Voice of America
14 May 2022, 01:07 GMT+10
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - A total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies this weekend, providing longer than usual thrills for stargazers across North and South America.
The celestial action unfolds Sunday night into early Monday morning, with the moon bathed in the reflected red and orange hues of Earth's sunsets and sunrises for about one-and-a-half hours, one of the longest totalities of the decade. It will be the first so-called blood moon in a year.
Observers in the eastern half of North America and all of Central and South America will have prime seats for the whole show, weather permitting. Partial stages of the eclipse will be visible across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Left out: Alaska, Asia and Australia.
'This is really an eclipse for the Americas,' said NASA's Noah Petro, a planetary geologist who specializes in the moon. 'It's going to be a treat.'
All you need, he noted, are 'patience and eyeballs.'
A total eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun and casts a shadow on our constant, cosmic companion. The moon will be 362,000 kilometers (225,000 miles) away at the peak of the eclipse - around midnight on the U.S. East Coast.
'This is this gradual, slow, wonderful event that as long as it's clear where you are, you get to see it,' Petro said.
If not, NASA will provide a livestream of the eclipse from various locations; so will the Slooh network of observatories.
There'll be another lengthy total lunar eclipse in November, with Africa and Europe lucking out again, but not the Americas. Then the next one isn't until 2025.
Launched last fall, NASA's asteroid-seeking Lucy spacecraft will photograph this weekend's event from 103 million kilometers (64 million miles) away, as ground controllers continue their effort to fix a loose solar panel.
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, a geologist, plans to set her alarm clock early aboard the International Space Station.
'Hopefully, we can be up in time and be at the right place at the right time to catch a good glimpse,' she told The Associated Press earlier this week.
Get a daily dose of Sierra Leone Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Sierra Leone Times.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: The United States plans to press India for sweeping changes to its e-commerce policies as part of negotiations aimed...
BEIJING, China: China's automobile exports rose sharply in the first quarter of 2024, with 1.54 million vehicles shipped abroad, marking...
BEIJING, China: At Home Plate BBQ in Beijing, the iconic Texan brisket is about to get a new passport. The restaurant, known for its...
NEW YORK, New York - Stocks were largely higher on Friday with all the indices notching up daily and weekly gains. Steadying the markets...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Stores that sell secondhand clothes, shoes, and accessories might actually benefit from President Trump's...
CHICAGO, Illinois: Motorola Solutions rolled out a new multi-functional device aimed at streamlining emergency response for law enforcement...
(250427) -- XIAMEN, April 27, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Faith Kipyegon (L) of Kenya reacts after the women's 1000m event at the 2025 Wanda Diamond...
(250426) -- XIAMEN, April 26, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Bayapo Ndori (R) of Botswana competes during the men's 400m event at the 2025 Wanda...
(250426) -- XIAMEN, April 26, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Akani Simbine (front) of South Africa reacts after the men's 100m event at the 2025...
(250426) -- XIAMEN, April 26, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Samuel Firewu (1st L) of Ethiopia competes during men's 3000m steeplechase final at...
(250426) -- XIAMEN, April 26, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Beatrice Chebet of Kenya competes during women's 5000m event at the 2025 Wanda Diamond...
This photo taken on Feb. 29, 2024 shows an exterior view of the United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Shi Song)...