Two weeks before Western New Yorkers are set to witness a total eclipse of the sun, folks will also be able to turn their eyes to the nighttime sky to see a lunar eclipse.
How does a total solar eclipse happen and what will the experience be like? Here’s what you need to know.
Early Monday morning, a penumbral lunar eclipse will result in the slight darkening of the moon’s brightness.
It won’t be as spectacular as a total solar eclipse. In fact, most people probably won’t even know an eclipse is happening, said Kevin Williams, director of Buffalo State University’s Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium and an associate professor of geosciences.
But for your best chance at catching a glimpse of the penumbral eclipse, here’s what you need to know.
What is a penumbral lunar eclipse?
Earth’s shadow has two parts. The darker shadow is called the umbra and the partial shadow is the penumbra.
During a penumbral eclipse, the moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, causing the brightness of the moon to dim slightly.
“It’s not going to be very noticeable because it’s not that much of a decrease in the brightness of the moon,” Williams said.
When is the lunar eclipse?
The eclipse will begin around 1 a.m. on March 25 and end at 5:30 a.m., according to NASA.
Leave a Reply