On Friday (05/05), astronomy lovers from some regions of the planet will have the chance to observe another lunar eclipse. Unfortunately, it will not be visible in Brazil this time, but we can watch the event in live broadcasts, already available below.
As always, an eclipse never comes alone — before or after a solar eclipse, there will always be a lunar eclipse, approximately two weeks apart. Since on 04/19 we had a solar eclipse (which was a rare hybrid eclipse, by the way), it’s the Moon’s turn to have its special moment.
This eclipse will be penumbral, that is, the Moon will pass in the outer part of the Earth’s shadow. This means that the Sun, our planet and the Moon will be almost aligned in the correct order for an eclipse, but not quite; the slight misalignment causes the Moon to be in the shadow called penumbra.
With Earth positioned in between the two bodies, sunlight will not reach the Moon, but there will still be enough light to create a “more or less” dark shadow. That’s why the penumbral eclipse can be difficult to perceive, although the Moon loses part of its usual brightness.
It is worth remembering that the penumbral eclipse should not be confused with the partial one: in the first case we have a penumbra of the Earth on the lunar surface; the second involves a part of the Moon immersed in the umbra, that is, the “darker” shadow of the Earth. A partial eclipse is much more noticeable than a penumbral one.
Full Moon of Flowers
At the exact time of the Full Moon, the Sun will still be setting in the skies of the Americas, so our natural satellite will be invisible. But that doesn’t mean we’ll miss out on all the spectacle we love, as the Moon will appear full for three nights in a row.
This is precisely because of the eclipse, which will be on the same date (lunar eclipses always happen on full moon nights). At that time, the Sun, Earth and Moon line up much better, while the fully illuminated hemisphere of the Moon remains facing us. Thus, it already looks full since Thursday (4) and will remain so until Saturday (6).
Also, the Full Moon in May is known as the Crop Moon and the Milk Moon in some cultures, but the nickname Flower Moon is more common because the occasion coincides with the blooming of wildflowers and garden flowers.
If you can, enjoy the night illuminated by the apparently full Moon and enjoy the view of Earth’s companion. During the night, it will be positioned higher in the sky, getting a little closer to the constellation of Cruzeiro do Sul, one of the regions of outstanding stars that will not be overshadowed by the lunar brightness.
Follow the penumbral lunar eclipse online
Only inhabitants of some countries in Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Antarctica will be able to observe this eclipse. The time, of course, depends on the region — in China, for example, the peak of the eclipse will be at 01:22 am on Saturday morning. In Brazil, at this moment, it will be at 22:22 on 05/05.
Friday’s event will be the last of the first eclipse season of 2023, but there will still be others in the second half. If you want to follow live broadcasts, you can access the TV online do The Virtual Telescope.
Source: timeanddate, EarthSky
