Skywatchers are in for a treat this weekend as May's full Flower Moon will end up getting eclipsed for a couple of hours.
What Is the Full Flower Moon?
According to Live Science, this lunar sight got its name after the flowers that bloom across the Northern Hemisphere during this time. It is estimated to appear full and bright across the entire world from May 5 to 7.
Space reports that the full Flower Moon will occur by 1:34 p.m. EDT on May 5.
While the full Flower Moon tends to happen yearly, this year's lunar sight would be remarkably special because it will be accompanied by a lunar eclipse.
Where Can You See the Full Flower Moon Eclipse?
Though the fullness and brightness of the full Flower Moon can be appreciated across the world, this is not the case for the penumbral lunar eclipse. Only people from certain regions will get to catch sight of it.
Forbes notes that Australia, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, and some areas in the Pacific may be able to watch the Moon getting eclipsed by the Earth. This is also known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, wherein the full Flower Moon will be drifting towards the outer shadow, or penumbra, of the Earth for a couple of hours.
These types of eclipses take place when certain alignment conditions are met. More specifically, a penumbral eclipse happens when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are nearly aligned to each other.
Forbes adds that this penumbral eclipse resulted from the recent total solar eclipse, as it is still the "eclipse season."
How To Watch This Full Flower Moon Getting Eclipsed
In most cases, a full Moon high up in the sky is too strong to gaze at for more than a couple of seconds. However, during the penumbral eclipse, the Moon will be easy to glimpse without glare.
Timeanddate.com reports that when the eclipse starts and the Moon goes in and leaves the penumbra, it may not be possible to see anything. This is due to how faint the shadow is.
However, close to the eclipse's maximum point, the part of the Moon that is nearest to the umbra shadow will look quite darker.
The Moon's highness over the horizon by the start of the eclipse would depend on where one sees it from. Space recommends that in order to properly observe the penumbral eclipse's full effects, one should be far east enough for the moon to not leave the shadow during moonrise.
The exact time would vary. In Rome, the moon rises by 8:13 p.m. local time, while in Paris, the moon rises by 9:16 p.m. local time. For the Romans, at such a time, the Moon would still be quite covered by the shadow and the eclipse would stop by roughly 9:31 p.m.
For those who are situated in areas where the full Flower Moon's penumbral eclipse will be visible, they can simply look up at the sky, especially during peak times, to catch a glimpse of this rare lunar sight.
Nevertheless, for those who do not get to witness the eclipse, there is still the full Moon.
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