Lunar occurs. Lunar eclipses: interesting facts
What could be more unshakable from the point of view of common sense than the daily cycle of stars in the sky? The sun's disk, shining during the day, is replaced by the pale radiance of the moon, and this has been happening every day for many years.
But one day a dark shadow suddenly creeps into the clear moon and swallows it. Although the event lasts no longer than half an hour, after which the night luminary comes out of the darkness and shines again, as if nothing had happened, to those who know nothing of the lunar eclipses, it can make a depressing impression.
In fact, there is nothing sinister or mystical in the lunar eclipses, it is a common natural phenomenon that is easy to explain even to elementary school students.
How does a lunar eclipse occur?
As we know, the moon does not shine on its own. Its surface reflects the sun's rays, due to which this exquisite pale radiance arises, which poets love to sing. Rotating around the Earth, the Moon from time to time falls into the shadow cast by the Earth.
At these moments, a partial lunar eclipse occurs - the shadow of the Earth can cover part of the lunar disk for several minutes. If the moon completely enters the shadow of our planet, then we can observe a total lunar eclipse.
From the surface of the Earth, the eclipse looks like a round shadow, gradually creeping onto the moon and finally absorbing the lunar disk. At the same time, the Moon does not disappear completely, but acquires a dark crimson hue due to the refraction of sunlight. The shadow cast by the Earth is 2.5 times the area of \u200b\u200bour satellite, so the moon can be completely covered by it. After several minutes of complete dimming, the lunar disk gradually leaves the shadow.
What absolutely can not be done from July 25 to July 31 during a lunar eclipse
July 27 will be the longest lunar eclipse in this century. However, astrologers argue that from July 25 a critical period will begin, which will last until July 31.
Astrologers warn that July 25-28 will be a difficult period when the Moon will connect with the planet of misfortune Saturn, with the planet of tough situations - Pluto, as well as with Mars. It will be a disastrously difficult period.
Also, do not provoke others to aggression and lead yourself to other people's provocations.
July 27 lunar eclipse: what you need to know
July 27 will be the longest lunar eclipse of the XXI century. Some lucky ones will be able to watch it for one hour and 43 minutes.
A total eclipse can be seen in almost all parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Australia.
In the eastern part of South America, it will be visible only partially. Best eclipse will be observed from eastern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
The phase of the total lunar eclipse will come at 20:21 GMT (23:21 Moscow time, - ed.). One of the most impressive aspects of the eclipse will be the phenomenon of the “red moon”. During a partial eclipse, the moon will darken and become dark red. The reason for this phenomenon will be the refraction of sunlight in the atmosphere of the Earth.
The astrologer said the danger of a "bloody" lunar eclipse on July 27
A "bloody" lunar eclipse near Mars can provoke a tense situation and even war.
This was told by astrologer Vlad Ross.
“On July 27 at 23:21 there will be a“ bloody ”lunar eclipse when the Moon is near Mars. I fear no matter how hostilities break out. After all, Mars is the god of war, and here is the longest eclipse near it. Under such conditions, things can turn out very dramatically. In any case, these days revolutionary coups may occur in some countries and unexpected unfavorable situations may arise, especially for Russia, ”the expert noted.
The lunar eclipse of July 27 will have a special impact on the 4 signs of the zodiac
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius will undergo great changes - in work, in career. Many may have a dramatic change in type of activity. If someone has long wanted to change work - unloved to beloved, to devote himself to creativity or to show talents, you should make the most of this opportunity to make a turning point, change the time. Organize a break in the template, and then on the crest of this wave you can enter a new stage in life.
In Lviv, from this period, the development of relations can begin - fateful meetings are possible, acquaintance with a person who will become loved and with whom you can create a family. There may be engagements, weddings.
Aquarians should radically change their image. Get a haircut, curl, change hair color. For example, if you have never liked clothes of bright colors - wear bright clothes during these 2 weeks. And vice versa - if you dressed brightly, change this style.
Taurus should be careful in money, not give or borrow money. They should be careful with everything related to cars.
Eclipse - an astronomical situation in which one celestial body obscures light from another celestial body.
Most famous lunar and solar eclipses. There are also such phenomena as the passage of planets (Mercury and Venus) through the disk of the Sun.
