The full moon will turn blood red on July 27 as the longest total lunar eclipse of the century takes place in the skies from Australia through Africa. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s innermost shadow. When this happens, the moon turns rusty orange or deep reed in color and is how it earned the nickname of a blood moon eclipse. The red moon will pair well with Mars, which reaches opposition just before the eclipse and will also appear orange or red in color.
Unlike a solar eclipse, no special equipment or glasses are needed to view a total lunar eclipse, although onlookers will require cloud-free weather. Friday’s lunar eclipse will be particularly special as it is the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century. The total phase of the eclipse will last for an impressive 1 hour and 43 minutes, while the entire eclipse, including the partial phases, will last for over 6 hours. READ MORE
