by Charie Mae F. Abarca
Sky watchers, are you ready?
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in the Philippines on Tuesday, Nov. 8, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The state weather bureau, in its Astronomical Diary, said the eclipse will begin at 5:19 p.m., with the totality of the eclipse occuring at 6:16 p.m. The “greatest eclipse” or the peak stage of the phenomenon will be observed at 6:59 p.m.
“The moon will remain in totality until 7:42 p.m. It will then go into a partial eclipse until 8:49 p.m. and [will] come to an end at 9:58 p.m.,” said PAGASA.
Lunar eclipses in general, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), occur at the full moon phase “[with] the Earth positioned between the Moon and the Sun, and [its] shadow [falling] upon the surface of the Moon.”
However, as NASA explained, this particular moon spectacle – total lunar eclipse – happens when the “Moon moves into the inner part of the Earth’s shadow.” With this, some of the sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere “reaches the Moon’s surface, lighting it dimly.”
During this sky show, viewers may see the moon turn red once the eclipse reaches its peak.
Total lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses, are safe to watch and observers need not use any kind of protective filters for the eyes.
Apart from the Philippines, the eclipse will also be visible in various parts of the world “where the moon is above the horizon,” including Australia, parts of northern and eastern Europe, North America, as well as most of South Africa.
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