This weekend, Australian astronomical enthusiasts will appreciate a total eclipse of the blood moon that may only be seen once in a lifetime.
The night sky will see a rare blood moon in the early hours of Saturday, the longest total eclipse in about a century. The better news is that Australia will be one of the best watching points for this global spectacle.
When the eclipse begins, it will be below the horizon and sink when it becomes completely dark red.
Why does the moon turn red?
The red moon usually occurs when a total lunar eclipse occurs. This is because the thick atmosphere absorbs purple, blue, green and yellow light, leaving only red light to penetrate.
However, the brightness of the red depends on how dirty the atmosphere is due to volcanic eruptions. According to experts forecast, this blood moon red brightness will not be too strong.
But the U.S. NASA said the total lunar eclipse will last an hour and 43 minutes, just four minutes less than the most likely duration, and the next total lunar eclipse likely to be seen in Australia will be in 2021. So, if you like astronomy, it's definitely worth seeing.
The total eclipse will begin at 03:15 on Saturday, July 28. The moon will turn red from around 05:30 in the morning.
Throughout Australia, everyone can see the moon in the shadow of the Earth at the same time, but Western Australia will be the only area that will be able to fully watch the total eclipse of the moon.
On Saturday morning, the moon will be apogee-the farthest from Earth's orbit. This means that it will travel through space at a wider point in the Earth's shadow cone, so the eclipse will last longer.