Penumbral lunar eclipse: an unmissable astronomical event at the end of March

Various types of lunar and solar eclipses occur every year, which can be observed in different parts of the world. On March 25, 2024, humanity will be able to observe the penumbra lunar eclipse in the night sky; A full moon will also occur during the same period; The last such astronomical event occurred between May 5 and 6, 2023.

Experts in the field say that penumbral lunar eclipses are not as obvious as total and partial eclipses. In fact, in many cases, observers confuse the penumbra event with a simple full moon.

Penumbral lunar eclipse occurs When the Moon, Earth and Sun are aligned in a particular way and our natural satellite passes through the outermost region of the Earth’s shadowIt is called penumbra. The Moon may appear slightly darker than normal during this phenomenon, so not everyone can distinguish the difference between a penumbra event and a normal full Moon.

Lunar events in March

• 03/08: Conjunction between Moon and Venus and Moon and Mars
• 03/10: New Moon
• 03/13: Moon and Jupiter Conjunction
• 03/17: Moon in First Quarter
• 03/25: Full moon and penumbra lunar eclipse

“The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is tilted relative to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. This tilt is why we have occasional eclipses instead of every month… If you don’t know it’s happening, you can get lost. The Moon passes through the faint outer part of the Earth’s penumbra, or shadow. The Moon It darkens so slightly that it may be difficult to notice,” said the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

How to observe a penumbra lunar eclipse

In some cases, solar eclipses may not always be observed in every region of the Earth; For example, the annular solar eclipse that will occur in 2024 cannot be observed in Brazil. On the contrary, penumbral lunar eclipses and other lunar events can be viewed from all parts of the world at night.

Penumbral lunar eclipses are not annual; The last incident occurred in April 2023, but the previous incident occurred in November 2020.

The specific penumbra phenomenon is even more visible to the naked eye; You will be able to observe this phenomenon at night on March 25. Maximum strength will occur at 5:12 am (Brasília time). However, it is important to emphasize that for a good observation the night sky must be clear of clouds, and even then it will not be so easy to see it.

Did you like the content? Always stay up to date with more curiosities about lunar and solar eclipses at TecMundo. If you wish, take the opportunity to understand what the Lunar Anthropocene is.