Soon the Moon will turn a bit redder and larger than usual in the night sky, thanks to a relatively rare astronomical event.
For half the planet lucky enough to see it, this is a wonderful opportunity to see two astronomical spectacles combined in what is known as a “super blood moon” eclipse.
The best place to see it if the skies are clear of clouds? American continent. Those of us in Western Europe and Africa will see something of the supermoon during the beginning or the setting of the Moon. Mark January 21 on your calendar.
The complete transformation will last 3.5 hours, but the climax will be at 05.15 am UTC (06.15 in Spain) on January 21).
If you are in Asia and Australasia, you will not have much luck this time.
Why is it called a blood moon?
The evening hues of the blood moon are caused by the scattering and refraction of sunlight through our atmosphere as the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow during a total lunar eclipse.
Lunar eclipses are beautiful to look at, of course, but they are not very uncommon: they occur between two and five lunar eclipses each year, so we can expect to see some in our lifetime.
That said, it is not just about an eclipse . Our planet’s bright companion will be at its perigee, which means that the Moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit. It will be worth getting up early to see the show.
Like it or not, the term ‘Blood Moon’ has been around for centuries, as have the myths and legends surrounding its effects. Humans have been both fascinated and terrified by eclipses forever, and with the reddish glow, it was clear that the lunar eclipse was going to be called bloody.
Regarding its influence on the climate, while the full moon in perigee draws the tides a bit, this extra dose of gravity is not as strong as that of a new moon (which is combined with the attraction of the Sun) in a position Similary. So let’s forget about weather links, earthquakes …
Should we use the scientific term for this event instead of ‘super Blood Moon? Of course. However, a “total lunar eclipse combined with a full moon perigee” does not have as much appeal as a headline or for the reader.
Language always does its thing, so sometimes the only thing we can do is make sure the scientific part is solid.
When will the next blood lunar eclipse be?
The next lunar eclipse that will cast its crimson glow over the planet won’t take place until May 2021, so don’t miss out on seeing this one.
Important data:
The total lunar eclipse will take place from January 20 to 21, 2019 and will last 1 hour and 2 minutes, according to projections from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
The entire experience, from the start of the partial eclipse to the end, will last 3 hours and 17 minutes.
The peak of the total lunar eclipse will occur shortly after the end of the day, on Sunday, January 20, on the east coast of the US, at 05.15 GMT on Monday, January 21.
The last total lunar eclipse occurred on July 27, 2018, and was visible in Africa and in Central Asian countries, such as India. Several months earlier, on January 31, another total lunar eclipse could be seen from Central Asia, the Pacific region and Alaska.
