Filipinos will witness a total lunar eclipse on September 8, PAGASA said.
According to PAGASA’s astronomical diary, the lunar eclipse will last for about 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 54 seconds.
They added that it will also be completely visible over East Africa, Asia, and Australia.
“The eclipse will begin at 11:27 p.m. on September 7, with the totality starting at 1:30 a.m. the following day. The greatest eclipse (maximum) or the peak stage will occur at 2:12 a.m. The Moon will remain in totality until 2:53 a.m. It will then enter a partial eclipse phase until 3:57 a.m. and will end at 4:57 a.m.,” PAGASA explained.
The weather bureau also said that, weather permitting, the public can view the total lunar eclipse during the aforementioned hours.
They noted that the total lunar eclipse coincides with the southwest monsoon (habagat), which is typically associated with rains and cloudy skies.
“During the maximum eclipse, the umbral shadow cast by the Earth will obscure 100% of the Moon’s disk. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as a ‘Blood Moon’ due to the reddish hue the Moon adopts. This coloration occurs as Earth’s atmosphere filters and scatters sunlight, allowing only the red wavelengths to reach and illuminate the lunar surface,” PAGASA said.
Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be viewed safely with the naked eye and does not require protective eyewear.
