On Tuesday night, people from Australia as well as New Zealand will be treated to a complete lunar eclipse weather-dependent. This is an opportunity that shouldn’t miss, as the next eclipse won’t be visible from this regions until 2025.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow. If the moon only partially is able to enter the shadow, it’s called an incomplete eclipse. If it’s a total eclipse the moon is completely submerged and is surrounded by an orange/reddish glow.
The eclipse of Tuesday’s night will last for a period of totality – the time when the moon is completely in shadow – will run for a relaxing 85 minutes.
The light that reaches the moon’s surface will traverse the Earth’s atmosphere. This is why the moon takes an orange color. The exact hue depends on how dusty planet’s air is.
It’s a great time to share it with friends and family and friends, particularly since you don’t require any equipment for viewing it. It’s also safe to gaze at, unlike solar eclipses where it is important to take care when looking at the sun.
A twilight moon , or a midnight moon?
All people who is on the night side of Earth will be experiencing the lunar eclipse at the same time. However, the exact time for you depends on the time zone you are in.
For New Zealand the eclipse will occur late in the evening. The eclipse’s peak will occur shortly after midnight. Moon will appear high in the northern sky.
Over Australia The eclipse is expected to occur around the time of the time of moonrise. The moon will therefore be lower in the sky , and fighting against the twilight glow in the early phases of the eclipse.
Eastern Australia will see the eclipse soon after the full moon’s rise. The farther north you are further north, the longer you’ll have to wait until the eclipse gets underway. For Brisbane the eclipse will begin about an hour or so after the moon’s rising, meaning the moon will rise higher in the sky. For Hobart the eclipse will begin only 15 minutes after the moon’s rise.
For the remainder of Australia the eclipse will begin just before the moon sets. All across the central region of Australia it will only begin about a minute before the moon’s rise while for Western Australia it will be fully underway when the moon rises.
North-facing people will be able to see some partial eclipses before the totality begins however those living in Perth is likely to witness a full moon eclipse that is encased in shadows at the time of moonrise.
Big moon rising
If you happen to see the moon’s shadow shortly after the moon is rising, you can expect it to appear stunning. This is because something known as”the “moon illusion” will come into the picture. Your brain is tricked into thinking that the moon appears to be larger when it’s near the horizon, in contrast to when it’s higher towards the ceiling.
Moonrise will occur in east and north-east for the entire country of Australia So having a good position or a open view to the horizon can assist in seeing the beginning portions that will be visible during the full eclipse. As the moon grows higher and the sky becomes dark, the latter portion of the eclipse will be clear for anyone.
The group is part of the opposition
However, it’s not only the moon that you should be watching for. In the evening that the moon is eclipsed, giant ice Uranus will appear close to the moon from Earth. If you have binoculars you might be able to see Uranus at totality, so that the moon’s light doesn’t get in the way.
The moon in partial lunar eclipse
Uranus will be at opposition the day following the eclipse on Wednesday. That means it will be similar to the full moon located in the opposite side of the sky from the sun. This is the time when the planet is most bright and closest.
At 2.8bn kilometers, Uranus can be so vast away that even when you look through binoculars it can appear as if it were a star. A large telescope can be able to see it as a tiny blue-green dot.
One of the planets
Even without binoculars, there are gorgeous planets and stars to be seen. The bright Jupiter and Saturn are easy to spot from high above and above the moon’s shadow.
In the evening, viewers can see that constellation Taurus rising to the north-east. It will be accompanied by the gorgeous galaxy Pleiades and the giant red star Aldebaran together with Orion and its supergiant red Betelgeuse.
Red planet Mars will appear. People living in New Zealand and Queensland will be in a good position to observe four bright red objects in the sky at once including the moon’s eclipse, Aldebaran, Betelgeuse and Mars close to the horizon.
Lunar eclipses remind us of the fact that we’re on a planet that is traveling through space. When I gaze at the moon from shadow, I try to imagine what it’s like to stand there and observe the sun being blocked out by Earth.
You might have the chance to experience your very own moments of amazement and wonder at how astronomy may often make us feel a bit tiny, but also linked to something larger.