Moon eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon enters a cone of shadow cast by the Earth. The diameter of the Earth’s shadow spot at a distance of 363,000 km (the minimum distance of the Moon from the Earth) is about 2.5 diameters of the Moon, so the Moon can be completely obscured.
Lunar eclipse pattern
At each moment of the eclipse, the degree of coverage of the moon’s disk with the earth’s shadow is expressed by the eclipse phase F. The phase value is determined by the distance 0 from the center of the moon to the center of the shadow. In astronomical calendars the values \u200b\u200bof Ф and 0 are given for different moments of the eclipse.
When the Moon during an eclipse completely enters the shadow of the Earth, they talk about total lunar eclipsewhen partially about private eclipse. The two necessary and sufficient conditions for the onset of a lunar eclipse are the full moon and the proximity of the Earth to lunar node.
As can be seen for the observer on Earth, on the imaginary celestial sphere, the Moon crosses the ecliptic twice a month in positions called nodes. The full moon can fall on this position, on the node, then you can observe a lunar eclipse. (Note: not up to scale)
Full eclipse
A lunar eclipse can be observed in half of the Earth (where, at the time of the eclipse, the moon is above the horizon). The view of the darkened Moon from any point of observation is negligibly little different from another point, and the same. The maximum theoretically possible duration of the full phase of a lunar eclipse is 108 minutes; such were, for example, lunar eclipses on July 26, 1953, July 16, 2000. In this case, the moon passes through the center of the earth’s shadow; total lunar eclipses of this type are called central, they differ from noncentral ones in the longer duration and lower brightness of the Moon during the full phase of the eclipse.
During an eclipse (even a complete one), the Moon does not disappear completely, but turns dark red. This fact is explained by the fact that the moon continues to be illuminated even in the phase of total eclipse. The sun's rays passing along a tangent to the earth's surface are scattered in the Earth’s atmosphere and, due to this scattering, partially reach the moon. Since the Earth's atmosphere is most transparent for the rays of the red-orange part of the spectrum, it is these rays that reach the lunar surface to a greater extent during the eclipse, which explains the color of the lunar disk. In fact, this is the same effect as the orange-red glow of the sky at the horizon (dawn) before sunrise or immediately after sunset. To estimate the brightness of an eclipse, it is used dungeon scale.
An observer on the Moon, at the time of a full (or partial, if it is on the shaded part of the Moon) lunar eclipse, sees a total solar eclipse (eclipse of the Sun by the Earth).
Dungeon scale used to estimate the degree of darkening of the moon during a total lunar eclipse. Proposed by astronomer Andre Dungeon as a result of the study of such a phenomenon as ash light of the moonwhen the moon is illuminated by light passing through the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere. The brightness of the moon during an eclipse also depends on how deep the moon entered the shadow of the earth.
Two total lunar eclipses. Corresponding to 2 (left) and 4 (right) on the Danzhon scale
Ashen Light of the Moon - a phenomenon when we see the moon as a whole, although only part of it is illuminated by the sun. At the same time, part of the surface of the moon that is not illuminated by direct sunlight has a characteristic ashen color.
Ashen Light of the Moon
It is observed shortly before and shortly after the new moon (at the beginning of the first quarter and at the end of the last quarter of the phases of the moon).
The luminescence of the lunar surface not illuminated by direct sunlight is formed by sunlight scattered by the Earth, and then secondarily reflected by the Moon to the Earth. Thus, the route of the photons of the moon’s earthshine is as follows: Sun → Earth → Moon → observer on Earth.
The path of photons when observing the ashy light: Sun → Earth → Moon → Earth
The reason for this phenomenon has been well known since Leonardo da Vinci and Mikhail Mestlin,
Estimated Self Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci
Michael Mestlin
teachers Kepler’s for the first time giving the correct explanation to the ashen light.
Johannes Kepler
A crescent moon with ashy light, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the Leicester Codex
For the first time instrumental comparisons of the brightness of ashy light and the crescent of the moon were made in 1850 by French astronomers Aragoand Lodge.
Dominic Francois Jean Arago
A bright sickle is a part directly illuminated by the Sun. The rest of the moon is illuminated by light reflected from the earth.
Photographic studies of the ashy light of the moon at Pulkovo Observatory G.A. Tikhov, led him to conclude that the Earth from the moon should look like a bluish disc, which was confirmed in 1969, when a man landed on the moon.
