A great total lunar eclipse is coming !
While total eclipses of the sun are rare at any location on the Earth, eclipses of the Moon can be observed without the need to travel. A lunar eclipse is visible from the whole hemisphere of the Earth for which the Moon is above the horizon.
As seen in the Moon path below, it almost goes through the center of the Earth’s umbra. That means the Moon will be specially dark during the totality period. The brightness of lunar eclipses is often described in terms of the Danjon scale:
0: very dark eclipse. Moon defficult to see, appears steely dark.
1: dark. features like maria or craters are difficult to distinguish.
2: dark red eclipse.
3: eclipsed Moon quite bright, reddish. Maria easily visible.
4: very bright eclipse, with Moon appearing coppery red-orange.
The last total lunar eclipse I have observed falls in the category 3 or 4. I can remember its cooper red color. I hope the upcoming eclipse will be way darker.
In the eclipse of June 15, 2011, the Moon starts moving into the Earth’s penumbra at 17:25 UT while it enters the umbra at 18:23 UT.
The Moon will be in the shadow completely between 19:22 and 21:03 UT. At that time, it starts leaving the Earth’s umbra.
This eclipse will be observable from Africa, south/west Asia, as well as east Asia, and Europe. For western European observers, the eclipse starts while the Moon is rising. While observers from south America can watch part of the event, north America observers have no chance.
For more detailed information, you can check this file (the file is downloadable from Nasa/Eclipse webpage as well).
I simply want to mention I am all new to blogging and site-building and certainly loved you’re web site. More than likely I’m going to bookmark your website . You absolutely come with very good posts. Cheers for revealing your blog.