Technology
Lunar eclipse 2021: Why isn’t the Super Blood Moon visible in the UK tonight?
THE first total lunar eclipse in two years coincided with a supermoon for quite a cosmic show.
The Super Blood Moon, as it is called, was visible on May 26 – but not for everyone.
People watch the Super Blood Moon rises over the Pacific Ocean at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on May 26, 2021[/caption]
Why isn’t the Super Blood Moon visible in the UK?
The Super Blood Moon was seen from the Pacific Ocean, all of Australia and New Zealand, the western side of North America, and parts of East Asia and South America.
“Hawaii has the best seat in the house and then short of that will be California and the Pacific Northwest,” said NASA’s Noah Petro.
The Super Blood Moon won’t be visible from the UK in part due to some cloudy weather.
The rare cosmic event occurs when a full lunar eclipse coincides with a Supermoon – which is when the moon is particularly close to Earth and appears brighter than normal.
A yacht sails past as the moon rises in Sydney on May 26, 2021[/caption]
For about 15 minutes, as the moon moves fully into Earth’s shadow, the moon appeared to turn red – earning the name “Blood Moon.”
Different than other years, however, the moon will enter perigee, or the closest it is to the earth, Space.com reports.
This means that while the moon is in perigee, it will appear slightly larger than the full moon, giving the impression of a “supermoon” in orbit.
The Super Blood Moon sets behind the Statue of Liberty before sunrise on May 26, 2021 in New York City[/caption]
How can I watch the Super Blood Moon online?
Fans were able to watch the Super Blood Moon over a live-stream.
“Watch a recording of timeandate.com’s live stream covering the total lunar eclipse on May 26, 2021, which was visible from the Pacific Ocean, all of Australia and New Zealand, the western side of North America, and parts of East Asia and South America,” reads the description on YouTube.
The Moon was at its fullest at 7:14 am EDT on May 26.
The Super Blood Moon rises over the Anitkabir and the Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, Turkey, on the evening of May 26, 2021[/caption]
It’s going to be the closest Supermoon of the year so you’ll be able to spot it looking large on the evenings of May 25 and 26.
A total lunar eclipse doesn’t mean the Moon disappears completely but it does mean the Moon turns a slightly reddish-orange color.
The phenomenom is also nicknamed the Flower Moon as that’s the traditional name for May’s Full Moon due to it’s appearance around spring.
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The Sydney Observatory hosted a Covid-safe viewing event with telescopes and expert speakers as “interest has been high.”
Bad weather could mean that some are unable to view the Super Moon.
The next total lunar eclipse will be in May of 2022. The last one was January 2019.