Gabriel Adrianovich Tikhov
He considered it important to conduct systematic observations of ashy light. Observations of the ashen light of the moon make it possible to judge the Earth's climate change. The intensity of the ash color to some extent depends on the amount of cloudiness on the currently lit side of the Earth; for the European part of Russia, bright ashen light, reflected from powerful cyclonic activity in the Atlantic, predicts precipitation in 7-10 days.
Private eclipse
If the moon falls into the full shadow of the Earth only partially, it is observed private eclipse. With him, part of the moon is dark, and part, even in the maximum phase, remains in partial shade and is illuminated by the sun's rays.
View of the moon during a lunar eclipse
Penumbra eclipse
Around the cone of the Earth’s shadow there is a penumbra - an area of \u200b\u200bspace in which the Earth only partially obscures the Sun. If the moon passes the penumbra region but does not enter the shadow, the penumbra eclipse. With it, the brightness of the moon decreases, but slightly: such a decrease is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and is recorded only by instruments. Only when the Moon in a penumbra eclipse passes near the cone of full shadow, with a clear sky, you can notice a slight darkening from one edge of the lunar disk.
Periodicity
Due to the mismatch of the planes of the lunar and terrestrial orbits, not every full moon is accompanied by a lunar eclipse, and not every lunar eclipse is complete. The maximum number of lunar eclipses per year is 3, but in some years not a single lunar eclipse occurs. Eclipses are repeated in the same order every 6585⅓ days (or 18 years 11 days and ~ 8 hours - a period called saros); knowing where and when a total lunar eclipse was observed, it is possible to accurately determine the time of subsequent and previous eclipses that are well visible in this area. This cyclical nature often helps to accurately date the events described in historical records.
Saros or dragon periodconsisting of 223 synodic months(an average of approximately 6585.3213 days or 18.03 tropical years), after which the eclipses of the Moon and the Sun are approximately repeated in the same order.
Synodic (from other Greek. σύνοδος “connection, rapprochement”) month- the time interval between two consecutive identical phases of the moon (for example, new moons). Duration is inconsistent; the average value is 29.53058812 average sunny days (29 days 12 hours 44 minutes 2.8 seconds), the actual duration of the synodic month differs from the average within 13 hours.
Anomalous month- the time interval between two successive passage of the moon through the perigee in its movement around the Earth. The duration at the beginning of 1900 was 27.554551 average sunny days (27 days 13 hours 18 minutes 33.16 seconds), decreasing by 0.095 seconds per 100 years.
This period is due to the fact that 223 synodic months of the Moon (18 calendar years and 10⅓ or 11⅓ days, depending on the number of leap years in this period) are almost equal to 242 dragon months (6585.36 days), that is, after 6585⅓ days, the Moon returns to the same syzygy and to the node of the orbit. To the same node, the second important star for the eclipse is returning - the Sun - since almost an integer number of dragon years (19, or 6585.78 days) pass - periods of the passage of the Sun through the same node of the moon's orbit. In addition, 239 abnormal monthsThe moons are equal to 6585.54 days, so the corresponding eclipses in each saros occur at the same distance from the moon and have the same duration. During one saros, an average of 41 solar eclipses occur (of which approximately 10 are total) and 29 lunar eclipses. For the first time, they learned to predict lunar eclipses with the help of saros in ancient Babylon. The best opportunity for predicting eclipses is provided by a period equal to triple saros - exeligmoscontaining the integer number of days that was used in the Antikythera mechanism.
Beroz saros calls the calendar period of 3600 years; smaller periods were called: neros at 600 years old and sossos at 60 years old.
Solar eclipse
The longest solar eclipse occurred on January 15, 2010 in Southeast Asia and lasted more than 11 minutes.
Solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon, which consists in the fact that the Moon covers (eclipses) the Sun completely or partially from an observer on Earth. A solar eclipse is possible only at the new moon, when the side of the moon facing the earth is not lit, and the moon itself is not visible. Eclipses are possible only if a new moon occurs near one of the two lunar nodes (the point of intersection of the visible orbits of the moon and the sun), no further than about 12 degrees from one of them.
