By Brian Campued
Selenophiles are in for a treat this Sept. 7–8 as a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the Philippines—dyeing the moon in a stunning red display.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the moon will be totally eclipsed in Manila and other parts of the country for about 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 54 seconds.
In an informative video posted by PAGASA on Friday, Weather Specialist Jastine Addurru explained that lunar eclipses occur when the Earth is positioned exactly between the moon and the sun, with the red and orange wavelengths of the sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaching the moon’s surface.
The cosmic event will begin at 11:27 p.m. on Sept. 7 (penumbral phase), followed by the partial lunar eclipse phase on Sept. 8 at 12:26 or 12:27 a.m. Only about an hour later at 1:30 a.m. will the totality begin, with the maximum phase expected at 2:12 a.m.
During the maximum eclipse, PAGASA explained, the “umbral shadow cast by the Earth will obscure 100% of the moon’s disk”—called the “Blood Moon,” which refers to the reddish hue the moon adopts.
“This coloration occurs as Earth’s atmosphere filters and scatters sunlight, allowing only the red wavelengths to reach and illuminate the lunar surface,” PAGASA said.
According to the state weather bureau, observing a lunar eclipse is completely safe and does not require protective eyewear, unlike solar eclipses—but one may need a modest pair of binoculars to have an excellent view of the total lunar eclipse.
Shoot your wish upon a star
Still can’t get over the lunar treat? You might as well watch the sky beaming with bright streaks of light, weather permitting, during the peak of September Epsilon-Perseid meteor shower on Sept. 9.
Visible from Sept. 5 to 21, the meteor shower’s peak is expected to produce up to five meteors per hour visible under clear and moonless sky conditions and in dark observation sites, away from the city lights.
“Radiating from the constellation Perseus, the shower becomes visible each night from around 09:01 p.m., once the radiant rises above the eastern horizon, and lasts until dawn at approximately 5:20 a.m.,” PAGASA said.
While the most favorable time of viewing is at 4:00 a.m. during the shower’s peak, PAGASA added that the moon—just three days past full—will significantly interfere with the meteor watching.
Equal day and night
Expect longer nights ahead with the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere on Sept. 23, or the occurrence of equinoxes—specifically the Autumnal Equinox.
On the day of the September Equinox, the sun is directly over the equator, creating nearly equal hours of day and night.
“On this day, the sun rises precisely in the east and sets exactly in the west,” PAGASA said.
After the equinox, daytime will continue to decrease until the December solstice—which marks the shortest day and longest night of the year.
-jpv
