✪ Lunar eclipse on 8 November- Visible all India
✪ Can be easily observed- can be seen with naked eyes
✪ Uranus will be just near the Moon- easily observable through a binocular
✪ One's own experience matters!
✪ Thought provoking experience and fun for kids
✪ Why the Moon looks red in the eclipse?
✪ My sorrow is greatest. Really?
Hello all. After the solar eclipse of last week, on coming full- Moon night- 8 November 2022, a lunar eclipse will be there. On this occasion, our kids and elders too can come out of their burden of competition and performance pressure and enjoy this different experience. While observing a solar eclipse, one has to take care of the eyes and we cannot just look at the Sun. But during the lunar eclipse, there is no concern for safety of the eyes. Therefore, we can easily watch the lunar eclipse. Even through naked eyes, on 8th November, we can see the Moon with slightly reddish top side after it rises. But for seeing it, we need a place where we can see East horizon properly. Better if find exact position of arising Moon one or two days before. Also, we can watch a bright Jupiter on South- East side of the sky, somewhat up in the sky. We can also see Saturn in South and Altar near zenith and Vega towards west- the bright objects in the sky.
When seen from India, the Moon- disk will pass through penumbra (outer shadow) of the Earth. When the Moon will rise in India, then the Earth's penumbra will be there and so it will be seen slightly red. From New Zealand, part of Russia and other places, it will be seen to be passing through umbra (inner shadow) of the Earth and therefore from there it will be seen very faint. But while observing it from India, it will pass only through the penubra and so it will look little red and within one and half hours after it arises, the eclipse will be over. Then onwards it will be as bright as a regular full- moon.
(Telescopic photos Crators of the Moon, moons of Jupiter, ring of Saturn, Great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, Occultation of Mars by the Moon, phase of Venus, Sun spots and Solar eclipse captured by me can be seen here-. For conducting sky watching programmes, Niranjan Welankar 09422108376)
Uranus!
On this occasion, Uranus will be visible just near the Moon, just about 1.5 degree South- west. It will not be observed through naked eyes, but if we look at the Moon through a small binocular and if the Moon is in the centre, then there will be Uranus too in the field of view. While capturing Moon- photos through just a mobile and a tripod, if we use pro- mode and increased the shutter speed to 3-4 seconds and keep ISO to 800 or 1600, then Moon would be too bright in the photo, but Uranus too will be likely captured. If you are taking such a photo, then do keep 3 or 5 second timer, so that vibration of clicking the button will be off when it is captured and the photo would be still. For good photo of the Moon, in the pro mode, keep the shutter speed to 1/4 seconds and keep ISO 100- 200 and try. Then you can capture crisp image of Moon. But this photo will not show Uranus.
Mars after emerging from behind the Moon
Above is not the Moon, this is Venus!
Sun spots- Solar filter is used with the telescope
Open cluster M45 Another open cluster M44 1.5 day Moon, Mercury and some stars
Ursa Major or Great Bear- सप्तर्षी Top left Mars, right Jupiter with moons
Solar eclipse of 25/10/2022
One's own experience matters!
Such events always take place in the sky. On such occasions, we can give opportunity to our kids to get their own experience. In these times, forward knowledge and information bombarding is so high. But when kids experience such things themselves, try on their own and explore, then they do get joy. They also experience scientific things in an unique and joyful manner. They can experience it without any burden or stress of any competition. Exposure to such small but unique experiences can help kids discover their aptitudes and likings.
Why the Moon looks red during such eclipse?
In lunar eclipse, even in full eclipse phase, the Moon does not disappear completely. It becomes faint and red. In partial eclipse also, it looks little red. Its reason is that even if the Moon is inside umbra of the Earth, some light rays from Sun get scattered through Earth's atmosphere and reach to the Moon. Therefore even though the Moon is in shadow, it gets some Sunlight and therefore it looks faint red. And red colour is due to the fact that blue- green and yellow colours of the Sunlight get scattered in this distance due to their less wavelength and only red colour has high wavelength so that it reaches the Moon. Thus only red colour reaches the Moon after getting scattered in the atmosphere and the Moon looks red (It does not have its own light)! And due to this very reason, when the Moon, the Sun and planets also- when they arise or when they are close to set, their light travels through more air and they also look reddish. And therefore, traffic signals and railway signals are also red as this is the colour with high wavelength! And what will be the reason that in daytime, the sky looks blue?
When we see the lunar eclipse, from the Moon, it is the solar eclipse. Because as seen from the Moon, the Earth would be in front of the Sun. But as the Earth has atmosphere, the Sun would not be totally obstructed and there would not be complete darkness. But when we see a solar eclipse from the Earth, then as the Moon does not have any atmosphere and there is no chance of scattering of light, in a total solar eclipse, there is complete darkness!
My sorrow is greatest! Really?
So let's enjoy these scientific drama and also let our kids enjoy this experience. It can be equally joyful for the elders too. Many times we think that our sorrow is greatest in the word and our problems are largest! But when we look at these objects (When you see Jupiter, it will be around 60 crore kilometers away and Saturn will be more than 160 crore kilometers away)- planets and stars at a distance of hundreds of light years away, then we do realize how small we are and how feeble our sorrows and problems! We also realize that watching such distant objects through our small eyes is none less than actually a miracle!
(My articles about sky watching, Himalaya trekking, meditation, cycling, running and other topics are available on above blog. Niranjan Welankar 09422108376 niranjanwelankar@gmail.com Contact me for updates about fitness, meditation, trekking, fun- learn sessions and sky watching sessions and also for conducting at such a session in your place. Thank you.)