The shadow of the moon on the earth's surface does not exceed 270 km in diameter, so a solar eclipse is observed only in a narrow strip in the shadow path. Since the Moon moves in an elliptical orbit, the distance between the Earth and the Moon at the time of the eclipse can be different, respectively, the diameter of the lunar shadow spot on the surface of the Earth can vary widely from maximum to zero (when the top of the cone of the lunar shadow does not reach the Earth's surface). If the observer is in a shadow strip, he sees total solar eclipse in which the moon completely hides the sun, the sky darkens, and planets and bright stars can appear on it. Around the sun disk hidden by the moon, you can observe solar crown which in the ordinary bright light of the sun is not visible.
The elongated shape of the corona during a total solar eclipse on August 1, 2008 (close to a minimum between the 23rd and 24th cycles of solar activity)
When observing an eclipse by a motionless ground observer, the full phase lasts no more than a few minutes. The minimum speed of movement of the lunar shadow on the earth's surface is just over 1 km / s. During a total solar eclipse, astronauts in orbit can observe a running shadow from the moon on the Earth’s surface.
Observers near the total eclipse band can see it as private solar eclipse. During a partial eclipse, the Moon passes through the disk of the Sun not exactly in the center, hiding only part of it. In this case, the sky darkens much weaker than with a total eclipse, the stars do not appear. A partial eclipse can be observed at a distance of about two thousand kilometers from the total eclipse zone.
The completeness of a solar eclipse is also expressed by phase Φ . The maximum phase of a private eclipse is usually expressed in hundredths of a unit, where 1 is the total phase of the eclipse. The total phase can be greater than unity, for example 1.01, if the diameter of the visible lunar disk is larger than the diameter of the visible solar disk. The partial phases have a value less than 1. At the edge of the lunar penumbra, the phase is 0.
The moment when the front / rear edge of the moon’s disk touches the edge of the sun is called touch. The first touch is the moment when the Moon enters the disk of the Sun (the beginning of the eclipse, its private phase). The last touch (the fourth in the case of a total eclipse) is the last moment of the eclipse when the Moon descends from the disk of the Sun. In the event of a total eclipse, the second touch is the moment when the front of the moon, having passed all over the sun, begins to come out of the disk. A total solar eclipse occurs between the second and third touches. After 600 million years, tidal inhibition will push the moon away from the Earth so much that a total solar eclipse becomes impossible.
Astronomical classification of solar eclipses
According to the astronomical classification, if an eclipse at least somewhere on the surface of the Earth can be observed as complete, it is called complete.
Solar eclipse diagram
If an eclipse can only be observed as a particular one (this happens when the cone of the moon’s shadow passes near the Earth’s surface, but does not touch it), the eclipse is classified as private. When the observer is in the shadow of the moon, he observes a total solar eclipse. When it is in the penumbral region, it can observe a partial solar eclipse. In addition to total and partial solar eclipses, there are annular eclipses.
Animated Ring Eclipse
Solar eclipse diagram
An annular eclipse occurs when, at the time of an eclipse, the Moon is located at a greater distance from the Earth than during a total eclipse, and the shadow cone passes over the earth's surface without reaching it. Visually, during an annular eclipse, the Moon passes through the disk of the Sun, but it turns out to be smaller than the Sun in diameter, and cannot hide it completely. In the maximum phase of the eclipse, the Sun is closed by the Moon, but around the moon a bright ring of the unclosed part of the solar disk is visible. The sky remains bright during an annular eclipse, stars do not appear, it is impossible to observe the corona of the Sun. The same eclipse can be seen in different parts of the eclipse band as full or ring-shaped. Such an eclipse is sometimes called a complete ring-shaped (or hybrid).
Shadow from the moon on Earth during an eclipse, photograph from the ISS. The photo shows Cyprus and Turkey
Eclipse Frequency
From 2 to 5 solar eclipses can occur on Earth per year, of which no more than two are full or ring-shaped. On average, over a hundred years, 237 solar eclipses occur, of which 160 are partial, 63 are total, 14 are ring-shaped. At a certain point on the earth's surface, eclipses in a large phase are quite rare, and even less often total solar eclipses are observed. So, on the territory of Moscow from the XI to the XVIII century, it was possible to observe 159 solar eclipses with a phase of more than 0.5, of which only 3 were total (11 August 1124, March 20, 1140 and June 7, 1415). Another complete solar eclipse occurred on August 19, 1887. An annular eclipse could be observed in Moscow on April 26, 1827. A very strong eclipse with a phase of 0.96 occurred on July 9, 1945. The next total solar eclipse is expected in Moscow only on October 16, 2126.
