Clear skies expected for rare blood moon sighting
Stargazers
are preparing for what could be the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st
century this evening.
Logan Govender is with the Southern African Astronomical Society's Durban Centre.
He says tonight's blood moon will be visible for at least two hours.
An event like this could only occur again in 10 years.
“What actually happens is that the Earth gets between the sun and the moon, so it blocks out the light that is coming from the sun that would normally render the sun a white or a yellow light,” said Govender.
“When the Earth passes between the sun and the moon it casts two shadows. The atmosphere of the Earth filters out all of the blue light and the remaining red light makes the moon look red.”
Clear skies are expected across the province this evening.