Skywatchers are expecting a surprise this weekend, as two rare lunar events take place at the same time Sunday evening.
A total lunar eclipse – when the Earth is positioned exactly between the sun and the moon so that all three are in line – will make Earth’s natural satellite appear as a bright red disk in the sky, hence the name “moon of the blood”.
Not only that, but this will be special because it will occur when the moon is near its closest orbit to Earth, making it appear larger than usual and earning it the nickname “super blood moon”.
It will be the first time Britain has seen a blood moon in more than three years, so they’re a rarity.
Skywatchers are expecting a surprise this Sunday, as a total lunar eclipse – when the Earth is exactly between the sun and the moon, so all three are in line – will make Earth’s natural satellite appear as a red disk. bright in the sky, hence the name “blood moon” (pictured)
Experts say audience members won’t need special equipment to see it, but they may need to be early risers.
This is because the best time to locate it in the UK will be between 4:29 am Monday (11:29 pm ET on Sunday) and 5:35 am BST (12:29 am ET).
The eclipse will also be visible in parts of Europe, South America, North America and Africa.
It will last about five hours in total, but the moon will only appear red for about 75 minutes while it is completely in the shadow of the earth.
All of South America and most of North America will see the eclipse in its entirety, while Alaska and Western Canada will see the entirety at moonrise and Western Europe the opposite at moonset, near dawn. .
It is called a “blood moon” because it appears red in color. This happens when our planet moves between the lunar body and the sun, preventing the latter’s light from reaching the moon.
“During a total lunar eclipse, the moon usually turns a deep dark red because it is illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and bent back towards the moon by refraction,” said the Royal Observatory. of Greenwich.
“People in the UK will not be able to see every part of the eclipse, but they will still be able to see the lunar eclipse in its entirety when the whole moon turns red.”
The moon will begin to take on a light teal hue around 03:00 BST on Monday (22:00 ET on Sunday), before reaching totality around 04:29 BST (23:29 ET).
This will last until 5:54 am BST on Monday (12:54 am ET), making it the fifth longest total lunar eclipse for the first quarter of the 21st century.
The entire eclipse lasts more than five hours, ending at 7:50 am BST (2:50 am ET).
However, observers in the UK will only be able to see the eclipse from 02:32 to 05:10 BST, as the moon will have set below the horizon by the end of this period.
Astronomers say the optimal viewing time to see the eclipse in Britain is between 04:29 and 05:06 BST.
This is the period of wholeness in London, where the moon lies entirely in the earth’s shadow (full shadow), appearing red. The entire moon will still be visible.
The duration of an eclipse depends on how the sun, earth and moon are aligned at that time.
This total eclipse actually occurs about a day and a half before the lunar perigee, which will take place on May 17 at 4:24 pm BST (11:24 am ET), when the moon is 223,000 miles (360,300 km) away.
The eclipse will be visible over parts of Europe, South America, North America and Africa
It is called a “blood moon” because it appears red in color. This happens when our planet moves between the lunar body and the sun, preventing the latter’s light from reaching the moon
The moon will begin to take on a light teal hue around 03:00 BST on Monday (22:00 ET on Sunday), before reaching totality around 04:29 BST (23:29 ET). The entire eclipse lasts more than five hours, ending at 7:50 am BST (2:50 am ET)
But because the show takes place near the time the moon is near its closest orbit to Earth, astronomers refer to it as a super blood moon rather than just a blood moon.
The first time a blood moon was documented was in January 1137.
The last lunar eclipse in the UK was only partial, on November 19, 2021.
It was unusually long, lasting over six hours in total from the time the moon entered the Earth’s shadow or “penumbra”.
Previously, a partial lunar eclipse occurred in the UK on July 16, 2019, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11.
The last total lunar eclipse for Great Britain occurred in the early hours of January 21, 2019.
It happened on the first full moon of the year, earning it the nickname “Super Wolf Blood Moon”.
WHAT IS A LUNAR ECLIPSE?
An eclipse occurs whenever a planet or moon passes between another planet, moon or sun.
Depending on their orbits, they can be total or partial.
A lunar eclipse is a specific event that occurs when the Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon.
When this happens, the Earth blocks light from the sun to the moon. The shadow of the Earth then falls on the moon.
During a lunar eclipse, we can see the Earth’s shadow on the moon.
They can last several hours, but it is rare for a total eclipse period to last more than 100 minutes.
At least two lunar eclipses occur every year.
The moon will also be slightly closer to Earth, making it appear brighter than usual, dubbed the Super Moon. These unique factors, when combined, result in a “Super Blood Wolf Moon”. This chart shows how a lunar eclipse occurs
