If all goes well, you can see how the moon’s color from 5.29 to 5.47 turns red when it ends up in the Earth’s shadow. A total lunar eclipse marks the moment when the Earth slips between the sun and the moon, so that our planet blocks the sunlight that normally falls on our cosmic companion.
By the way, the first stages of a lunar eclipse begin much earlier, when the shadow takes the first bite from the moon. That bite is getting bigger and bigger, until 5:29 the full moon is diving into the shadows.
The actual period the Moon then resides in that Earth’s shadow is much longer than the (large) quarter of an hour we can see. The so-called “college” lasts until 6.55. Unfortunately, the moon over our country begins earlier, so that only a shorter viewing time remains below the line.
No need for glasses
The fact that the moon is still visible during an eclipse is that light continues to reach its surface. However, this light makes its way to the surface of the Moon through the Earth’s atmosphere. And light that travels a long way through that atmosphere turns red. You see the same effect with sunset. So it is the Earth that paints the moon red, not the moon itself which changes color.
Whoever wants to watch the eclipse does not need goggles or special equipment. Your eyes – or binoculars for those who want to see more detail – are enough. If you miss this opportunity, you will have to wait a few years until the next total lunar eclipse. Another image can be seen on September 7, 2025, although the moon is not entirely on its way through the Earth’s shadow. The next complete eclipse, which can be seen from start to finish over the Netherlands, will not be until December 20, 2029.
