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Moon lighting: Partial lunar eclipse to be longest since 1440

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Earth" s="" moon.="" Image="" by="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/overseas/11/16/20211116-moon.jpg"/><figcaption>Earth&#x27;s moon. <em>Image by NASA, JPL,USGS</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>LOS ANGELES - The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years, which will bathe the Moon in red, will be visible Thursday and Friday for a big slice of humanity.</p><p>The celestial show will see the Moon almost completely cast in shadow as it moves behind the Earth, reddening 99 percent of its face.</p><p>The spectacle will be visible for all of North America, as well as parts of South America, Polynesia, Australia and northeast Asia.</p><p>Space scientists say sky-watchers in those parts who are blessed with a cloud-free view will see a slight dimming of the Moon from 0602 GMT Friday as it enters Earth&#x27;s penumbra -- the outer shadow.</p><p>An hour later it will appear as if someone has taken a giant bite out of the lunar disc as it starts to pass into the umbra -- the full shadow.</p><p>By 0845 GMT the Moon will appear red, with the most vivid coloring visible at peak eclipse 18 minutes later. </p><p>The whole process then goes into reverse as the Moon slithers out of shadow and carries on its endless journey around our planet.</p><p>The dramatic red is caused by a phenomenon known as &quot;Rayleigh scattering&quot;, where the shorter blue lightwaves from the Sun are dispersed by particles in the Earth&#x27;s atmosphere.</p><p>Red lightwaves, which are longer, pass easily through these particles.</p><p>&quot;The more dust or clouds in Earth&#x27;s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear,&quot; a NASA website explains.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s as if all the world&#x27;s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.&quot;</p><p>From the moment the eclipse proper begins -- when the Moon enters the Earth&#x27;s shadow -- to when it ends will take more than three hours and 28 minutes.</p><p>That is the longest partial eclipse since 1440 -- around the time Johannes Gutenberg invented his printing press -- and won&#x27;t be beaten until the far-off future of 2669.</p><p>The good news for Moonwatchers, however, is that they won&#x27;t have to wait that long for another show -- there will be a longer total lunar eclipse on November 8 next year, NASA says.</p><p>And even better news for anyone wanting to watch is that no special equipment is necessary, unlike for solar eclipses.</p><p>Binoculars, telescopes or the naked eye will give a decent view of the spectacle -- as long as the weather here on Earth plays ball.</p><p>hg/ec</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1693370" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years, which will bathe the Moon in red, will be visible Thursday and Friday.