What exactly is a “Blood Moon” eclipse?
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The world is about to see a total lunar eclipse, or blood moon, for the last time in years.
There won’t be another chance to see the celestial event until 2025.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is sandwiched exactly between the Moon and the Sun, hiding the two from each other. It means that the light has to travel through the Earth’s atmosphere on the way to the Moon, which turns it red as it does.
The event will begin around 3 a.m. ET and peak into a total eclipse about three hours later, before ending another three hours later. It will be visible in eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific and North America.
Lunar eclipses usually occur about every year and a half. But this time’s schedule means there won’t be another chance to see a blood moon for much longer: the next one will appear on March 14, 2025.
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Hello and welcome…
… on The Independent’s live coverage of the last total lunar eclipse until 2025.
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 7:40 am
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what is happening today
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow completely over a full moon, blocking the reflection of all direct sunlight from the lunar orb and dimming the moon’s color to a reddish hue, hence the term “blood moon”.
This is only possible when the orbits of the Earth, Moon, and Sun align so that the Moon is directly behind the Earth relative to the Sun. Otherwise, the moon passes above or below the Earth’s shadow because its orbit around the Earth is usually tilted relative to the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Reuters November 8, 2022 07:50
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why is it red
The reddish appearance of the lunar surface – the moon does not completely disappear from view – is caused by rays of sunlight around the outer edge of the eclipse’s shadow, or umbra, being filtered and refracted when it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon indirectly. in a dark copper glow.
The degree of reddening depends on atmospheric conditions that vary with air pollution levels, dust storms, forest fire smoke and even volcanic ash.
Reuters November 8, 2022 07:50
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How rare is a “blood moon”?
Total lunar eclipses occur, on average, about once every year and a half, according to NASA. But the range varies. Tuesday’s event will mark the second blood moon this year, following one in mid-May. The next one is not expected until March 14, 2025.
Reuters November 8, 2022 07:50
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Where is the total lunar eclipse visible?
Tuesday’s eclipse will be visible in eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific and North America. Sky watchers in Asia and Australia will see it as the moon rises in the evening, while the show will be for North American watchers in the early morning hours before the moon sets. It will be visible to the naked eye wherever the sky is clear in these regions.
Reuters November 8, 2022 07:51
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When can you see the blood moon?
The total eclipse will unfold over a period of nearly six hours as the moon gradually moves into Earth’s paler outer shadow, its “penumbra,” and then into the deeper inner shadow Earth’s shadow or “shadow”, before reaching totality and finally emerging. on the other hand.
On the West Coast of the United States, the total display will run from 1:01 a.m. PST until just before 6 a.m., with a total eclipse phase of about 90 minutes, peaking at 3 in the morning.
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 7:53 am
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Why is this the “beaver” blood moon?
Tuesday’s event will coincide with the “Beaver Moon,” a nickname for the November full moon adopted by the Old Farmer’s Almanac supposedly from the Algonquian languages once spoken by Native Americans in the New England Territory. When combined with the phenomena of a total lunar eclipse, it is widely known as a “Beaver Blood Moon” in the United States.
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 7:55 am
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The eclipse has begun, but there is still time until it reaches its peak
The eclipse technically started about half an hour ago. But it’s more than two hours until it reaches its peak. (This happens at 3 a.m. Pacific time on the West Coast where the eclipse is most likely to be seen.)
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 8:36 am
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Stream the eclipse live
If you’re not in the right place to see the eclipse, or something else gets in the way, like the weather or your unwillingness to get out of bed, you can watch it from home. Here’s a live stream, starting in half an hour.
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 8:38 am
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The total lunar eclipse has begun!
The Moon, Sun and Earth are now aligned so that there is a total lunar eclipse. If you’re in the right place, looking at the Moon should give you a full view now.
It will take about an hour and a half.
Andrew Griffin November 8, 2022 10:16 am