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PARIS: A captivating “Blood Moon” will illuminate numerous regions around the world with a crimson hue on Thursday night during a rare total lunar eclipse.
Observers in the Americas, as well as parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, will have the opportunity to marvel at this stunning celestial event, alongside viewers in parts of Western Europe and Africa.
This marks the first total lunar eclipse since 2022, with another one anticipated in September.
The event occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, allowing Earth’s vast shadow to envelop the Moon.
As Earth’s shadow slowly covers the Moon, it doesn’t completely erase its luminous glow. Instead, the Moon adopts a reddish tint as sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere and reflects off its surface.
The lunar eclipse will span approximately six hours, with the complete obscuration phase—known as totality—lasting just over an hour.
In North America, the lunar visual phenomenon will begin at 1:09 AM Eastern Time (5:09 AM GMT), with totality occurring between 2:26 AM and 3:31 AM, as reported by NASA.
In France, the totality phase is expected from 7:26 AM to 8:31 AM local time (6:26 AM to 7:31 AM GMT), according to the French Institute of Celestial Mechanics and Ephemeris Calculation.
However, only the most western regions of Europe will have a chance to witness the totality before the Moon sets.
Of course, seeing the Moon clearly will depend on the weather and visibility of the skies.
Two weeks later, a portion of the globe will witness a partial solar eclipse, where the Moon obscures some of the Sun’s rays reaching Earth.
This partial eclipse will be visible on March 29 in eastern Canada, various parts of Europe, northern Russia, and northwest Africa.
It’s important to note that viewing even a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection can be harmful—enthusiastic stargazers should utilize special eclipse glasses or pinhole projectors to ensure their safety.
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