How to follow this Monday’s eclipse – 03/23/2024 – Science

Brazilians will be able to watch, in the early hours of this Monday (25), a penumbral lunar eclipse. The phenomenon will be visible throughout the country, with some regions, such as São Paulo, with a small slice of the Moon escaping the Earth’s penumbra.

To follow it, just look at the sky (and hope it’s clear). The other condition for viewing is being able to stay awake through the night — or waking up in the middle of the night to see the maximum point of the phenomenon.

The eclipse will begin in the early hours of Monday, at 1:53 am, Brasília time. The maximum point should occur at 4:12 am.

Dividing Brazil almost in half, the western part of the country will be able to witness the total phenomenon. The other half — with places like Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and the entire Northeast —, however, will not lose much, considering that only a sliver of the Moon will escape the Earth’s gloom.

The penumbral lunar eclipse is less showy compared to other eclipses. It occurs when the Moon is in its full phase, and the Sun, Earth and our planet’s natural satellite are almost aligned. As a result, the Moon is in a light shadow band, which still receives light from the Sun and, basically, no difference in the Moon’s brightness can be seen with the naked eye.

Later this year, Brazilians will be able to see a partial lunar eclipse between September 17th and 18th. A total lunar eclipse is scheduled for 2025 (March 14), when the Moon turns red.

Observing a total or partial lunar eclipse does not require special equipment. They can be safely seen with the naked eye.

Unlike the solar eclipse, which can be total, partial or annular (when the ring of fire appears), the lunar eclipse has seven stages:

• Beginning of the penumbral eclipse: the penumbral part of the Earth’s shadow begins to move over the Moon. This phase is not easily seen with the naked eye;
• Beginning of partial eclipse: Earth’s umbra begins to cover the Moon, making the eclipse more visible;
• Beginning of total eclipse: Earth’s umbra completely covers the Moon, which turns red, brown or yellow;
• Maximum eclipse: is the middle of the total eclipse;
• End of total eclipse: at this stage, the Earth’s umbra begins to move away from the Moon’s surface;
• End of partial eclipse: Earth’s umbra completely leaves the Moon’s surface;
• End of the penumbral eclipse: the eclipse ends, and the Earth’s shadow completely moves away from the Moon.