On January 31, 2018, the moon will enter the Earth’s shadow for a total lunar eclipse. This rare astronomical event will last about 2 hours and 12 minutes, with most of the action occurring over the first hour and a half.
A Brief History
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves in between the moon and the sun. This can happen only if there is a full moon, which means that lunar eclipses always happen on a night when there’s no sunshine. They are visible from any place on Earth where it’s nighttime at the time of the eclipse. The term lunar eclipse comes from an ancient Roman word for moon, luna. But since solar eclipses occur when the moon crosses in front of the sun, what does a solar eclipse have to do with this? Astronomers use lunar-solar because they originally believed that both were caused by our moon blocking sunlight. However, we now know that solar eclipses are actually caused by the moon being directly in line between the earth and the sun. Solar eclipses last longer than lunar ones, but you need special equipment to see them (like glasses). Unlike a solar eclipse, most people don’t notice anything happening during a lunar eclipse. In fact, people usually don’t even realize that one is occurring until it’s over. There will be about four more total lunar eclipses before the end of 2015 – December 10th, 2014; January 31st, 2015; March 9th, 2015; and September 28th, 2015 – so get ready!
When Can We Expect the Next Lunar Eclipse
The next lunar eclipse will be on October 8th, 2018. The period of totality lasts approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes, with the partial eclipse lasting a few hours beforehand. Totality will last longest in eastern Asia, where the moon sets during the event. For viewers in North America, totality will start at 4:51 AM Eastern Time and end at 6:08 AM Eastern Time. In Western Europe and Africa, it will start at 2:06 AM CEST and end at 3:24 AM CEST. In Central Europe and South America, it will start at 7:47 PM BRT (Brazil time) and end at 9:07 PM BRT. In Australia and New Zealand, it starts 10:22 PM AEST (Australia time) to finish 11:43 PM AEST. Viewers in Japan and Korea can catch the full show beginning at 7:12 PM KST and finishing around 8:30 PM KST. And those in India can see the full show from 4:17 AM IST onwards.
What Is a Total Lunar Eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes completely through the earth’s shadow, or umbra. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon turns red because it is passing through earth’s atmosphere and is filtering out all of the blue light. The orange light comes from sunlight reflecting off of the Earth’s surface. The last time there was a total lunar eclipse visible from North America was on January 31, 2018, but there will be another one on July 27, 2018 – make sure you get outside and enjoy this rare event! There are three types of eclipses- solar (when the moon crosses between the sun and earth), lunar (when the earth crosses between the sun and moon) and an annular (when part of either circle gets blocked by something else). But not all eclipses are created equal; a total eclipse is considered by some people to be more spectacular than others. If your favorite thing about an eclipse is its color, then you should watch for a penumbral or partial lunar eclipse. If your favorite thing about an eclipse is that it creates long shadows at night, then keep your eye peeled for a total lunar eclipse. A penumbral or partial lunar eclipse can also be beautiful during sunrise and sunset in springtime!
How Long Will an Eclipse Last?
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow on the moon. This is what causes the reddish color that can be seen from Earth. The duration of an eclipse will vary based on its type. A total lunar eclipse lasts for about 3 hours or more, while a partial lunar eclipse can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. If you’re going to watch the eclipse in person, it’s worth it to bring a telescope with you so you don’t miss anything. Lunar eclipses typically happen around every six months because of how the orbit line-up works out. Sometimes we see two within a single year, and other times there won’t be any until the next year. There are two types of eclipses: solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. Solar eclipses happen when the moon blocks the sun.
In contrast to solar eclipses, during a lunar eclipse, which happens about twice each year, the earth moves between the sun and moon casting a shadow on it—which is why we get those beautiful colors!
Where Can I See A Total Lunar Eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse is a spectacular sight that can be seen from most of the Earth. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch without any special equipment. Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth moves between the sun and moon, casting a shadow on the moon’s surface. The moon enters this Earth’s umbra shadow, which blocks out all sunlight from hitting it. You can see the full or partial phase of a lunar eclipse if you’re in the right spot on Earth. For example, people in North America will see a full lunar eclipse while Europeans will see only a partial one. In general, East Coast U.S.A., West Coast U.S.A., Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia will get to see some kind of an event related to a total or partial lunar eclipse . If you happen to be located somewhere other than these places then unfortunately you’ll have to wait for your next chance.
The whole event lasts about 3 hours starting at the time of maximum eclipse, but the length varies depending on where on earth you are viewing it from.
How do I photograph an eclipse?
A lunar eclipse is a lot like a solar eclipse, but instead of the moon passing in front of the sun, it passes through Earth’s shadow. As the moon moves into our planet’s shadow, it will appear red as sunlight struggles to reach it. To photograph an eclipse, you’ll need two things: 1) a DSLR camera that can shoot in manual mode; 2) A telephoto lens with at least 300mm. Start by finding a location with an unobstructed view of the sky. If your camera doesn’t have a built-in intervalometer (the device that lets you take timed photos), use the one on your smartphone or computer to take pictures every three seconds. When shooting, keep in mind that shutter speed affects how bright objects are while aperture controls how much light comes into the lens – this means adjusting both these settings depending on what type of photo you want to take. The best results are achieved when shutter speed is equal to or slower than your focal length. For example, if you’re using a 100 mm lens set the shutter speed to be 1/100th of a second or less.
