A “Super blue Moon of blood” made her show

AFP

Wednesday, 31 January 2018 07:27

UPDATE
Wednesday, 31 January 2018 07:29

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WASHINGTON | Close, big, and “blood” : a total lunar eclipse is particularly rare for its size, offers Wednesday an amazing sight and visible from a good part of the globe, called ” Super blue Moon of blood “.

Under the eyes of the observers, the moon will disappear, deprived of the rays of the sun, to reappear tinged with red, hence the name ” blood moon “. It is also called ” the blue “, because it will be the second full Moon in a month, a name that refers to the rarity of the phenomenon (it occurs on average only every two and a half years), but not to its color.

The show was scheduled to be observable from North America, Russia, Asia, and the Pacific ocean. The major part of Europe, Africa and south America will be in contrast to private show by the light of the sun.

In North America, in Alaska or Hawaii, the eclipse should be visible before the rising of the sun. In the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the show will take place at moon rise in the evening of this Wednesday, according to the Nasa website. Show that, unlike the eclipses of the sun, does not require eye protection to be able to be admired.

On the east coast of the United States, the Moon should begin to enter the Earth’s shadow at 5: 51 local time.

In California, the phenomenon was to start at 3: 48 pm local, and the total eclipse at 4 h 51. The match will end at 6: 5, according to Nasa, who had to relay the event on its website (https://www.nasa.gov).

Observers in the western United States and Canada will be in the best position to observe the eclipse during its whole duration, an hour-and-sixteen-minutes in its entirety.

The moon does not produce its own light but receives it from the sun. Wednesday, the moon will be perfectly aligned with the sun and the Earth.

Close to the Earth

It is teintera then red, due to a phenomenon of light : the rays of the sun pass through the atmosphere are “known” (think, editor’s note), with the exception of the red rays. These latter are then subject to another phenomenon : the atmosphere is going to sway them and they will come and illuminate the lunar surface.

This eclipse will be particularly impressive because the moon “will present three characteristics at once,” says the Observatory of Paris on her site : not only “blue” and ” blood “, it will also be ” Super “!

“Super “, because the star is very close to the Earth on Wednesday.

The eclipse will occur only 27 hours after the Moon has reached its point of orbit closest to our planet, called perigee. It will appear a little larger than usual, ” approximately 7% compared to an average Moon, which will more easily be distinguished with the naked eye dark areas and contrasts “, according to the Observatory of Paris.

The last “Super Moon blue blood” was produced on December 30, 1982, and had been visible in Europe, Africa and western Asia.

For North America, it is necessary to go back to 152 years ago, march 31, 1866, and prior to that as at 31 may 1341, according to the record.

The next similar phenomenon is expected on January 31, 2037.