The lunar eclipse will produce a total phase when the Moon passes fully into Earth’s darkest shadow, turning a deep coppery red during totality, Sky Tonight reports.
Sky Tonight gives the main totality interval as 11:04 to 12:03 UTC with the maximum at 11:33 UTC, and an overall eclipse duration of five hours and thirty-nine minutes.
Visibility will span eastern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific region, much of North and Central America, and the far western edge of South America, while Europe and Africa will miss the event, Sky Tonight says.
Local totality times vary widely, Sky Tonight notes, running in evening hours across eastern Asia and Australia and in the early morning for much of the Americas, with New Zealand seeing totality after midnight local time.
Viewing Details Experts And Coverage
Astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Allen of Swinburne University describes the eclipse light as filtered sunlight that makes the lunar surface appear a deep and coppery red during totality, as reported by the news outlet.
Dr Brad Tucker of the Australian National University explains the effect as sunlight that skims Earth’s atmosphere, refracting red tones onto the Moon, according to the same report.
Prof Richard Easther of the University of Auckland says the eclipse will be visible across New Zealand and notes the Moon will be high in the sky there when it reaches its deepest point, the report states.
For those who cannot view locally, Sky Tonight lists several free live streams including TimeandDate, the Griffith Observatory broadcast, the Virtual Telescope Project, and an HD stream from SunshineNate, allowing viewers to follow the complete event online.
Sky Tonight suggests starting observations at least thirty minutes before totality to watch the partial phase and the shadow advance, and it offers an app feature to check exact local visibility and where the Moon will appear.
The report also outlines practical photography tips, advising a tripod, a telephoto lens or magnification, and exposure adjustments as the Moon darkens during totality; it recommends testing settings before the eclipse.
Sky Tonight adds cultural notes, saying the Full Moon associated with the eclipse closes Lunar New Year celebrations in parts of East Asia and that in Indian tradition a lunar eclipse is called Chandra Grahan, with mythological explanations involving Rahu and Ketu.
Finally, news coverage notes this total lunar eclipse will be the only full totality visible for nearly three years, and Sky Tonight and other outlets provide timelines and maps to help viewers plan.
