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The last lunar eclipse of the year will be visible in Sri Lanka

                                                                            "blood moon."

Amal Udawatta

The final lunar eclipse of 2025 is scheduled to take place on the night of September 7. This lunar eclipse is significant because over seventy-seven percent (77%) of the world's population will be able to see it. If you are in Asia, Australia, Africa, or Europe, you will have the opportunity to witness this eclipse. According to the provided map, the countries highlighted in red and black will experience a total lunar eclipse. Residents in these areas will be able to view every phase of the eclipse from beginning to end. Since Sri Lanka is located within this range, it will also have a clear view of the total lunar eclipse.

The Saros number for this total lunar eclipse is 128, and its total duration will be limited to 6 hours and 59 minutes, concluding at 9:59. The penumbral magnitude will be 2.286, while the umbral magnitude will be 1.183. In terms of location, the Right Ascension (RA) is 11.64, and the Declination (Dec) is 2.7.

Sri Lankans will have a rare opportunity to observe a lunar eclipse on September 7, coinciding with the full moon day of Nikini Poya. The eclipse will begin at 8:58:13 PM (20:58:13 hrs) and will last until 2:24:58 AM (02:24:58 hrs) the following day, September 8th. This means the event will be visible for approximately 6 hours and 27 minutes. The total phase of the lunar eclipse is expected to occur between 11:01 PM on the 7th and 12:22 AM on the 8th. In addition to Sri Lanka, the entire sequence of the eclipse will also be visible from neighboring regions, including India, China, Indonesia, and Western Australia.



A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow directly onto the Moon. This phenomenon only happens on a full moon day. The time it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth relative to the stars is known as a Sidereal Month, which is 27.32 days. In contrast, the time from one full moon to the next, which measures the Moon's orbit around the Earth relative to the Sun, is approximately 29.53 days. However, a lunar eclipse does not take place on every full moon. Now, let’s explore why this is the case. The plane of the Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted by 5 to 8 degrees. Because of this inclination, the plane of the Moon's orbit intersects with the plane of the Sun and the Earth at only two points, known as the Nodes in astronomy. Additionally, the plane of the Moon's orbit rotates around the Earth very slowly compared to the Earth itself. At certain times, these two nodes align with the Sun and the Earth. When this happens and the Moon passes behind the Earth, a lunar eclipse occurs. Conversely, when the Moon passes through the equinox between the Earth and the Sun, a solar eclipse takes place.



Why does the moon appear red during a total lunar eclipse?

When the moon is outside the penumbra, it is not visible. However, once it enters the penumbra, the moon assumes a reddish hue. This red color occurs because sunlight is refracted by Earth's atmosphere, and a portion of this refracted light reaches the moon's surface. In general, red light has a lower refractive index than blue light. As a result, some of the blue light gets scattered into space, while the red light, with its lower refractive index, is concentrated behind the moon. Consequently, the light that reaches the moon's surface is predominantly red. This phenomenon is why the moon appears red during a total lunar eclipse. If the sky is clear when a lunar eclipse takes place, the moon can appear brighter and more vividly red, which is why it is often referred to as a "blood moon."

Image and Diagram from the Internet

 


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