Mention of eclipses in historical documents
Solar eclipses are often referred to in ancient sources. An even greater number of dated descriptions are contained in Western European medieval chronicles and annals. For example, a solar eclipse is mentioned in the Annals of St. Maximin Trirsky: "538, February 16, from the first to the third hour there was a solar eclipse." A large number of descriptions of solar eclipses from ancient times are also found in chronicles of East Asia, primarily in the Dynasty stories of China, in Arabic chronicles and Russian chronicles.
Mentioning solar eclipses in historical sources usually gives the opportunity for independent verification or clarification of the chronological binding of the events described in them. If the eclipse is not described in detail in the source, without indicating the place of observation, calendar date, time and phase, such identification is often ambiguous. In such cases, when ignoring the source’s timing over the entire historical interval, it is often possible to select several possible “candidates” for the role of a historical eclipse, which some authors of pseudo-historical theories actively use.
Discoveries made by solar eclipses
Total solar eclipses make it possible to observe the corona and the immediate vicinity of the Sun, which is extremely difficult under normal conditions (although since 1996 astronomers have been able to constantly observe the surroundings of our star thanks to the work sOHO satellite (eng. SolarandHeliosphericObservatory - solar and heliospheric observatory).
SOHO - a spacecraft for observing the sun
French scientist Pierre Jansenduring a total solar eclipse in India on August 18, 1868, he first studied the solar chromosphere and received a spectrum of a new chemical element
Pierre Jules Cesar Jansen
(True, as it turned out later, this spectrum could be obtained without waiting for a solar eclipse, which was done two months later by the English astronomer Norman Lockyer). This element was named after the Sun - helium.
In 1882, on May 17, during a solar eclipse, observers from Egypt noticed a comet flying near the Sun. She got the name Eclipse cometsalthough she has another name - comet Tevfika (in honor of hediva Egypt of that time).
Comet Eclipse of 1882 (modern official designation: X / 1882 K1) Is a comet that was discovered by observers in Egypt during a solar eclipse of 1882.Her appearance was a complete surprise, and she was observed during the eclipse for the first and last time. She is a member of the family.kreutz Sungrazers, and by 4 months ahead of the appearance of another member of this family - the great September comet of 1882. Sometimes they call her comet Tevfika in honor of the khedive of Egypt of that time Tevfika.
Khedive(khediva, khedif) (pers. - lord, sovereign) - the title of vice-sultan of Egypt, which existed during the period of Egypt's dependence on Turkey (1867-1914). This title was worn by Ismail, Taufik and Abbas II.
Taufik pasha
The role of eclipses in the culture and science of mankind
Since ancient times, solar and lunar eclipses, as well as other rare astronomical phenomena, such as the appearance of comets, have been perceived as negative events. People were very afraid of eclipses, since they rarely occur and are unusual and frightening natural phenomena. In many cultures, eclipses were considered harbingers of misfortunes and disasters (especially lunar eclipses, apparently due to the red color of the shaded moon associated with blood). In mythology, eclipses were associated with the struggle of higher forces, one of which wants to disrupt the established order in the world (“extinguish” or “eat” the Sun, “kill” or “blood” the Moon), and the other to save it. Beliefs of some peoples demanded complete silence and inaction during eclipses, others, on the contrary, active witchcraft actions to help the "light forces". To some extent, this attitude towards eclipses remained until the new times, despite the fact that the mechanism of eclipses has long been studied and is well known.
Eclipses have given rich material to science. In antiquity, observations of eclipses helped to study celestial mechanics and to understand the structure of the solar system. Observation of the Earth’s shadow on the moon gave the first “cosmic” evidence of the sphericity of our planet. Aristotle for the first time pointed out that the shape of the earth’s shadow at lunar eclipses is always round, which proves the sphericity of the Earth. Solar eclipses made it possible to begin the study of the corona of the sun, which is impossible to observe in normal times. During solar eclipses, the phenomena of gravitational curvature of the path of light rays near a significant mass were first recorded, which was one of the first experimental evidence of the conclusions of the general theory of relativity. A large role in the study of the inner planets of the solar system was played by observations of their passage through the solar disk. So, Lomonosov, observing the passage of Venus in 1761 on the solar disk, for the first time (30 years before Schroeter and Herschel) discovered the Venusian atmosphere by detecting the refraction of sunlight when Venus enters and leaves the solar disk.
