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We can’t blame you if you slept through the last partial lunar eclipse.
The sun set at 4:35 p.m. ET on Thursday and the full moon, a bright moon, rose above New York City, transforming into mostly clear skies and a warm night. But a storm and falling temperatures may have deterred many viewers from rising at 04:03, when the eclipse reached its peak.
However, in other parts of the world where the skies remain clear, many photographers stayed up late to capture the view. His photographs captured the eclipse in its full — well, partial — glory, with the moon painted a rusty red.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth passes between the moon and the sun. The atmosphere acts as a filter on sunlight, so the shadow our planet casts on the moon is similar to the light seen at sunset.
This eclipse was unusual because of its length; It took over six hours from start to finish. Other recent lunar eclipses have happened faster as the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit. But the moon’s orbit is elliptical and is currently close to its maximum distance from us, so it took longer to pass through Earth’s shadow. End partial eclipse of this period occurred in the 1440s.
Another eclipse of this length will not be for many years, but there will be others who will enjoy it. A total lunar eclipse visible to viewers on the East Coast will occur on May 15.
You can do sign up for The Times’ space and astronomy calendar for a reminder from this and other events. And while you wait, enjoy some photos of last night’s match.
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