What is a total lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth comes between Sun and the Moon and its shadow covers the Moon. The astronomical term for this alignment is syzygy. The total lunar eclipse occurs during the full moon.
Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse?
It is due to Rayleigh's scattering. NASA explains that light travels in waves and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and is scattered more easily by particles in Earth’s atmosphere than red light, which has a longer wavelength.
When the Sun is overhead, we see blue light throughout the sky. But when the Sun is setting, sunlight must pass through more atmosphere and travel farther before reaching our eyes.
During a lunar eclipse, the Moon turns red because the only sunlight reaching the Moon passes through Earth’s atmosphere. The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear.
Which countries can see the total lunar eclipse?
The celestial event will be visible in the US, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. However, India and other Asian countries, and Australia will not be able to see the year's first total lunar eclipse.
How to watch the lunar eclipse:
If you are unable to watch the eclipse, you can check out NASA's official website which will be live streaming the event on both Youtube and other social media platforms.