MSU solar eclipse
Saturn Eclipse of the Sun September 15, 2006. Photo of the interplanetary station Cassini from a distance of 2.2 million km
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon (in the full moon phase) enters the cone of the shadow cast by the Earth. The diameter of the Earth’s shadow spot at a distance of 363,000 km (the minimum distance of the Moon from the Earth) is about 2.5 diameters of the Moon, so the Moon can be completely obscured. A lunar eclipse can be observed in half of the Earth (where, at the time of the eclipse, the moon is above the horizon). The view of the shaded moon from any observation point is the same. The maximum theoretically possible duration of the full phase of a lunar eclipse is 108 minutes; such were, for example, lunar eclipses on August 13, 1859, July 16, 2000.
At each moment of the eclipse, the degree of coverage of the moon’s disk with the earth’s shadow is expressed by the eclipse phase F. The phase value is determined by the distance 0 from the center of the moon to the center of the shadow. In astronomical calendars the values \u200b\u200bof Ф and 0 are given for different moments of the eclipse.
If the moon falls into the full shadow of the Earth only partially, it is observed private eclipse. With him, part of the moon is dark, and part, even in the maximum phase, remains in partial shade and is illuminated by the sun's rays.
Around the cone of the Earth’s shadow there is a penumbra - an area of \u200b\u200bspace in which the Earth only partially obscures the Sun. If the moon passes the penumbra region but does not enter the shadow, the penumbra eclipse. With it, the brightness of the moon decreases, but slightly: such a decrease is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and is recorded only by instruments. Only when the Moon in a penumbra eclipse passes near the cone of full shadow, with a clear sky, you can notice a slight darkening from one edge of the lunar disk.
An eclipsed moon flickers in the sky above the monument to the Savior of the world in San Salvador, Salvador, December 21, 2010.
(Jose CABEZAS / AFP / Getty Images)
When a total eclipse occurs, the moon acquires a reddish or brownish tint. The color of the eclipse depends on the state of the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere, since only the light transmitted through it illuminates the moon during a total eclipse. If you compare the images of total lunar eclipses of different years, it is easy to see the difference in color. For example, the eclipse of July 6, 1982 was reddish, and the eclipse of January 20, 2000 had a brown tint. The Moon acquires such colors during eclipses due to the fact that the Earth's atmosphere scatters the red rays more, so you can never observe, say, a blue or green lunar eclipse. But total eclipses differ not only in color, but also in brightness. Yes, namely, brightness, and there is a special scale for determining the brightness of a total eclipse, called the Danjouon scale (in honor of the French astronomer Andre Danjon, 1890–1967).
The Dungeon scale graduation has 5 points. 0 - the eclipse is very dark (the moon is barely visible in the sky), 1 - the eclipse is dark gray (details are visible on the moon), 2 - the eclipse is gray with a brown tint, 3 - the light red-brown eclipse, 4 - the very light copper-red eclipse (The moon is clearly visible, and all the basic details of the surface are distinguishable).
If the plane of the lunar orbit lay in the plane of the ecliptic, then lunar (as well as solar) eclipses would occur monthly. But most of the time the Moon spends either above or below the plane of the Earth’s orbit due to the fact that the plane of the lunar orbit has a five-degree slope to the plane of the Earth’s orbit. As a result, the Earth’s natural satellite falls into its shadow only twice a year, that is, at a time when the nodes of the lunar orbit (the points of its intersection with the ecliptic plane) are on the Sun-Earth line. Then a solar eclipse occurs on a new moon, and a lunar eclipse on a full moon.
At least two lunar eclipses occur each year, however, due to the mismatch of the planes of the lunar and terrestrial orbits, their phases are different. Eclipses are repeated in the same order every 6585⅓ days (or 18 years 11 days and ~ 8 hours - a period called saros); knowing where and when a total lunar eclipse was observed, it is possible to accurately determine the time of subsequent and previous eclipses that are well visible in this area. This cyclical nature often helps to accurately date the events described in historical records. The history of lunar eclipses goes far into the past. The first total lunar eclipse was recorded in ancient Chinese annals. Using calculations, it was possible to calculate that it happened on January 29, 1136 BC. e. Three more total lunar eclipses were recorded in the Almagest by Claudius Ptolemy (March 19, 721 BC, March 8, and September 1, 720 BC). Lunar eclipses are often described in history, which helps to establish the exact date of a particular historical event. For example, the commander of the Athenian army Nikiy was frightened of the full lunar eclipse that had begun, a panic began in the army, which led to the death of the Athenians. Thanks to astronomical calculations, it was possible to establish that this happened on August 27, 413 BC. e.
