The longest partial lunar eclipse this century and the full moon: how and when to watch it

The November full beaver moon will witness the longest partial lunar eclipse in more than 500 years, lasting more than six hours from Thursday night to Friday morning, The Guardian reports. NASA. Parts of South America can catch a glimpse of the moonset, and parts of East Asia and Australia may see the eclipse at moonrise.

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when part of the full moon falls under the Earth’s shadow (as opposed to a total lunar eclipse in May)—more than 97% of the moon will be covered at the height of the eclipse, according to NASA.

according to Sky & Telescope Magazine. The darkness is the outer edge of the Earth’s shadow, lasting for more than six hours, and the melon is the deepest part of the shadow, lasting 3.5 hours.

We can expect clear skies across the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic, and from Michigan and Ohio to Texas in the US, Chad Myers, a meteorologist with CNN, said. Most of western Mexico and south Baja to Mazatlan will have a clear view. Eclipse clouds can obscure other areas of North America — most of the Southeast, from the High Plains to the West Coast and in most of New England and Canada. But don’t get discouraged completely.

“It’s a very long eclipse, so be a little patient and try to stay warm,” Myers said.

In the full spirit of autumn, the moon will appear reddish-brown during an eclipse. The Earth’s atmosphere, scattering sunlight, will create the effect of a sunset projecting onto the moon.

Beaver Moon Celebrations

The Cree and Assiniboine peoples call this a frost moon where the cold weather settles, and the Tlingit call this a digging moon for hunting animals, according to the old farmer’s almanac.

Cultures across Southeast Asia also celebrate this moon with festivals, according to NASA. During the Loi Krathong Festival in Thailand, people decorate and launch baskets into the river. This full moon also represents the Cambodian Water Festival, which features dragon boat races.

Celestial events in December

If you still need to eliminate stargazing from your 2021 wish list, there are a few celestial events to catch before the end of the year.

According to NASA, a total solar eclipse, when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, will occur on December 4.