Total lunar eclipse on Sunday offers a celestial show, but visibility varies globally - Lunar eclipse occurring on Sunday: Clear sight from some locations, not mainstream for all
The skies over Germany did not witness the initial phase of the lunar eclipse that occurred on Sunday. This celestial event, which began at 19:31, was only visible later in most parts of the country.
A lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon, and on average, three full moons per year pass through the Earth's umbra, potentially causing a total lunar eclipse. During this eclipse, the Earth, illuminated by the Sun, casts a shadow into space, and the Moon passes through this shadow.
Initially, the reddish-hued Moon may only be visible through binoculars or telescopes due to twilight. However, later in the evening, the Moon, which had risen in the farthest east of Germany, near Goerlitz, became visible to the naked eye.
The organization that assigned researchers to study the total lunar eclipse was the House of Astronomy (Haus der Astronomie) in Heidelberg. The deputy head, Carolin Liefke, played a prominent role in explaining the phenomenon and the observations.
As the Moon entered the Earth's umbra at 18:27, it began its journey through the shadow, gradually darkening and taking on a reddish hue. Unfortunately, for most of Germany, this initial phase was not visible.
The total lunar eclipse reached its peak at 20:21, with the Moon fully immersed in the Earth's shadow. After this, the Moon started to leave the umbra, provided there was a clear sky.
Despite missing the initial phase, many in Germany were still able to catch a glimpse of the reddish-hued Moon later in the evening. The next total lunar eclipse visible from the German-speaking region will be on New Year's Eve 2028, marking another exciting opportunity to witness this celestial event.
