The longest lunar eclipse in 580 years is imminent

On the night of November 18-19, 2021, some of the world's inhabitants witnessed the longest Lunar eclipse for 580 years. The entire phenomenon will last more than 6 hours, with the silver ball lingering in the deepest shadow on earth for 3 hours and 28 minutes. However, it is not a total darkness. A maximum of 97,4% of the natural satellite disk will be covered.

During the eclipse the moon is in his apogee, the furthest point from Earth orbit. Hence, it will appear that it is moving extremely slowly. It will take more than 100 minutes from the first contact with the earth's shadow to the greatest eclipse. From the exit of the moon from the greatest shadow of the Earth the same period of time elapses until the end of the darkness.

Image source: Pixabay

The record long solar eclipse will consist of five phases. In the first of these phases, the moon enters the twilight of the earth, the penumbra. This phenomenon will be difficult to observe for a long time because the penumbra is very weak.

Then the Silver Globe will begin to enter the umbra of the earth. That we can be clearly seen. Of the Umbra prevents the sun's rays from reaching the moon. And when it becomes less bright, we will be able to see more and more stars that are normally overshadowed by the shine of the moon. At the height of the darkness, the brightness of the moon becomes almost Be 10.000 times less than before the darkness. In the third phase, the maximum of the eclipse, we will clearly see the thin lower edge of the silver sphere, which is not covered by the earth's shadow, and the reddish remainder of the moon. This is because the rest of the sunlight that is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere reaches our satellite. Later the moon will step out of the umbra and then out of the penumbra.

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