SYDNEY, – Night-sky gazers in Australia are, weather permitting, in for a visual treat this evening, with the longest partial eclipse of the Moon in almost 600 years.

The rare celestial sight will be caused by the Earth casting a shadow, which will shroud more than 97 percent of the full Moon’s face.

Lunar eclipses can usually be observed somewhere on Earth about twice a year. Normally the Moon’s orbit is either above or below the Earth’s shadow, but during an eclipse the full Moon travels through the shadow.

Professor Tim Bedding, from the Sydney Institute for Astronomy at the University of Sydney, said, by the time the Moon rises today, just after 7:30 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), it will already have started moving through that shadow.

“Over the next hour or so, it will move deeper into the shadow and reach maximum eclipse at 8:03 p.m., before gradually emerging from the shadow,” Bedding said..

He said, light from the Sun would reach the Moon by “bending through the Earth’s atmosphere” creating a reddish or pink hue on the Moon’s face.

“The eclipse will also be visible over the Pacific and Southeast Asia, including most of China, giving millions a nice chance to enjoy an unusual celestial event.”

Tanya Hill, the astronomy senior curator for Museums Victoria, said, Brisbane, in the state of Queensland, would have the best view of all the Australian capital cities, as the “moon will be fairly high by the time of the maximum eclipse.”

“The moon will be very low in the sky for much of the eclipse, meaning you’ll need an unobstructed view towards the east northeastern horizon, perhaps with the aid of an elevated viewing position,” Hill wrote in the website of Conversation.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK