Filenews 19 October 2023
A partial lunar eclipse, which will also be visible in Cyprus, will occur on Saturday 28 October.
According to an announcement by astrophysicist Chrysanthos Fakas from the Faka Tutorial Observatory, the entrance to the Earth's shadow begins at 21:34 and ends at 22:53, while the maximum of the eclipse will be at 22:14. The phenomenon will last 1 hour and 29 minutes.
This eclipse will cover a small part of the disk of the Moon but will be visible from all parts of Cyprus, with the naked eye, from the European continent, Asia and Africa.
It is noted in the announcement that an eclipse of a celestial body occurs when a third body interferes between two other bodies, resulting in the two bodies not having visual contact.
"In this case, the "triplet" of this system consists of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon and the alternations between the three cause the Solar and Lunar Eclipses combined with the most shocking 'coincidence' of our Solar System. This coincidence is that the apparent diameter of the Moon and the Sun as seen by an earthly observer is almost the same.
It is clarified that during a lunar eclipse the Earth interferes between the Moon and the Sun and thus hides the Sun from the Moon. During the partial eclipse of the Moon it does not become invisible, but a part of the Moon where it enters the Earth's shadow will appear to be shaded and changes colour.
The phenomenon starts at 21:34 and an observer will observe the alteration of the brightness of the Moon and as the Moon enters more into the Earth's shadow and especially around 22:14 he will observe the maximum of the alteration.
"In fact, the phenomenon begins and ends long before the Moon enters the Earth's Shadow, entering and exiting the Earth's Shadow, but an earthly observer, with the naked eye, does not notice anything different. It should be remembered that if the eclipse was not partial, but total, at the maximum of the eclipse, the moon would change colour to red.
Also, it is added, on the same day there will be a full moon, which is always a prerequisite for a lunar eclipse.
Moreover, on the occasion of the phenomenon, Faka Schools and the Astronomical Society of Cyprus (ASTRAK) will transfer their telescopes and together with the Akrites Corps invite the public to an astronomical evening at the New Town Hall of Nicosia in the Walled City on Saturday 28 October 2023 during the hours 20:00 – 22:30.
The program includes a lecture by astrophysicist Chrysanthos Fakas on "The Space Age through World War II" and astronomical observation of the eclipse of the Moon and other celestial bodies through a telescope.
Admission will be free to the public. Those with telescopes are welcome to bring them with them to the event, the statement said.
CNA
