Total lunar eclipse woos sky watchers

WASHINGTON - An unusual set of celestial circumstances came together over Sunday night and the wee hours of Monday for sky watchers in Europe, Africa and the Americas, where the moon was fully obscured before lighting up again with a faint red glow.

In the streets of Mexico City, Los Angeles and Paris and in the Moroccan desert, moon gazers turned to the sky to observe the phenomenon, around midnight in the Americas, and shortly before dawn in Europe and Africa.

The eclipse lasted about three hours: during the first hour the full moon was gradually swallowed up by the shadow of the Earth, then an hour of total eclipse where it was not invisible but instead appeared tinted in hues of red, orange and pink, followed finally by its full reemergence, bright and shining. 

The full Moon appeared bigger than normal because it was closer to the Earth -- about 222,000 miles (358,000 kilometers) away -- earning it the nickname "super Moon."

Other monikers include a "Wolf Moon," a traditional way of coining an eclipse in the month of January, and a "Blood Moon" because of its rusty, red color. Hence the name for this year's event: a "super blood wolf Moon."

At its peak, where night skies were clear of clouds, Venus and Jupiter shone brightly in the night sky. 

Not everyone was fortunate: in London, for example, astronomy enthusiasts hopes were dashed by a cloudy night. 

WHY RED?

During a lunar eclipse, the Moon appears red because the light of the Sun no longer directly illuminates it, since Earth is passing in between the Moon and Sun.

"The color is due to Rayleigh scattering -- where the Sun's blue light is scattered off molecules in Earth's atmosphere -- which also happens at sunsets," explained the Royal Astronomical Society of Britain. 

"The Sun's red light is scattered much less by air, and is bent by Earth's atmosphere in a process called refraction, traveling all the way through it to light up the Moon's surface."

LAST ECLIPSE

Total or partial lunar eclipses happen at least twice a year on average, Florent Deleflie, an astronomer at the Observatory of Paris-PSL told AFP. It's just that they are not visible everywhere.

It's a rare event when a total lunar eclipse is visible on so many parts of the Earth's land mass, as is the case Monday.

Europeans last saw a total lunar eclipse in July 2018. The next chance for a glimpse at a lunar eclipse will be in 2022, but the entire continent won't be able to see the totality of a lunar eclipse again until 2029.

North Americans may get their next glimpse of a blood moon in 2021 along the West coast and 2022 on the East coast.

ico-ksh/ia/wdb

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Total solar eclipse seen in U.S.

Emotional sky-gazers on the U.S. West Coast cheered and applauded Monday as the Sun briefly vanished behind the Moon -- a rare total solar eclipse that will stretch across North America for the first time in nearly a century.

Eclipse chasers and amateur star watchers alike converged in cities along the path of totality, a 70-mile (113-kilometer) wide path running through 14 US states, where the Moon will block out all light from the Sun.

Festivals, rooftop parties, weddings, camping trips and astronomy meet-ups popped up nationwide for what NASA expects will be the most heavily photographed and documented eclipse in modern times, thanks to the era of social media.

At about 1605 GMT, eclipse fans in Lincoln Beach, Oregon were the first to witness the partial phase of the eclipse.

More than 100,000 people have gathered in Madras, Oregon, typically a town of 7,000 for what experts described as perfect viewing conditions.

Totality began at 1716 GMT over Oregon and will end roughly 90 minutes later at 1848 GMT over Charleston, South Carolina.

In Los Angeles, "oohs and aahs" emanated from the crowd of thousands of people gathered at the Griffith Observatory in the hills above the city as the partial eclipse began.

Many hiked to the site to avoid massive traffic jams. Some watchers had fashioned their own pinhole projectors out of cardboard and scotch tape.

In Mexico, where there was a partial eclipse, astronomy buffs set up telescopes fitted with special sun filters in parks and squares in various cities.

"Put down your smartphone and experience this one emotionally, psychologically, physically, rather than just through the screen," advised prominent US astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Telescopes and smartphones

In the US capital, where 81 percent totality will occur, eclipse watchers flocked to the National Air and Space Museum, where solar telescopes were set up for the occasion. The National Zoo staged a viewing party, and national parks across the country organized programs for children.

In downtown Charleston, the last point in the path of totality, crowds of tourists -- some in special eclipse T-shirts and star-printed trousers -- made their way to the bustling East Coast city's storied waterfront to stake out a prime spot.

"It is very exciting," said Kwayera Davis, 34, an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston who was setting up telescopes in a waterfront park.

"Here we will get to see it because we are off on the water, with the shadow going off into the Atlantic."

One bar had installed outdoor speakers which blasted Bonnie Tyler's mega-hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" -- which she was to sing on a cruise ship on Monday.

"I am really pumped up about it," said t-shirt vendor Jan Dahouas, who is from Atlanta, Georgia.

"I hear it is supposed to be really moving."

President Donald Trump was expected to watch the partial eclipse from the White House with his wife Melania, his office said.

Many people who have seen eclipses in the past describe the experience as an emotional one, as the sky goes black, birds return to their nests and the air chills.

