On the night of Thursday, August 27, we will witness a nearly total lunar eclipse, during which the Moon may take on reddish hues—a phenomenon popularly known as a "blood Moon."
UNAM Morelia invites the public to appreciate the event using telescopes at its campus located on Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro, opposite Tenencia Morelos. The observing session is organized by the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics (IRyA), starting at 8:30 PM and featuring the eclipse projected on a big screen and shows in the mobile planetarium, concluding at 10:30 PM.
Lunar eclipses occur when the Moon, in its orbit around Earth, passes through our planet's shadow, causing our natural satellite to darken. Sometimes the shadow covers only part of the Moon's visible face, resulting in a partial eclipse, while at other times, it covers it entirely.
During total eclipses, some sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere is refracted (bent) toward the surface of our natural satellite, giving it reddish, orange, or coppery tones. Although the upcoming eclipse will be partial, Earth's shadow will cover almost the entire visible face of the Moon, so it may be possible to observe this phenomenon.
The eclipse will be visible to the naked eye across much of the American continent, with the partial phase beginning at 8:33 PM local time. Maximum obscuration, covering 96% of the lunar surface visible from Earth, will occur at 10:12 PM. The partial phase of the eclipse will end at 11:51 PM.
UNAM Morelia advises the public to keep an eye on weather conditions and IRyA’s social media channels (@iryaunam on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X), as the viewing session cannot take place if the sky is cloudy.
About IRyA, UNAM
The Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica (IRyA), or Institute for Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics is an academic unit at UNAM, Campus Morelia, Mexico. The Institute’s personnel perform high-level and high-impact research in the areas of interstellar medium, star formation, evolved stars, high energy astrophysics, Galactic dynamics and structure, extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. They also contribute to educate high-level human resources through a postgraduate program, and maintain a close relationship with society through diverse outreach and science communication programs.
Media contact:
René A. Ortega Minakata
Outreach and Science Communication
IRyA UNAM Campus Morelia
Text: René A. Ortega Minakata, IRyA UNAM