The first lunar eclipse of this year today, May 26, is guaranteed to be a grand event, as it will combine three spectacular astronomical phenomena at once. First, the eclipse itself is not such a frequent thing. Secondly, it coincides with the onset of the “supermoon”, although astronomers do not like this term. Finally, third, in front of the audience, the Moon will change color and become blood-brown.
Many people know about the lunar eclipse itself, when our natural satellite completely enters the shadow of the Earth. With a supermoon, it is more difficult – just so it is not perceived by the eyes, you need to carefully compare the appearance of the Moon at the apogee and perigee, that is, at the two extreme points of its orbit relative to the Earth.
The difference between them reaches 45,000 km, so when the Moon approaches the Earth, as it is now, it becomes visually several percent larger, as well as brighter. Hence the popular journalistic expression “supermoon”.
During an eclipse, the Moon will be illuminated only by the light of the Sun, which will be refracted when passing through the Earth’s atmosphere and fall on it. The Earth’s air scatters the blue waves and passes the red ones without hindrance, so the usual bright face of the Moon will turn purple. Here is such a big, red and gloomy Moon waiting for us on May 26, 2021.
Source — The Conversation
