The Longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the 21st Century Today. Will Last for 3:54 Hours.

Friday, 27 July 2018 is going to be special not only for astronomers but also for common masses, why, because today we are going to witness the total and the longest lunar eclipse of the century we are in now, the 21st century. Yes, no such event has taken place in the last 104 years. The last time such long lunar eclipse occurred in the year 1904.

This time, the Moon will pass through the center of the Earth’s Shadow. This will be the first central lunar eclipse since June 15, 2011. The occurring of this eclipse, which is near apogee, makes it the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. The totality will be for 103 minutes. After January, this will be the second total lunar eclipse this year.

Interestingly, this eclipse will occur simultaneously with the perihelic opposition of Mars, a rare event that takes place only once in 25, 000 years.

Visibility

Today’s eclipse will be clearly visible over Eastern Africa, and Central Asia, seen rising over South America, and Europe, and settling over Eastern Asia, and Australia.

Background

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth's umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, Earth's shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the shadow begins to "cover" part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color (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.