week’s Spectacular “Super Flower Flood Moon” Lunar Eclipse

By Sophie Lewis

CBS News

The most spectacular full moon of 2021 is quickly approaching, gracing the night sky in all its glory on May 26. That date marks not just a supermoon, but also a blood moon, thanks to a lunar eclipse.

“When this happens, the only light that reaches the moon’s surface is from the edges of the Earth’s atmosphere,” the space agency explains. “The air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light. The remaining light reflects onto the moon’s surface with a red glow, making the moon appear red in the night sky.”

NASA says the result will be a “ring of light” around the moon. 

“Just how red it will look is hard to predict, but dust in the atmosphere can have an effect. (And keep in mind there have been a couple of prominent volcanic eruptions recently),” NASA said. 

Not only does May bring a lunar eclipse, but also the year’s best supermoon. A supermoon occurs when the moon appears larger than usual in the night sky because it is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as perigee. 

May’s full supermoon is known as the “Flower Moon,” and it marks the second of three supermoons this year. It’s appropriately named for the abundance of flowers associated with spring in the Northern Hemisphere. 

How to watch 

On Wednesday, May 26, the cosmic phenomenon will be at least partly visible anywhere on the night side of the planet, NASA said. Under clear weather conditions, skywatchers around the world will be able to enjoy the show. 

This includes parts of Asia and Australia, as well as much of the U.S. and South America. For skywatchers in the U.S., the best viewing will be in Hawaii, Alaska, and the western states, though the eclipse is partially visible further East during dawn twilight. And if you’re in the U.S. you should wake up early to see the rare celestial event. 

According to NASA, the peak of the eclipse will last for about 14 minutes, but the entire event will last about five hours, from 08:47:39 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) to 13:49:41 UTC. It will peak at 11:19:52 UTC. 

This means that in Asia, the eclipse occurs in the early evening when the moon first rises, while on the west coast of the Americas, it occurs in the early morning hours, when the moon is setting. 

Solar eclipses should never be viewed with the naked eye, but lunar eclipses are completely safe to look at. 

Don’t worry if you’re not located in the best place to spot the eclipse. The Virtual Telescope Project will have a live feed of the entire event, starting at 3 a.m. PT on May 26. 

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