Jan 31 Total Lunar Eclipse Can Be Seen In The Philippines, How To Watch

The Philippines, the rest of Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand will witness the total lunar eclipse on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The moon will be a full moon then, and a super moon as well, as astronomers earlier announced. Lunar eclipses are also called “blood” moons because of the red tinge it takes on during the eclipse.

Aside from the Asian and Australian continent, Alaska, Hawaii and northern Canada will also see the eclipse. For the rest of the world, they will only catch some phases of it.

When And How To Watch The Lunar Eclipse

According to Space.com, this event – a lunar eclipse of a blue moon – has not happened in 150 years. They estimate that the next time this will occur will be on Dec. 31, 2028.

It will be nighttime in the Philippines when the eclipse starts. According to another astronomy website, Time and Date, the partial eclipse begins on the evening of Jan. 31, at 7:48 p.m. which lasts until 8:50 p.m.. During this time, the moon is getting a red tinge.

At 8:51 p.m. Jan. 31, the total eclipse starts, making the moon much redder. This will last for a little over an hour, or until 10:07 p.m. Given that a lunar eclipse takes longer than a solar eclipse, you will have more than enough time to observe this sky event.

The eclipse is viewable from any part of the country, but it is best that you find yourself a good perch on top of a building or in an open area where you see the night sky. The lesser number of artificial lights around, the better. You do not need any special equipment to watch this sky event – just a nice spot to lie down and lots of patience.

Tips For Taking Photos Of The Blood Moon

Given that this is one of rarest sky events happening this year, it will be an interesting addition to your photo gallery. For photo hobbyists and photographers, Time and Date offers these tips for taking photos of the blood moon:

• Use a big lens – at least 3oo mm or more
• Use a tripod or a stable surface to mount your camera
• High shutter speed, high ISO setting and high resolution
• Keep adjusting the aperture as the eclipse progresses

Smartphone users cannot capture the details of the moon’s surface but they can try other things such as composing their shot properly, by including the landscape, trees and buildings in their photo. It is also important to turn off the camera’s flash and to make use of available or ambient light.