By Chantalé Fletcher
BASK in earth’s many mysteries, as the first total lunar eclipse of 2022 will clash with the Flower Moon of May captivating skywatchers with its red hues.
The first “supermoon” phenomenon of the year as the moon’s appearance was brighter and larger in size than usual because it’s at the closest point to Earth in its orbit, also known as perigee.
A lunar eclipse occurred when the earth has blocked sunlight from reaching the moon and hence causing a shadow across the lunar surface.
What is a Blood Moon?
Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago Astronomical Society Vindra Khanai cleared up some misinformation about the celestial event which Trinidad and Tobago will witness.
Khanai described in a total eclipse, the entire moon goes through the darker region of the Earth’s shadow.
However for a Blood Moon to occur during a total lunar eclipse, the earth must be directly between the sun and the moon, in which the moon was completely hidden from the sunlight.
He said, “The moon can actually appear red to us in the sky and this is what some people refer to as the “Blood Moon”.
Even though the moon is in Earth’s shadow, some light from the sun still passes through Earth’s atmosphere and reaches the moon. It could also appear orange or reddish-brown depending on the conditions of the Earth’s atmosphere at the time of the eclipse.”
Khanai identified the partial and total eclipse stages of the eclipse were the main visual attractions.
He said the penumbral eclipse would begin on Sunday at 9.32 pm when the earth’s surface touches the moon’s face, followed by a partial- eclipse at 10.27 pm when the moon starts to get red, a total eclipse at 11.29 pm as the moon is completely red.
However, at 12.11 am on May 16 there will be a maximum eclipse as the moon would be closest to the centre of the shadow followed by the total eclipse end at 12.53 am.
In addition, NASA would also be streaming on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGIaEIICIcs for enthusiasts.
Khanai said there were generally three lunar eclipses every year, but not each eclipse was visible from the same location on Earth.
He explained, “The moon doesn’t orbit the Earth in the same plane as the Earth-Sun plane, instead, the moon’s orbit is slightly inclined to Earth’s orbit and so the moon is usually outside of the Earth’s shadow.
“So, after this total lunar eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse visible to us is expected to be on March 13 to 14, 2025.”
Khanai said people could easily view the eclipse with their naked eyes but if they have telescopes or binoculars at hand, it would give them a magnified and detailed look at the moon.
Constellations
He added the moon will be located in the constellation Libra at the time of the eclipse.
“The larger more easily recognisable constellation Scorpius (the Scorpion) is adjacent to Libra, so the eclipsed moon should be seen near the head of Scorpius,” Khanai said.
