If you like astronomical phenomena, you can celebrate now. That’s because we’ll soon be able to enjoy a beautiful lunar eclipse in the skies over São Paulo! The event will take place at dawn on March 14, in the early hours of a Friday. So put it in your diary so you don’t miss it, eh?
This time the phenomenon will be even more special, as it will be a total lunar eclipse. In other words, the Earth will be positioned between the Sun and the Moon in such a way that the entire shadow of the terrestrial star will be projected onto the satellite.
What’s more, we’ll be able to appreciate the so-called “Blood Moon”, a unique spectacle that will paint the star red. All this with the naked eye! Find out all the details below.
Lunar eclipse will be visible in SP in March
The phenomenon will occur on the night of March 13-14, starting at 00:57. At this time, the Moon will begin to darken subtly, being taken over by penumbra. The total eclipse will begin at 03:26 and will remain visible in the sky until 4:21 am.
During the eclipse, the moon will take on a reddish color, giving it the name “Blood Moon”. The phenomenon occurs due to the alignment of the Earth with the Moon and the Sun, which causes all the light that reaches the Moon to first pass through the Earth’s atmosphere.
As a result of a process called “Rayleigh scattering”, blue light (which has a shorter wavelength) ends up scattering through the Earth’s atmosphere. Red and orange light, which have longer wavelengths, pass through and are projected onto the lunar surface.
How to observe the Blood Moon?
The lunar eclipse will be visible from all over Brazil, so feel free to enjoy it in SP. However, to see it clearly, you need to be in a cloudless place, with clear skies and little terrestrial illumination.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses can be observed with the naked eye, without damaging your vision. But if you have a telescope or binoculars, feel free to use them. After all, it will make the spectacle even more impressive!
