Eyes on the skies today – a total lunar eclipse is happening this evening.
The celestial event is set to take place this evening but it might be a challenge to observe this rare sighting, due to our unpredictable weather and light pollution in the city.
As spooky as it sounds, the more accurate term for “blood moon” is a total lunar eclipse. The more glamorous term was coined because of how the moon appears to be reddish in color due to atmospheric conditions.
According to Science Centre Observatory, the eclipse will happen in stages. It starts with the Penumbral Eclipse at 4:02pm, the Partial Eclipse at 5:09pm, and the Full Eclipse at 6:16pm. However, they stated that the phases will not be visible as the moon will only rise at 6:46pm.
“The rising moon will appear dark by then and will only rise to an appreciable altitude (~30°) at 9pm,” they added.
The other challenge is finding a spot to view this phenomenon itself.
The observatory advised that enthusiasts should head somewhere with a clear view of the Eastern horizon – that’s opposite of where the Sun sets – from 7pm onwards.
In a post by local Facebook group Stargazing Singapore, it is said that the lunar eclipse is observable through the naked eye and no special equipment is necessary to view this event.
They also mapped out which stages of the eclipse are most visible.
The next two total lunar eclipses will only happen in 2025, the first on Sep. 8.
