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Blood Moon 2018: LONGEST total lunar eclipse of 21st Century on 27 July

Blood Moon 2018, LONGEST total lunar eclipse of 21st Century on 27 July

People who take delight in sky gazing are in for a surprise on July 27, since Blood Moon will be taking to the skies as part of a total eclipse. Moreover, Mars will come closer to Earth for the first time in the last one and a half decade.

This approach of Mars usually happens on or around every 26 months. At that time Earth and the Red Planet are said to be much closer in their orbits around the sun. In the year 2018, this distance will be surprisingly very closer.
The last time when it was experienced happened in 2003. At that time the said distance was measured at 55.7 million kilometres away. It was then regarded the closest in preceding 60 thousand years.

There will be a total lunar eclipse in next month. This will be the longest one of the century, it is estimated. Dates of 27 and 28 July are earmarked to experience the event. It will also feature a Blood Moon even on a date then, where the Moon appears red due to sunlight scattering through the planet’s surroundings.

It is guessed that the event may last about four hours. Though the eclipse will be experienced for about one hour and forty-three minutes, researchers said.

The incidence of Blood Moon which took place in the January of 2018 was just about 45 minutes. In the event, the Moon takes nearly four hours to cross the Earth’s shadow, claims a known astronomer Bruce McClure.

The eclipse is expected to experience its peak at about 1:52 AM IST, it is said. The event can be seen in Europe and surrounding regions. In other parts of the world, it can be relayed through live TV coverage or online.

Scientifically, a lunar eclipse is known to be the opposite of a solar eclipse. Here, the Earth’s shadow is cast on the Moon. at that time, the Moon will not disappear from view, it, however, takes on a deep red or burnt orange colour. The event happens due to the Rayleigh scattering. This is a situation where light gets scattered through a medium, and here the atmosphere is the medium. It does not create any changes in wavelength. The atmosphere then sorts out green and violet light to show the Moon in a deep red, that is how Blood Moon is created. This is said to be akin to the effect which shows sunset and sunrise in colours of yellow and red.

Despite the weird event, people can take a sigh of relief that nothing unusual, or out of the world will happen due to this event. It is just an eclipse and the Moon will be visible red from few points on the planet.

About Kanu Priya

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A budding journalist who intends to build a bright career in the media industry. She is an avid traveler and a sportsperson who loves to cover the latest news in travel and sports niche.