Blood moon phenomenon: Total lunar eclipse visible in parts of PH on March 3
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in Manila and other parts of the country for nearly an hour on March 3, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in an advisory.
It invited the public to watch the lunar eclipse which will start at 7:04 p.m., peak at 7:34 p.m. and last until 8:03 p.m.
A lunar eclipse happens during a full moon when the earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting the earth’s shadow upon the moon.
100-percent obscured
“During the maximum eclipse, the umbral shadow cast by the Earth will obscure 100 percent of the moon’s disk,” Pagasa said.
“This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as a blood moon, as it appears red during the eclipse due to the way Earth’s atmosphere filters and scatters sunlight,” it added.
Aside from parts of the Philippines, the lunar event will also be visible in Eastern Asia, Australia, the Central Pacific, and most of the Americas.
No special equipment is needed to observe the phenomenon, Pagasa said, adding that unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye.
“The total lunar eclipse is very easy to observe. A modest pair of binoculars will provide an excellent view of the moon’s surface, but not required,” it said.
