total lunar eclipse – Astronomy Now

See a total eclipse of the Moon

13 May 2022 Mark Armstrong

On the 15/16 May (Sunday into Monday) there’s a total eclipse of the Moon visible primarily in the Western Hemisphere, with UK observers catching just the start of totality as the Moon is very close to setting.

Rock that hit Moon during lunar eclipse likely impacted at 61,000 kph

30 April 2019 Astronomy Now

A detailed analysis of the flash produced when a meteoroid crashed into the surface of the Moon during January’s lunar eclipse shows the body likely gouged a crater up to 15 metres (49 feet) across.

A meteoroid crashes on eclipse-darkened moon

3 February 2019 Astronomy Now

Amateur and professional astronomers alike captured the flash generated by a small meteoroid crashing into the moon during the January lunar eclipse.

A viewing guide to the totally eclipsed supermoon of 21 January

17 January 2019 Ade Ashford

While you may not relish the prospect of waking up in the small hours most Monday mornings, observers in the British Isles and Western Europe will want to set their alarms no later than 5am GMT on 21 January to see this month’s showstopper celestial event — a total lunar eclipse of an unusually close ‘supermoon’. The total lunar eclipse is also visible in its entirety (weather permitting) from the Americas.

See the Moon join a midnight planetary parade from 21–28 July

19 July 2018 Ade Ashford

If clear skies persist, observers in the UK can view four naked-eye planets between now and the end of the month. Brightest planet Venus is visible low in the west some 45 minutes after sunset, while the waxing Moon is your celestial pointer to Jupiter, Saturn and Mars between 21 and 28 July at midnight.

View the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century on 27 July

12 July 2018 Ade Ashford

Friday, 27 July sees the second total lunar eclipse of 2018, which also happens to be the longest of the 21st century. Observers in Antarctica, Australasia, Russia, Asia, Africa, Scandanavia, Europe, Central and Eastern South America will see the event. The Moon rises at mid-eclipse as seen from the British Isles, some 6 degrees north of Mars at opposition.

See dwarf planet Ceres at opposition on 31 January

26 January 2018 Ade Ashford

While antipodean observers are enjoying views of the totally eclipsed Blue Moon in Cancer the Crab on the night of 31 January/1 February, Northern Hemisphere observers should look out for magnitude +6.9 1 Ceres at opposition in the northern fringes of the same constellation. The dwarf planet puts on a good show in the dark of the Moon during February.

See January’s totally eclipsed Blue Moon

14 January 2018 Ade Ashford

On 31 January we experience the second full Moon of the month, which by one definition makes it a Blue Moon. However, for observers in north-western North America, Oceania, East Asia or central and eastern Russia, this full Moon will have a decidedly reddish hue since it will be immersed in the Earth’s shadow during a total lunar eclipse.

See 2018’s largest supermoon on 2 January

31 December 2017 Ade Ashford

If skies are clear in Western Europe on the first evening of 2018, be sure to glance up at the almost full Moon in the constellation of Gemini. If it seems a bit larger than usual then you’d be right, for the lunar orb is at its closest for the year, making the full Moon of 2 January a supermoon.

Observers thrilled by supermoon total lunar eclipse

28 September 2015 Astronomy Now

Astronomers circling the North Atlantic and in South America were treated to a spectacular total eclipse of the Moon that occurred at prime time for US-based stargazers Sunday night, 27 September and in the early hours of this morning for observers in Western Europe.