Macao residents can witness a lunar eclipse and blood moon in the early hours of next Monday. The phenomenon will be the first in almost three years, with the city’s last total lunar eclipse occurring in November 2022.
The first stage of the eclipse is set to begin at 11:26 pm on Sunday, but maximum eclipse – the moment when the moon is closest to the centre of Earth’s shadow – is expected to happen at 2:12 am on Monday. The eclipse will last until 4:57 am.
Residents can visit the Macao Science Centre’s seaside area for a guided observation from 1 am to 3 am on Monday. A telescope will be set up and an expert will be present to explain the science behind the occurrence.
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A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon, Earth and sun line up, leading to the moon being completely blocked from sunlight. It can only happen during a full moon and can be observed without protective eyewear.
According to the United States’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the moon will appear during the process as a “blood moon,” with its only source of illumination coming from around the edges of Earth. Most of visible light is diffused by Earth’s atmosphere, while red, the longest wavelength of light, can reach the moon.
The next full lunar eclipse will likely happen in March 2026.
