Hold on, it’s Friday! The day when the longest total lunar eclipse of the century will be witnessed has arrived and you can watch it if the weather allows. The monsoon in India is keeping the sky cloudy making the chance little doubtful, but the countries which are certainly going to miss out the moon sighting part this time are, USA, Greenland and Canada.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth stands between the moon and the Sun, cutting off the light of the Sun from the moon. A lunar eclipse is always a full moon and usually marks endings or culmination points.
The best part about the lunar eclipse is it can be seen with naked eyes without hurting your eyes, unlike the solar eclipses that could be dangerous to your eyes. Not even any special filters or protective glasses are needed as the moon is never too bright to hurt your eyes.
Also Read: First eclipse of 2017 on Saturday, can be seen from India
This time the lunar eclipse is going to be special because of its appearances. As the name itself suggests ‘the blood moon lunar eclipse’ it is expected to appear blood red. As a coincident tonight Mars will also be at its brightest appearance. Imagine two bright red celestial bodies in the sky. The moon will take a position that aligns exactly in between the Earth and the Sun.
It is expected that the lunar eclipse will stay for around 43 minutes during which, the eclipse can be seen partially only before and after the total duration. People in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and Asia will have the best view of the eclipse whereas the final stages of the eclipse will be visible in South America after the Sunset. People in Europe and Africa will have the best view between sunset and midnight.
