NASA, the US' premier aeronautics and space administration agency, announced that the longest total lunar eclipse of the century is coming this Friday (July 27, 2018), and it will transform the moon into a reddish orange color (or blood red ochre) for more than 100 minutes—103 to be exact.
One reason why this eclipse is lasting so long is because it is occurring when the moon is near apogee, or the point in its orbit when it is farthest away from the Earth, making it appear smaller than normal.
The eclipse won't be visible from North America, Noah Petro, a scientist for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, told ABC News. But most of the world will get to see the total lunar eclipse on the said day as stargazers in areas near the Middle East (including Qatar), south or eastern Africa, western and southeast Asia and India will be able to catch a glimpse of the celestial event as long as the weather permits, Petro said.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s innermost shadow. When this happens, the moon turns rusty orange or deep reed in color and is how it earned the nickname of a blood moon eclipse.
For those residing in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America, all you have to do is go outside at 17:14 Universal time (1:14 pm ET) and look for the moon. That’s when the partial phase of the eclipse starts. The full eclipse begins at 19:30 UTC (10:30 pm in Qatar time) and then lasts a full hour and 43 minutes!
Doctors have said it's safe to watch total lunar eclipse with naked eye. No external objects or instruments are required to do so and it's a safe process to look at the moon.
It can be remembered that the Moon was near its perigee on January 30 of this year and and it was referred as the 'Super Blue Blood Moon.' The total lunar eclipse happening two days from now will be 26 minutes longer than January's Super Blue Blood Moon. The next total lunar eclipse is expected to occur on December 31, 2028—more than 10 years from now.
To know where to get the best view of of the lunar eclipse in Qatar, click here!
Are you excited to witness the second total lunar eclipse of the year? If yes, where in Qatar are you planning to have a personal encounter of the Moon and who will you bring along with you? Drop us a line in the comments below and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!
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