- The blood moon is formed during a total lunar eclipse
- The color is formed by a refraction of sunlight
- The next dates for a total lunar eclipse visible in Central Europe at a glance
Blood moon on May 26, 2021: Not visible in Germany
The next total Lunar eclipse will take place on May 26, 2021. This Wednesday, the Moon comes into full moon position at 1: 14 pm. The total lunar eclipse occurs between 11.45 am and 2.53 pm, when the Moon wanders through the core shadow of the Earth.
In Germany, the lunar eclipse will not be visible, because during the total lunar eclipse, the Moon in Central Europe is below the horizon. At least partially, the eclipse is visible in South/East Asia, Australia, much of North America, South America, the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and Antarctica.
In 2021, a partial lunar eclipse will only be visible in Germany on November 19. But this will be difficult to see. The next total lunar eclipse in this country can only be observed again on 31 December 2028 and in the night from 21 to 22 December 2029.
How is the blood moon formed?
In a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Moon and Earth are in a rare constellation, because the Earth is on a straight line between the Sun and the Moon.
This is only possible during a full moon phase and only if the Moon is in close proximity to the intersection of its own orbit around the Earth and the intersection of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. In contrast to a solar eclipse, in which the moon itself stands between the Sun and the Earth, only the core shadow of the Earth falls on the moon during the lunar eclipse. Our view of the moon is therefore not obscured (as in an eclipse), but only darkened due to the lack of sunlight.
Indicator Why does the moon glow blood red?
The reason for the special color of the moon is the interaction of sunlight and the Earth’s atmosphere. Sunlight consists of very different wavelengths. Depending on the wavelength, it is refracted differently by the atmosphere, creating the different colors.
In a total lunar eclipse, the sunlight in the atmosphere is now refracted in such a way that only the long-wave red light component arrives in the shadow cone of the Earth and thus makes the moon shine red. dpa
What types of a lunar eclipse are there?
Depending on how far the Moon is in the core shadow of the Earth, one speaks of a partial or total lunar eclipse.
– Total lunar eclipse
In a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is for some time in the core shadow of the Earth and is also popularly referred to as the “blood moon”.
– Partial lunar eclipse
In a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the Moon enters the core shadow of the Earth, the rest is in partial shadow. The edge of the Earth becomes visible through the shadow cast on the moon as an arc of a circle, as is also the case at the beginning and end of a total lunar eclipse.
When is the next blood moon to be seen?
On this website you could find the dates for the next lunar eclipse and more information.
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