One of the most expected astronomical phenomena of 2025 – a total lunar eclipse that will make the red of the moon – will be visible throughout Mexico this evening.
The dramatic event in six phases during which the Moon will change color from white to red will start around 9 p.m. from the Mexican center, But it will be a slow development phenomenon. The peak of the total eclipse will not occur before approximately 12 h 26 and will last approximately an hour.
Here are the six phases to look for:
Phase 1: The moon enters the darkness of the earth, the outer part of the shadow and begins to decrease, but the effect is quite subtle.
Phase 2: The partial eclipse becomes visible at 10:30 p.m. while the moon enters the earth’s shadow (the dark central shadow thrown by our planet). At 11:10 p.m., while the shadow moves from bottom to left to the top right, it will seem that someone has taken a bite on the side of the moon.
Phase 3: Total eclipse When the moon goes completely behind the earth, the shadow moving from bottom to left to the top right of the moon.
Phase 4: The moon begins to emerge from the shade, the interior shadow of the earth, recovering from the top of the left to the lower right while the red shade decreases and seems that someone has taken a bite from the other side of the moon.
Phase 5: The moon begins to vanish from the penumbra around 2:45 a.m., leaving a slight shadow on the moon.
Phase 6: The total lunar eclipse ends around 4 a.m.
Why a total lunar eclipse seems red
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth’s orbit is placed between the sun and the moon, the three celestial objects aligned in an almost perfect row. Alignment – called syzygia – sees the moon pass in the shadow of the earth.
According to NASAThe shadow on the moon is not perfect because “the weak sun rays sneak on the edges of the shadow on all sides in the colors of a sunset, bathing the moon in shiny and warm shades.”
“When the moon is in the darkest part of the shadow of the earth, called Umbra, it takes a dramatic reddish shade, which led the nickname” Blood Moon “for a lunar eclipse”, explains NASA.
Unlike a solar eclipse, the moon remains visible during a total lunar eclipse “because the sunlight passing through the earth’s atmosphere reaches the surface of the moon.”
Low lighting reveals the orange or red moon, NASA says, Because “the air molecules of the earth’s atmosphere disperse most of the blue light”. Indeed, the colors with shorter wavelengths – the Blues and the Violets – disperse more easily than the colors with longer wavelengths, such as red and orange.
The remaining light of the sun is reflected on the surface of the moon with a red glow, showing the red moon in the night sky. »»
In addition, the presence of clouds or dust in the atmosphere will make the moon even redder.
With reports from Infobae,, Nasa And Gazette Unam