In the Middle Ages, a total lunar eclipse did Christopher Columbus a great service. His next expedition to the island of Jamaica was in a difficult situation, food and drinking water were running out, and people were threatened with starvation. Attempts by Columbus to get food from local Indians ended in vain. But Columbus knew that a total lunar eclipse should occur on March 1, 1504, and in the evening he warned the leaders of the tribes living on the island that he would steal the Moon from them if they did not deliver food and water to the ship. The Indians only laughed and left. But, as soon as the eclipse began, the Indians were seized by indescribable horror. Food and water were immediately delivered, and the leaders on their knees begged Columbus to return the Moon to them. Columbus, naturally, could not “refuse” this request, and soon the Moon, to the delight of the Indians, again shone in the sky. As you can see, the usual astronomical phenomenon can be very useful, and knowledge of astronomy is simply necessary for travelers.
Observations of lunar eclipses can bring some scientific benefit, since they provide material for studying the structure of the earth’s shadow and the state of the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. Amateur observations of private lunar eclipses come down to accurate recording of contact moments, photographing, sketching and describing changes in the brightness of the moon and lunar objects in the eclipsed part of the moon. The moments of contact of the lunar disk with the earth's shadow and the descent from it are recorded (with the greatest possible accuracy) according to the clock, verified by the signals of the exact time. It is necessary to note the contacts of the earth’s shadow with large objects on the moon. Observations can be made with the naked eye, through binoculars or a telescope. The accuracy of observations naturally increases when observed through a telescope. To register eclipse contacts, it is necessary to set the maximum magnification for it on the telescope and direct it to the corresponding points of contact of the moon’s disk with the earth’s shadow a few minutes before the predicted moment. All entries are recorded in a notebook (eclipse observation log).
If an astronomy enthusiast has a photo exposure meter (an instrument that measures the brightness of an object), then it can be used to construct a graph of the brightness of the lunar disk during an eclipse. To do this, you need to set the exposure meter so that its sensitive element is aimed exactly at the moon’s disk. Instrument readings are taken every 2-5 minutes, and are recorded in the table in three columns: number of measurement of brightness, time and brightness of the moon. At the end of the eclipse, using the data in the table, it will be possible to display a graph of the brightness of the moon during this astronomical phenomenon. As a light meter, you can use any camera that has an automatic exposure system with an exposure scale.
Photographing the phenomenon can be done with any camera that has a removable lens. When shooting an eclipse, the lens is removed from the camera, and the body of the device is fitted to the ocular part of the telescope using an adapter. This will be an eyepiece zoom. If the lens of your camera is not removable, then you can simply attach the device to the eyepiece of the telescope, but the quality of such a picture will be worse. If your camera or camcorder has the Zoom function, the need for additional magnifying means, as a rule, disappears, because the size of the moon at maximum magnification of such a camera is sufficient for filming.
However, the best image quality is obtained when photographing the moon in the direct focus of the telescope. In such an optical system, the telescope lens automatically becomes the camera lens, only with a large focal length.
On Friday, July 27, a unique event will take place - the longest lunar eclipse of the century, which can be observed in almost all corners of the globe. Earth will completely eclipse the Moon by one hour and 43 minutes, Day.Az reports with reference to Today.
At this time, people will be able to observe the "bloody moon" - the Earth’s satellite will turn red.
What is a lunar eclipse and a "bloody moon"
The "bloody" moon is called during an eclipse. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on its satellite. Unlike a solar eclipse, when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight, the moon does not “darken” during the eclipse, but instead turns blood red.
This effect is due to the fact that the sun's rays, passing through the Earth’s atmosphere, reach the moon. As blue and violet waves scatter more than red and orange waves, more red waves reach the moon, making it bloody.
How often does a lunar eclipse occur?
