The Moon passed under the Earth’s shadow on Tuesday, resulting in a total lunar eclipse.
It was a rare but wonderful opportunity for space enthusiasts on the ground to witness a phenomenon that has captivated humans for millennia.
The eclipse was visible throughout North America in the predawn hours, with ideal viewing in the West, and over parts of East Asia, Australia, and the remainder of the Pacific after sunset, where skies were clear.
The total phase of the eclipse lasted about one-and-a-half hours. The whole event took about six hours from start to finish.
A total eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and the Moon line up perfectly, casting Earth’s shadow on the Moon. Known as the blood moon, the reddish-orange colour is the result of sunlight scattering off Earth’s atmosphere.
At the peak of the eclipse, the Moon was 390,653km (242,740 miles) away, according to NASA scientists.
It was the second total lunar eclipse of the year, the first occurring in May. The next total lunar eclipse will occur in March 2025, but there will be other partial eclipses in the interim.
aljazeera
