This moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Flower Moon due to the fact that this was the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance.
Mitzi Adams and Alphonse Sterling, both astronomers at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are particularly thrilled to observe the lunar eclipse. Among the most recent such events they documented– in January 2018– was really low on the horizon, with buildings and trees partly obscuring the eclipse throughout totality.
The look of the Moon throughout the May 2022 total lunar eclipse. Consists of annotations of the contact times and various eclipse statistics. The overall lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022 (the night of May 15 in the Western Hemisphere) happens near perigee, making the Moon appear about 7% larger than average.
Of course, the global COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on eclipse watch parties in 2020-2021.
” Its interesting to return to holding huge society events personally, where its more secure to share a telescope eyepiece,” Adams said.
Unlike an overall solar eclipse– in which perfect watching is restricted to an approximately 100-mile-wide “course of totality” as the shadow of Earths Moon sweeps throughout the land relative to the position of the Sun– a lunar eclipse has no such limitations.
” The entire half of Earth in darkness throughout those hours will have the ability to see it,” Sterling said. “You do not have to work too tough to discover a great perspective. Just go outside!”
A telescopic visualization of the overall lunar eclipse, occurring May 15-16, 2022. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Ernie Wright
What can viewers anticipate to see? As Earths shadow deepens on the face of the Moon, it will darken to a ruddy, red color, with its intensity depending on atmospheric disturbance.
Its not a surprise observers coined the ominous-sounding phrase “blood moon,” but the impact is entirely natural. Throughout the eclipse, a lot of visible-spectrum light from the Sun is removed. Just the orange and red wavelengths reach the surface.
The blocking of the Moons shown light has another advantage, Adams said.
” No moon indicates more noticeable stars,” she said. “During totality, if the skies are clear, we might even have the ability to see the Milky Way itself, revealing up as a hazy white river of stars extending away in a curving arc.”
View the total lunar eclipse cope with NASA. This is particularly helpful if you are not in an area where you can go outdoors and observe it directly.
Sterling notes that the long period of the total eclipse uses amateur photographers lots of time to experiment with photographing the occasion. He recommends trying varying exposure times with conventional electronic cameras for maximum effect.
He and Adams both emphasize the value of putting the video camera aside, as well.
” Just see it happen,” Adams said. “Looking at the Moon, its hard not to think about the individuals who in fact walked there, and about those who quickly will do so again– when NASAs Artemis program launches the next human explorers to the Moon in coming years.”
Sterling stated the most important aspect of the occasion is the opportunity to trigger marvel in young minds. “We dont get a lot of groundbreaking astronomical info from lunar eclipses, however theyre a terrific method to influence discussion and engage the astronomers and explorers of tomorrow,” he said.
Learn how to view the overall lunar eclipse with NASA Science Live on Facebook. Learn more about NASAs observations of eclipses, and influence young stargazers with activities and info.
You can also discover more about lunar eclipses through the video below:
Its not often that we get a possibility to see our planets shadow, however a lunar eclipse offers us a short lived glance. During these unusual occasions, the moon rapidly darkens and then shines red as it enters the Earths shadow. A lunar eclipse can be seen only at night, its worth staying up to capture the program. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight
Pleased skywatching!
There may be multiple partial lunar eclipses each year, but total eclipses are a bit rarer. Best of all, unlike the safety measures one must take to securely observe a total solar eclipse, its completely safe to enjoy a lunar eclipse unfold with the unaided eye. The 97% eclipse clocked in at 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 24 seconds, making it the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years. The look of the Moon during the May 2022 total lunar eclipse. The overall lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022 (the night of May 15 in the Western Hemisphere) occurs near perigee, making the Moon appear about 7% bigger than average.
The appearance of the Moon throughout the May 2022 overall lunar eclipse. Credit: NASAs Scientific Visualization Studio
On the night of May 15, 2022, and into the early hours of May 16, skywatchers will be dealt with to a spectacular phenomenon that occurs every 1.5 years or so: an overall lunar eclipse.
Overall lunar eclipses take place when the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth and the planet casts a complete shadow, or umbra, over its sole natural satellite. There may be several partial lunar eclipses each year, however total eclipses are a bit rarer. Most importantly, unlike the preventative measures one must take to safely observe a total solar eclipse, its totally safe to enjoy a lunar eclipse unfold with the unaided eye. Even so, binoculars or a powerful telescope definitely can greatly improve the experience.
A nearly total eclipse of Novembers full “Beaver Moon” recorded over the city of New Orleans before dawn on Nov. 19, 2021. The 97% eclipse clocked in at 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 24 seconds, making it the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years. Credit: NASA/Michoud Assembly Facility
The partial eclipse phase will begin over North America at 9:28 p.m. Central Daylight Time (10:28 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 7:28 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time) on May 15. Totality will start at 10:29 p.m. CDT (11:29 p.m. EDT, 8:29 p.m. PDT), concluding about midnight. After totality, the partial phase will end about 2 1/2 hours later at 12:56 a.m. CDT on May 16.