Blood Moon: 21st century's longest lunar eclipse starts

LAHORE - The century’s longest lunar eclipse is happening tonight and it will last until next morning.

According to the Climate Data Processing Centre of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the eclipse will be witnessed from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Antarctica.

The penumbral eclipse began on at 10:15 pm tonight, while its partial phase began at 11:24 pm and the total eclipse at 12:30 am on July 28. The greatest eclipse will be visible at 01:22PST on July 28. Later, its partial phase will begin at 03:19 am, and the penumbral eclipse will end at 4:29 am.

At 1:14 p.m. EDT, a #LunarEclipse started to become visible to much of Earth's population except North & Central America. Bad weather or not located in the right place to see it? No worries! Watch our live stream online starting at 2:15pm. Details: https://t.co/l8KKluvBso pic.twitter.com/giftUiPbsv

— NASA (@NASA) July 27, 2018

In Pakistan, all phases will be visible. Totality will last for 103 minutes, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century.

The details of the eclipse are:

• Penumbral Eclipse begins 10:15pm (July 27th, 2018)

• Partial Eclipse begins 11:24pm PST (July 27th, 2018)

• Total Eclipse begins 12:30am (July 28th, 2018)

• Greatest Eclipse 01:22am (July 28th, 2018)

• Total Eclipse ends 02:13am (July 28th, 2018)

• Partial Eclipse ends 03:19am (July 28th, 2018)

• Penumbral Eclipse ends 04:29am (July 28th, 2018)

Abdul Rashid, of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the eclipse would go through a number of phases.

He said: “The penumbral eclipse will begin on July 27 at 10.15pm with its partial phase will kick off at 11.24pm and the total eclipse will be visible at 12.30am on July 28.

“Meanwhile the greatest eclipse will be visible at 1.22am PST on July 28 which is going to be a historical moment.”

How is the blood moon caused?

A blood moon, otherwise known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, is a rare astronomical event.

Blood moons occur when the Earth sits between the moon and the sun, rather than the moon between the Earth and sun during a lunar eclipse.

The moon seems red as a result of a phenomenon named ‘rayleigh scattering’ which sees the sun’s rays refracted through the earth’s atmosphere, producing a red moon.

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