A total lunar eclipse can be seen from all over Puerto Rico between tonight, Sunday, and early Monday, in what will be the first “Blood Moon” in a year.
The event tonight in May will be even more special, he shared with The new day the meteorologist Deborah Martorellas it is also known as the “Flower Supermoon”, to mark the beginning of spring.
“The special thing is that it will be able to be seen completely here in Puerto Rico. The only bad thing is that it is late and that it ends in the early hours of the morning, but the public has the opportunity to see it. It’s a good astronomical show to enjoy,” he shared.
What is a lunar eclipse?
“The event is due to the fact that the Sun, the Earth and the Moon will be aligned, causing our planet to obstruct the sunlight that illuminates the Moon,” explained the Caribbean Astronomy Society (SAC).
A total eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Moon and the Sun, casting a shadow on the Moon, which will be 225,000 miles away at the peak of the eclipse.
What time will it happen?
Starting at 10:28 pm, the Moon will begin to enter the Earth’s shadow, but the peak moment will occur at 12:11 am, when the Moon will be seen as reddish-orange.
“The best time to observe this eclipse, I could tell you, is between 11:30 at night and 12:30 at dawn, because they will be able to see the part when the Moon begins to disappear, and they can also see the peak of the eclipse”, highlighted the meteorologist.
The event ends at around 1:55 am, Martorell pointed out.
How will the weather conditions be?
Weather conditions promise to be favorable tonight. Although there is a possibility of cloudiness, this will not be a problem for those who dare to enjoy the event.
“Yes, we’re going to have some cloudiness going on, but the good thing about this is that because the eclipse is long in duration, those clouds are moving fast, so everybody’s going to have a chance to catch a glimpse of the eclipse this week.” night”, highlighted Martorell.
Bonfires on the beach?
Martorell pointed out that the Tortugueros del Sur group is concerned about invitations that have emerged on social networks from people who plan to go to the beach to watch the eclipse with a campfire, which represents a risk because it is in turtle nesting season.
“You have to be careful where you put these fires. There are turtles arriving, there are nests that are marked. They are asked for cooperation and not to leave the beach dirty, to be well aware, “ commented the expert.
If you see a leatherback entering or a nest on the beach, contact your nearest group of Tortugueros, shared on the map below.
Where can I watch it online?
The SAC will offer a special transmission starting at 11:00 pm next to Martorell, in which users will have the opportunity to see how the eclipse looks through a telescope not only in the San Juan area, but also in other points of the island. You can enjoy the eclipse here.
The NASA will also broadcast the event.
When will the next lunar eclipse be?
The next lunar eclipse event will be between November 7 and 8, but the meteorologist pointed out that it will not be very visible because it coincides with sunrise. This event will be visible mainly in Africa and Europe. According to the SAC, the next visible eclipse will not occur until March 2025.
“The opportunity is not always given, and this time we are going to be able to see this natural phenomenon and enjoy it,” projection.