Pagasa to skywatchers: Greatest eclipse to happen at 7:18 p.m. PST
A Super Flower Moon rises behind the Sydney Opera House on the night of a lunar eclipse, in Sydney, Australia, on May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
MANILA, Philippines — Skywatchers in the country anticipating the super blood moon event have been reminded that the greatest eclipse of the moon will occur by 7:18 p.m. on Wednesday.
State meteorologists from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday afternoon that the partial lunar eclipse has already started, at 5:44 p.m., Philippine Standard Time (PST). It added that the moonrise happened at 6:14 p.m. PST.
The greatest eclipse, or when the moon is fully shrouded in the shadow of the earth, will be at 7:18 p.m., PST.
Pagasa explained that the phenomenon, which is also called the super flower red moon, is rare as it coincided with a full moon during May, when the moon is closest to the earth — making the moon look bigger and brighter.
“Ngayong gabi ay makakatunghay po tayo ng isang pambihirang astronomical event, dahil magkakaroon tayo ng super flower red moon. Meron tayong full moon, kung saan pinakamalapit po ang posisyon ng buwan sa mundo, at ‘yan po ay ngayong Mayo kung saan namumukadkad ang mga bulaklak,” weather specialist Ariel Rojas said.
Article continues after this advertisement(Tonight, we can view a one-of-a-kind astronomical event because we would have a super flower red moon. This happens when we have a full moon, where the position of the moon would be at its closest, and this happens this May when the flowers start to bloom.
Article continues after this advertisement“At dahil magkakaroon din po tayo ng total lunar eclipse, magkakaroon tayo ng red moon,” he added.
(And because we have a total lunar eclipse, we will also have a red moon.)
Despite numerous myths surrounding blood moons and lunar eclipses, Pagasa clarified that the color of the moon is merely due to the fact that the earth’s atmosphere absorbs and scatters blue lights, and refracts red lights.
“Nagkakaroon ng lunar eclipse kapag ang mundo ay pumagitna sa pagitan ng araw at ng buwan, at ang anino ng mundo ay naka-cast o natatakpan itong buwan,” Rojas said.
“Nagiging pula ang buwan dahil alam natin na ang liwanag ng araw, ang visible light, ay binubuo ng pitong kulay. Ang blue wavelength, ang blue, violet, at indigo, ay usually naka-kalat ng asmospera ng mundo. Pero ang red wavelengths naman — ang yellow, orange, at red — ay usually nakakadaan sa ating atmosphere,” he added.
Earlier, astronomers and meteorologists across the globe have given tips on how people can view the “Super Flower Blood Moon” eclipse. Experts say that the astronomical feat would be visible in the Philippines.
READ: How to watch the upcoming ‘Super Flower Blood Moon’ eclipse