"It is such an incredible, sensory-overload kind of event," eclipse-chaser Fred Espenak, a retired NASA astrophysicist, told AFP of the first total solar eclipse he saw in the United States back in 1970.

'We're ready!'

Experts warn that looking directly at an eclipse can cause permanent eye damage.

"The damage can really be permanent and right smack in the center of their vision," said Vincent Jerome Giovinazzo, director of ophthalmology at Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health.

The only safe time to look at it is for those within the path of totality -- and only during the brief moments when the Sun is completely blocked.

Everyone else should use proper solar eyeglasses, which are far darker than regular ones, or make a pinhole projector to see the eclipse while avoiding the glare of the Sun.

Cloudy weather and thunderstorms threatened to dash viewers' hopes in some places, including Charleston.

But so far, it was sunny in South Carolina.

Some of the clearest views were expected along the West Coast and in the Midwest.

Scientists plan to study the eclipse to learn more about the super-hot corona, or outer edge of the Sun.

Astronauts orbiting the Earth aboard the International Space Station are also planning to document the eclipse, and will get to see it three times.

"My first solar eclipse from space... We're ready!" wrote Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli on Twitter.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

First eclipse in 99 years to sweep North America

MIAMI - The first total solar eclipse to sweep North America in nearly a century will march across the continent August 21, casting a shadow over millions of people from coast to coast.

The event, coined the "Great American Eclipse," is inspiring a surge in tourism in the United States, along with sky-high prices for travel to key viewing spots and a rise in scams such as counterfeit solar eclipse glasses.

Celebrations are planned nationwide, including weddings timed to coincide with the eclipse and a live Caribbean cruise ship performance of the 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by the singer herself, Bonnie Tyler.

In a nation that is increasingly divided along political lines, some expressed hope that fascination for this spectacular phenomenon would offer people a chance to unite.

"A large swath of the population will be able to easily see this eclipse," astronomer James Webb at Florida International University told AFP.

"There are plenty of people out there in this day and age that are denying science, so this is an opportunity to show what we really know about the solar system."

HISTORIC ECLIPSE

The total eclipse, when the Moon fully blocks light from the Sun, will be visible from a 70-mile-wide (113-kilometer) path that carves through 14 US states.

A partial eclipse begins on the northwest coast of the United States shortly after 9 am (1600 GMT).

The total eclipse reaches the western coastline of Oregon at 10:16 am Pacific time (1716 GMT), then forges a diagonal path, exiting over South Carolina in the afternoon.

While the darkest shadows will fall over this "path of totality," a partial eclipse extends far beyond it, and may be visible as far north as Alberta, Canada and as far south as Brazil, weather permitting.

Even Britain and western France may catch an evening glimpse of a tiny sliver of the eclipse at sunset.

"They'll see a very shallow, partial eclipse," said Royal Astronomy Society acting director Robert Massey.

The last time an eclipse crossed from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean was on June 8, 1918, when a total eclipse was visible from Washington to Florida.

EYE DAMAGE

Experts warn that looking directly at the eclipse can burn the retina, possibly causing lasting blind spots.

Anyone planning to look skyward is urged to wear the proper protective eyewear. Regular sunglasses are not strong enough.

"Probably 100 million people are going to look at this but the dangers of looking at the Sun are real and serious," said Vincent Jerome Giovinazzo, director of ophthalmology at Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health.

"The damage can really be permanent and right smack in the center of their vision," he told AFP.

The US Fire Administration has cautioned people to beware of counterfeit glasses that don't provide the right level of protection. Solar glasses should be marked with the safety standard ISO-12312-2.

Those who don't want to stare at the sky can use cardboard or paper to make a pinhole projector that allows an image of the eclipse to show through.

Other projects aim to capture the sensory experience of an eclipse.

One, called Eclipse Soundscapes, is encouraging scientists and citizens to record environmental sounds before, during, and after to allow the blind and visually impaired to "hear and feel the physical qualities of the eclipse."

EVENTS PLANNED

For those unable to see the eclipse, NASA is planning an all-day live broadcast on its website, nasa.gov, which will feature on the Toshiba Vision screen in New York's Times Square.

Rooftop viewing parties, kayak trips, baseball games and even weddings are being held nationwide to mark the celestial event.

According to the website greatamericaneclipse.com, between 1.85 and 7.4 million people are expected to travel into the path of totality, raising concerns about traffic jams and accidents.

Prices for lodging have soared, as most hotels and flights have been quickly booked to capacity.

Raggedly motels along the highway in Casper, Wyoming -- one of the choice viewing spots -- were offering their last rooms at more than $2,100 per night as of Thursday.

The eclipse has also sparked a massive scientific effort to study the Sun's outer region, known as the corona, which is easier to study when the Moon blocks much the Sun's light.

In an age of smartphone technology, millions are expected to record and photograph the eclipse.

Donald Liebenberg, 85, a scientist at Clemson University in South Carolina, has seen 26 eclipses in his lifetime, and says each one is unique.

