Total lunar eclipse, super ‘blood moon’ visible in PH on May 26
CNN Philippines —- Filipino astrophiles will have a field day on Wednesday as two celestial events will coincide on that day.
The supermoon, which occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, will grace the Philippine skies, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
It will be brighter and larger than a normal full moon, thus the term supermoon.
The moon, meanwhile, will also have a reddish hue due to the total lunar eclipse. The tint will come from the sunlight filtering through the Earth’s atmosphere, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), so it can be referred to as a “blood moon.”
The total lunar eclipse is expected to start at 4:47 p.m. and end at 9:49 p.m., while the “greatest eclipse” happens at 7:18 p.m.
It will be the first total lunar eclipse since January 2019.
The stat weather bureau says lunar eclipses are safe to watch without any eye protective gear. Binoculars could improve the viewing and make the red coloration of the moon appear more vibrant, it said.
PAGASA will also be streaming the event on its Facebook and YouTube pages — live from its observatory in Quezon City.
