Dramatic lunar eclipse in store — but chance of fog is sky-high
The longest partial lunar eclipse of the century will get under way late Thursday and will stick around until long after midnight Friday morning.
The near-total eclipse, in which the full moon will fit almost fully into the Earth’s shadow and create a dramatic visual effect, is expected to arrive at 11:18 p.m. PST and will last for 3 hours, 28 minutes and 23 seconds, making it the longest lunar eclipse of the century, according to statistics compiled by NASA. The longest total eclipse this century occurred on July 27, 2018, and lasted 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds.
It’s also the longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly six centuries, according to NASA’s data. The last time a longer partial lunar eclipse occurred was Feb. 18, 1440, at 3 hours, 28 minutes and 46 seconds — and the next one won’t be until Feb. 8, 2669, predicted to be 3 hours, 30 minutes and 2 seconds.
“The beauty of a near-total lunar eclipse is that it is more visually arresting than a total eclipse where the moon is completely blocked,” said Ryan Wyatt, senior director of Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
“With a partial eclipse, the shadow of the Earth on the moon will be a deep red color, and the sliver of the moon that is exposed to daylight will be white in comparison.”
Though the eclipse is amazingly long, Wyatt said the viewing will not become dramatic until 12:15 a.m. PST Friday when half the moon will be in shadow. The peak moment will be around 1 a.m., when 97% of the moon’s face will be covered in shadow.
Chabot Space & Science Center in the Oakland hills would normally host a viewing event on the observatory plaza, but the weather is not predicted to cooperate for any of the 3½hour duration.
“This is a much-longerthan-typical lunar eclipse, which gives people a longer period of time to capture that rusty red color,” said Gerald McKeegan, astronomer at Chabot. “Unfortunately the
“The beauty of a near-total lunar eclipse is that it is more visually arresting than a total eclipse where the moon is completely blocked.” Ryan Wyatt, senior director of Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences
weather is not going to cooperate.”
Due to the late hour of the eclipse, the planetarium will not be holding a public viewing.
“Luckily, this is not a phenomenon that requires complete darkness in order to enjoy,” Wyatt said. “If you can walk out your door, you can see it with the naked eye, or with binoculars or a camera with telephoto lens.”
According to timeanddate. com, an eclipse lasting this long is rare because the eclipse’s maximum point occurs as the moon nears its farthest point from Earth, known as its apogee. The greater the distance, the more time it takes the moon to pass through the Earth’s shadow.
The eclipse will be visible across much of the globe, including the Bay Area — but only if the weather cooperates with a clear sky. And, unfortunately, experts say that’s not likely.
“Right now it is not looking so good,” said Matt Mahle, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The long-range forecast is for a low pressure system to move across Northern California just in time for the eclipse.
“Clouds are forecast with a low-end chance of showers Thursday night,” Mahle said.
If you can’t watch the event in person, live coverage is offered by the Virtual Telescope Project and by timeanddate.com.