"When I first see the onset of totality, of course, I am impressed as the temperature drops and the sky darkens and birds return to their nests," he told AFP.

"I am impressed that even the Babylonians were able to predict when and where an eclipse would occur."

ksh/mdo

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Supermoon sightings all over the world

The total "supermoon" lunar eclipse treated sky-watchers around the world when the shadow of Earth cast a reddish glow on the moon, the result of rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year.

The astronomical event occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit, making it appear much larger and brighter than usual. (Reuters)

Mobile users can view the desktop version of the slideshow here.

The Moon, appears next to a statue on the Alexander III bridge in Paris. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LOOK: 'Blood moon' rises

WASHINGTON - Stargazers in the Americas and Asia were treated to a lunar eclipse Wednesday, a celestial show that bathed the moon in red to create a "blood moon."

During the total lunar eclipse, which lasted several hours, the Earth passed between the sun and the moon.

The moon reflected sunlight scattered in the Earth's atmosphere and took on a red hue.

The early phase of the eclipse began at 0800 GMT, or 4:00 am, on the east coast of the United States, and will continue until sunrise.

In Hong Kong, the eclipse started shortly after moonrise at 1000 GMT or 6:00 pm local time, with the total eclipse phase emerging half an hour later and lasting for around an hour before moving to a partial eclipse.

Free viewing locations were set up on a harborside promenade by the Hong Kong Space Museum for the public to observe the various phases on astronomy telescopes.

In Tokyo's Roppongi fashion and entertainment district, enthusiasts were planning to perform yoga exercises under the blood moon. Many others had climbed atop the city's skyscrapers to view the sky.

On Australia's east coast, a live video feed set up by the Sydney Observatory was pointing to cloud cover less than an hour ahead of the moon's move into Earth's shadow.

In New Zealand, the moon will be close to its highest point in the sky, according to Auckland's Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, holding out hope of a view of the spectacle unobstructed by buildings.

Sky watchers are also able to see the phenomenon live via NASA's robotic telescope service, Slooh.

NASA's lunar experts answered questions ahead of the celestial event via live web chat from 0700 GMT.

"NASA moon experts will be up all night on October 8 to answer your questions," the space agency said.

The eclipse is the second of four total lunar eclipses, starting with a first "blood moon" on April 15, in a series astronomers call a tetrad.

The next two total lunar eclipses will be on April 4 and September 28 of next year.

The last time a tetrad took place was in 2003-2004, with the next predicted for 2032-2033. In total, the 21st century will see eight tetrads.

Amateur astronomists in Africa or Europe are out of luck, NASA said, as the event will not be visible in those regions.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Clear skies allowed Filipinos to see the year's first eclipse

MANILA, Philippines -- No clouds were in sight when the moon partially covered the sun early Monday, and gave many Filipinos a chance to see the first eclipse for the year.

Eclipse enthusiasts in Quezon City trooped to the observatory of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration in Diliman and were not disappointed.

But the eclipse viewed by many Filipinos was not the full annular solar eclipse or "ring of fire" seen in the US West Coast. The National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) said that the annular solar eclipse began in southern China, traveling eastward to Japan and the west coast of the US.

The Philippines saw a partial solar eclipse, or 61 percent of the entire annular eclipse, beginning at 4:59 a.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring at around 5:58 a.m. Filipinos saw the eclipse until 7 a.m.

According to the NASA, a partial lunar eclipse will occur on June 4, a total solar eclipse on November 13 and a penumbral lunar eclipse on November 28. None will be fully visible in the Philippines.

source: interaksyon.com

Saturday eclipse, meteor shower double treat for stargazers

Stargazers will have a double treat of sorts Saturday night as they are likely to see a meteor shower and a partial lunar eclipse.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the eclipse will start at 4:55 p.m. and end at 10:21 p.m.

"Lunar eclipses are safe to watch and observers need not use any kind of protective filters in the eyes. A pair of binocular will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration of the Moon brighter," it said. [See: PAGASA astrodiary]

PAGASA said the eclipse’s magnitude will be 54.2 percent and will also be visible primarily in some parts of America, Pacific Ocean, Antarctica, eastern Asia, and Australasia.

In Manila, the moon will rise at 6:28 p.m. and will set at 5:04 a.m. on June 27.

Penumbral eclipse begins at 4:55 p.m., while the partial eclipse begins at 6:16 p.m. The greatest eclipse will be at 7:38 p.m. Partial eclipse ends 9:00 PM

The penumbral eclipse ends at 10:21 p.m.

On the other hand, PAGASA said recent unseen activity makes the annual June Bootid meteor shower worth observing.

But it said that while the shower is normally active from June 26 to July 2 and peaks June 27, “little or no" activity is expected this year with the full Moon on June 26.

“The radiant is usefully accessible virtually all night, and all observing techniques can be employed," it said.

PAGASA said the shower is derived from the debris ejected by Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke. The radiant of the shower will originate from the constellation of Bootes, the Herdsman, which lies nearly overhead when darkness falls. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV