Total Lunar Eclipse with Blood Red Moon Expected Saturday
Pastor Dale Morgan
Mar 2, 6:13 PM EST
*
Total Lunar Eclipse with Blood Red Moon Expected Saturday*
LONDON (AP) -- The moon will turn shades of amber and crimson Saturday
night as it passes behind the Earth's shadow in the first total lunar
eclipse in three years.
The eclipse will be at least partly visible from Asia to the Americas,
although those in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will have the best
view.
Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes between the sun and the moon,
blocking the sun's light. The event is rare because the moon spends most
of its time either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit.
Although it will pass completely under Earth's shadow, light from the
sun will still reach the moon after being refracted through Earth's
atmosphere, giving the moon an eerie dark reddish tinge.
"It's not an event that has any scientific value, but it's something
everybody can enjoy," said Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Earth's shadow will begin moving across the moon at 3:18 p.m. EST
Saturday, with the total eclipse occurring at 5:44 p.m. EST and lasting
more than an hour.
Observers in eastern North America and South America will find the moon
already partially or totally eclipsed by the time it rises over the
horizon Saturday evening.
Alaska, eastern Australia and New Zealand will miss the show altogether.
The next total lunar eclipse will occur Aug. 28.
---
On the Net:
NASA Lunar Eclipse Page: http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html