Lunar eclipses are less common than solar eclipses - no more than three per year, which can be observed in any particular place, although in some years they may not exist at all. However, every lunar eclipse can be observed from more than half of the globe.
The excitement surrounding the July 27 eclipse arose because it would last a long time. The moon will be in the shadow of the Earth for four hours and will be completely eclipsed by one hour and 43 minutes. This almost does not reach the theoretical limit of the lunar eclipse (one hour and 47 minutes). The eclipse will last so long on Friday night, because the moon will pass through the center of the earth’s shadow.
Where and when can a lunar eclipse be seen?
The eclipse will be best seen in the Middle East, eastern Africa, India and western China. Also, the eclipse can be seen while in the rest of Africa, in Europe, other parts of Asia, Australia, eastern South America.
In Ukraine, the phase of the total lunar eclipse will come on July 27 at 23:21 (20:21 GMT).
In India, a total eclipse will begin at 1am on July 28th, and will end at 2:43 a.m.
In Australia, the moon will begin to redden at 4:30 in the morning on Saturday morning, a total eclipse will occur between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning.
In the UK, a partial eclipse will begin at 20:30, a total eclipse will occur between 21:20 to 22:13.
In East Africa, a partial eclipse will begin at 21:30, the "bloody moon" can be seen between 22:30 pm and 00:13. This region will have the best view of the eclipse.
What is the best way to look at the "bloody moon"
It is best to get out of town, away from light and lights. In the city, the contrast between the moon and the sky will not be so bright. Unlike a solar eclipse, looking at the "bloody moon" is absolutely safe. No telescope is needed for observation, but stocking up with binoculars will not be amiss.
I was asked the question: how often do eclipses occur, how often do solar and lunar eclipses occur?
Indeed, in different years we observe a different number of eclipses. Moreover, all of them are also different depending on how much the disks of the planets overlap each other with a shadow. For example, a ring-shaped solar eclipse occurs at a time when it is farthest from our planet, and does not completely overlap with the moon.
And last fall, we observed a hybrid solar eclipse, a rather rare phenomenon when the phases of the same eclipse are visible to us from different points of the Earth as a total eclipse and a ring-shaped eclipse. An interesting fact here is that it is gradually moving away from the Earth by 3.78 centimeters per year, and the time will come when the earthlings will no longer see a complete eclipse, but will only observe a ring-shaped one. But this, however, will not be at all soon.
Let us return to the question of the frequency of eclipses.
It is known that their number in the year is not the same. Solar eclipses occur on a new moon, if it is no further than 12 degrees from the points of intersection of the moon with the ecliptic, there can be from 2 to 5 solar eclipses in a year.
If we take the calculation of eclipses for a hundred years, then out of 237 solar eclipses there are the most private ones: namely 160. In the remaining 77: total - 63 and ring-shaped - 14.
A lunar eclipse happens on a full moon - when the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, there are no less than two lunar eclipses in a year.
“Harvest” for eclipses in the near future was the year 2011, when 4 solar and 2 lunar eclipses occurred, and ahead of 2029, when there will be 4 solar and 3 lunar eclipses. 5 solar eclipses (and 2 lunar eclipses) were in 1935. That is, the maximum number of eclipses in a year is 7.
Solar eclipses in a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe Earth are a very rare occurrence, and if you manage to see one or two eclipses in your life, consider that you are very lucky.
However, eclipses are far from being limited only by a spectacular function, as many of us tend to perceive them. Their main and crucial role is the need to change a person’s consciousness, on whatever edge of the Earth during an eclipse he is. Literally each of us undergoes a process of changing consciousness, and it lasts from several days to several years.
As astrology shows, the degree of influence of an eclipse can depend on how much resonance is manifested with the natal chart of a person over the period of the eclipse. The characteristic of the eclipse originates from the particular series of saros to which it belongs, and the resonant horoscope shows the area of \u200b\u200blife that is primarily affected by the eclipse.
I add that eclipses play a deep karmic role, forcing a person to react to their external environment during a solar eclipse and to internal qualities during a lunar eclipse.
You have learned how often eclipses are, although not everyone knows astrological pointers to these events. In addition, almost every one of us can approach the solution of any problematic issue in our life, while showing our best qualities. The only difference is that eclipses provide tremendous energy for our development, forcing us to immediately respond to what is happening.
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