Total lunar eclipse tonight: how to watch it without missing a thing
A total lunar eclipse tonight requires no eye protection. Binoculars reveal craters, plus a preview of the great solar eclipse of 2 August 2027.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Blood moon tonight: how to watch it and what to expect
Tonight the Moon will turn red in a total eclipse that requires no eye protection. Unlike a solar eclipse, it can be viewed directly, and a pair of binoculars is enough to pick out the craters in coppery tones. The phenomenon, known as a "blood moon", occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon: our atmosphere filters out blue light and lets the red through. A spectacle that beats its solar sibling in both comfort and style.
Not everyone will be so lucky. In northern Spain, cloud threatens to spoil the show, a recurring curse at these latitudes. The luckiest will enjoy the event without any sophisticated equipment.
And for fans of the big stuff, the calendar already has the next date marked: on 2 August 2027, a total solar eclipse will cross southern Spain, Gibraltar and North Africa. The path of totality will begin over the Atlantic, pass through Segarro, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, and move on to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Spain will be in the front row, though only in its southern strip. The rest of the peninsula will have to settle for a partial view.
The striking fact: tonight's lunar eclipse will be seen by half the world; the 2027 solar eclipse will be enjoyed in full by only a handful of countries. Astronomy, like almost everything, has a geography too. And here, the north is once again left out.
Tonight the Moon will turn red in a total eclipse that requires no eye protection. Unlike a solar eclipse, it can be viewed directly, and a pair of binoculars is enough to pick out the craters in coppery tones. The phenomenon, known as a "blood moon", occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon: our atmosphere filters out blue light and lets the red through. A spectacle that beats its solar sibling in both comfort and style.
Not everyone will be so lucky. In northern Spain, cloud threatens to spoil the show, a recurring curse at these latitudes. The luckiest will enjoy the event without any sophisticated equipment.
And for fans of the big stuff, the calendar already has the next date marked: on 2 August 2027, a total solar eclipse will cross southern Spain, Gibraltar and North Africa. The path of totality will begin over the Atlantic, pass through Segarro, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, and move on to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Spain will be in the front row, though only in its southern strip. The rest of the peninsula will have to settle for a partial view.
The striking fact: tonight's lunar eclipse will be seen by half the world; the 2027 solar eclipse will be enjoyed in full by only a handful of countries. Astronomy, like almost everything, has a geography too. And here, the north is once again left out.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (20 replies).
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