A total lunar eclipse is a good reason to stay up on Sunday night.
Earth's shadow covers the moon during prime viewing hours in the night of May 15. Those on the East Coast can watch as our natural satellite begins to turn red. There was one of the longest lunar eclipses in recent memory.
For most of North America, this is a great viewing opportunity, said Madhulika Guhathakurta, an astronomer at NASA.
The eclipse will be visible in a large part of the world, including the Americas, Europe and Africa. Some 2.7 billion people should be able to see at least part of the eclipse, according to an astronomer at a New York Planetarium.
After sunset, the left-hand side of the moon should appear dusky. The main event starts at 10:24 p.m. The umbra is the central shadow of the Earth. It will begin to look like something has taken a bite out of the moon.
When the moon is three-quarters of the way into the umbra, it should start lighting up in a reddish hue.
The total eclipse will begin at 11:29 pm when the moon will be in the deepest part of the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will last until after 1 a.m. and will be a copper color. As the work week begins, the moon will leave the umbra at 1:56 a.m.
The most stunning views of the red moon will be seen by viewers farther west at 8:29 pm. The peak of the eclipse occurred just before 9:12 p.m., and the total eclipse ended at 9:54 p.m. Observers in Hawaii will be able to see the moon rise in the sky, while those in Europe and Africa will not be able to see it.
When the moon is red and in the deepest shadow, totality lasts for 1 hour and 25 minutes, giving skywatchers plenty of time to enjoy the event. This eclipse is the longest total lunar eclipse visible in the United States since 1989.
There is no need for fancy equipment to view the spectacle. The moon can be seen at night if the weather is clear. Even those in cities will have good views of the eclipse, even if the skies are darker.
Dr. Guhathakurta said to try to observe it from the beginning to the end.
She said that a backyard telescope can help bring out the red color. It is possible for viewers with access to such instruments to watch the shadow of Earth pass over craters, valleys and mountains on the moon.
Dr. Guhathakurta suggested that people interested in the eclipse can learn more about the moon's position on the surface of Earth and how it will be affected by the eclipse.
Our planet comes between the sun and moon in lunar eclipses. As the moon falls into Earth's long shadow, the moonglow is reflected sunlight and so the lunar surface becomes dark.
The moon should disappear when it goes into the shadow of the Earth.
The Earth's atmosphere is reflecting sunlight around the edges of our planet. The combined glow of sunrises and sunsets is projected on the gray moon because everything other than the red and reddest wavelength is not Filters out.
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