By JORGE GARAY
ASTRONOMY LOVERS IN America will be treated to a great show this month. In the early morning of March 14, a total lunar eclipse will be visible. During this phenomenon, the moon won’t disappear from view but will appear deep red as if it were covered in blood.
During a lunar eclipse, Earth blocks the light from the sun that normally illuminates the moon. On the night of March 13 and the early morning of the 14th, the darkest part of Earth’s shadow called the umbra, will cover the moon during its brightest phase. Partial lunar eclipses are relatively common—but those like this that coincide with a full moon are a relative rarity. On average, each region of Earth has the chance to view a total lunar eclipse only once every 2.5 years.
A second total lunar eclipse will happen this year on September 7 and will be visible in eastern parts of Africa, across much of Asia, and the western half of Australia.
The moon appears red during a lunar eclipse because of how the sun’s light interacts with Earth’s atmosphere. Visible sunlight appears white, but is actually made up of a combination of lights of different colors and frequencies, which can be diffracted or scattered depending on how much of the atmosphere they have to travel through. It is for this reason that the sky appears blue when the sun is high in the sky but is often red at sunset when the sun is low and its light is traveling longer distances through the atmosphere.
When sunlight hits Earth’s atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, light frequencies toward the blue end of the visible spectrum are scattered outward, away from Earth’s umbra, but those with longer wavelengths, toward the red part of the spectrum, are bent inward and cast onto the moon.
What Time Will the Lunar Eclipse Happen?
According to NASA, the eclipse will begin at 8:57 pm Pacific Time. In Mexico, the phenomenon will start at 10:57 pm CDT, in Argentina at 12:57 am (ART) and in Spain at 5:57 am (CET). The advance of Earth’s shadow across the moon will be slow. Observers will notice that the satellite will gradually lose illumination in the lead-up to the total eclipse, before turning blood red. The totality of the eclipse, or the time when the blood moon appears, is projected to happen at 11:26 pm PDT. The climax will last approximately one hour.
Here is a list of the times for the start of totality for other countries in the Americas:
- Mexico: 1:26 am
- Colombia: 1:26 am
- Chile: 3:26 am
- Argentina: 3:26 am
- Peru: 1:26 am
In Spain, totality will occur at 8:25 am, and so observation may be limited by day breaking. However, before dawn it will be possible to admire the pre-eclipse phases.
To observe the spectacle, astronomers recommend staying away from large cities with high levels of light pollution. They also recommend going to high places without visual barriers such as buildings or trees. “Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds,” NASA suggests.
This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
