The last total lunar eclipse until 2025 will turn the moon blood-red on Tuesday, November 8, giving skygazers a special treat for nearly 90 minutes.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America before dawn on Tuesday, giving those further west the best view. In Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific, it will be visible after sunset.
Dubbed the Beaver Blood Moon lunar eclipse, since it occurs during November’s Full Beaver Moon, the eclipse’s totality will last nearly 90 minutes – from 5.16am to 6.41am ET – as Earth passes directly between the moon and sun.
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“The moon will turn a coppery-red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view,” NASA wrote, Space.com reported.
“If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds.”
Tuesday’s will be the second total lunar eclipse this year, after one in May. Photograph: Ted S Warren/AP
Eclipse in Islam
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes within Earth’s umbra (shadow). The shadow turns the moon’s color to dark red-brown (typically – the color can vary based on atmospheric conditions).
The moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by Earth’s atmosphere into its umbra.
Before Islam, people used to associate this unusual phenomenon with some superstitious reasons. It happened that the sun eclipsed on the day Ibrahim, son of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) in Madinah, so some people attributed that to his death.
Hence, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took the opportunity to correct the people’s mistaken belief about the solar eclipse saying,
“The sun and the moon are two signs of Allah; they are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of anyone’s birth. So when you see them, glorify and supplicate Allah, observe the Prayer, give alms.”