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A penumbra eclipse isn’t nearly as spectacular as a blood moon – but it won’t get any better than on January 10, 2020. Observation tips.
- On January 10, 2020, one lunar eclipse instead of.
- However, it is only a penumbra eclipse – the moon is not completely covered
- Also one Penumbral lunar eclipse can be appealing – observation tips and more
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Just a few hours after the moon rose on January 10, 2020, it darkened again: a grayish veil was drawn over the surface of the moon. But if you want to see that, you have to take a closer look full moon in contrast to the past lunar eclipses, only migrates through the Penumbra of the earth and does not completely disappear in this shadow.
This penumbra eclipse is the only one lunar eclipse of the year 2020, which can be seen from Germany. From around 7 p.m., a closer look reveals how the penumbra of the earth lies over the moon disk. The greatest darkening of the moon was reached at 8:11 p.m., around 9:23 p.m., the penumbra should no longer be perceived on the moon.
Penumbra eclipse of the moon on January 10, 2020 – observation times
The schedule for the penumbra eclipse on January 10, 2020, the rise and set times for sun and moon apply to Frankfurt am Main and may vary for other locations.
- Moonrise (in Frankfurt am Main): 4:22 p.m.
- Sunset (in Frankfurt am Main): 4.43 p.m.
- Entry in the penumbra (1st contact): 6:08 p.m. (not yet visible)
- Visibility beginning of the penumbra eclipse: about 6:58 p.m.
- Middle of the darkness (maximum darkening of the moon): 8:11 p.m.
- Visibility End: about 9:23 p.m.
- Leaving the penumbra (2nd contact): 10:12 p.m. (no longer visible
- Sunrise (in Frankfurt am Main): 8.21 a.m. on January 11, 2020
- Moonset (in Frankfurt am Main): 9:00 a.m. on January 11, 2020
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How to watch the penumbra eclipse?
The moon rises in the east at dusk and has already risen a bit before the penumbra eclipse begins. If the sky is clear, you can see the moon in the sky during darkness. You don’t need any special equipment to observe the sky event – you should be able to see the eclipse with the naked eye.
However, the use of a pair of binoculars for observing the Penumbral lunar eclipse on. Since the moon is already relatively high in the sky when the eclipse begins, there is no need to worry about haze on the horizon or trees or houses that block the view of the moon.
The penumbra darkness of the moon can be observed in full length across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Incidentally, the penumbra eclipse is not a total lunar eclipse: the penumbra only darkens the moon to 92 percent.
What happens in a (penumbra) lunar eclipse?
In a lunar eclipse, the earth is between the sun and the moon. In this constellation, the sun shines on the earth, which casts its shadow on the moon. If the moon moves through the umbra of the earth, the moon darkens from an earth perspective. If the moon only passes through the penumbra of the earth, a light, gray shadow lies over the moon – it is not completely eclipsed.
What can you see in the sky besides the penumbra eclipse?
At the Winter starry sky there is also a lot to see beyond the penumbra eclipse. The moon is in the constellation Gemini. To the right of this is the striking constellation Orion. Especially the shoulder star Betelgeuse is worth a look: The star is actually one of the brightest stars in our night sky, but is currently weakening. Researchers suspect Betelgeuse may face star death – a supernova*.
A bit above Orion is the Taurus constellation with the impressive open Pleiades star cluster, which can be seen with the naked eye. The Pleiades have at least 1200 stars, six to nine of which can be seen with the naked eye.
That too Winter Hexagon stands in the sky during the penumbra eclipse. It is composed of six bright stars from different constellations:
- Capella in the constellation Fuhrmann
- Aldebaran in the Taurus constellation
- Rigel in the constellation Orion
- Sirius in the constellation Big Dog
- Prokyon in the constellation Little Dog
- Pollux in the constellation Gemini
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The winter triangle can also be seen in the sky: it consists of Sirius and Prokyon from the star Betelgeuse.
When will the next lunar eclipse take place?
There have been some lunar eclipses in Germany in recent years. A highlight was that longest total lunar eclipse of the century* that could be seen on July 27, 2018. This darkness lasted 103 minutes from the beginning to the end of totality. The next total solar eclipse was on January 21, 2019: It was the last total solar eclipse for a long time*. The last lunar eclipse to be observed in Germany was that partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019*.
Now it is time to wait: In addition to the penumbra eclipse on January 10, 2020, there will be a total lunar eclipse on May 16, 2022, which can be seen from Germany. However, the moon sets during the darkness. A partial lunar eclipse can be seen in Germany on October 28, 2023.
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