Photo credit: The Sun
People around the world will be able to witness a partial lunar eclipse on Tuesday or early Wednesday that coincides with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 launch. Unfortunately, the phenomenon is not visible in the U.S., but will be visible across Africa, much of Asia, the eastern part of South America and western Australia. The last total lunar eclipse happened in January and the next partial lunar eclipse won’t occur again until November 2021. The Saturn V rocket carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:32 a.m. on July 16, 1969. Read more for another video and additional information.
What exactly is a partial lunar eclipse? This occurs when the Earth, sun and moon are almost exactly in line and the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. The full moon moves into Earth’s shadow before dimming dramatically and usually remains visible, lit by sunlight that passes through Earth’s atmosphere. Don’t live in an area with a direct view of the partial lunar eclipse? The Royal Observatory Greenwich will be streaming a live feed of the event on Facebook Live right here.
