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| Lunar Eclipse 2007. (Photograph © 2006 Jesse Wagstaff) |
Astronomical events are always one of the most fascinating
events for everyone. This time a rare lunar eclipse is going to occur on night
of 27 September 2015. You must be thinking that lunar eclipse happens many
times a year than what is so special about this one. This lunar eclipse is
coinciding with one more astronomical event related to moon that is called
Supermoon.
The Supermoon is that full moon when the moon is at the
closest distance from the Earth called the perigee. The usual distance of moon
from the Earth is averagely 384, 399 km but during Supermoon it comes as close
as 356, 400 km from Earth. This moon is also called blood moon or Harvest moon
in the northern hemisphere. Harvest moon is the full moon falling closest to
the autumn equinox. In Southern hemisphere this is first full moon of spring.
Supermoon appears 14 % larger and 33 % brighter than the
normal full moon. The Supermoon with lunar eclipse is rare event which happened
last time in 1982 and next time will happen in 2033.
During the lunar eclipse, the Earth comes in between the
moon and sun in straight line and shadow of Earth fall on moon. The brightness
of moon disappears but it does not become completely dark. The light around the
Earth through the atmosphere falls on moon and a faint coppery red moon can be
seen. The blue color of sunlight gets scattered by the atmosphere of Earth but
the red component survives and reaches the surface of moon and thus moon
appears coppery red. The exact redness depends on the particles present in the
atmosphere of Earth during the lunar eclipse. Sometimes, for example during the
volcanic eruption the particles in the atmosphere increases which give rise to
deep red color moon.
The lunar eclipse have three stages penumbral eclipse, umbral
(partial) eclipse and total eclipse. During penumbral the brightness of moon
decrease so slightly that it usually remains unidentified by normal people. During
partial eclipse, the moon getting covered by the shadow of Earth. In total
eclipse, the moon is completely covered in the shadow of Earth.
In US, Canada, and Central and South America, the eclipse
will start on the evening of September 27, 2015. In Europe, South/East Asia,
Africa, and the Arctic and in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, the
eclipse will occur after midnight on September 28, 2015.
The exact timing of lunar eclipse are different for various
locations can be looked from the references. The moon eclipse can easily be observed
with naked eyes as it is not harmful in any sense. For better view, you can
switch off light or go to a place far from lights. Usually lunar eclipse occur
after the midnight but this time it is occurring in the evening after sunset
for many location which makes observation more comfortable.
I hope you will enjoy, the beautiful view of lunar eclipse.
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