Half-blood moon eclipse over Asia: best time to see the partial lunar eclipse on July 17
- A partial lunar eclipse will occur just before dawn on Wednesday, July 17, in Asia. The next eclipse of any interest won’t happen until 2022
- For Asia, the moon will turn 65 per cent blood red when it is close to setting in the western sky
If you’re thinking that there have been a number of spectacular lunar eclipses lately, you are right. There was a total lunar eclipse in January 2018 and another in January 2019.
On both occasions Asia was treated to the view of our satellite turning an orangey-red colour for over an hour as it dipped in and out of Earth’s shadow in space.
What will happen on Wednesday July 17 is different. While turning half red – which is going to produce something akin to an odd-looking smile hanging in the sky – it will also be the final lunar eclipse of any interest for a few years.
In fact, after July 17’s “half-blood moon eclipse”, Asian counties will not witness another so-called “blood moon” until 2021.
Wednesday morning’s partial lunar eclipse promises to be a dramatic sight. The best time to look at the full moon is always just after moonrise or just before moonset, when our satellite hangs just above the horizon.
For Asia, the moon will turn 65 per cent blood red when it is close to setting in the western sky.
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Which countries will be able to see the eclipse?
This is an event that happens simultaneously across the world, though moonrise and moonset times differ, which affects visibility. London and western Europe will see a partially eclipsed moon as it rises, while North America will still be in daylight, and therefore will miss the event.
Most of Europe (excluding northern Scandinavia), Asia (excluding Japan), Australasia (excluding New Zealand), Africa and South America will be able to see the event.
The best places to view the event are within a zone stretching from Spain to Hong Kong. Depending on the location, the eclipse may already be happening at moonrise, or the moon might set before it reaches its maximum redness.
Here is the timetable and local conditions for the half-blood moon eclipse in major cities in Asia, according website Time and Date (timeanddate.com/eclipse).
Hong Kong
4:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while relatively high above the western horizon.
5:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red close to the western horizon.
5:51am – a half-red moon sinks below the horizon.
Beijing, China
4:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while only just above the western horizon.
5:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red as it sinks below the western horizon.
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Singapore
4:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while high above the western horizon.
5:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red.
6:59 – partial eclipse ends just 10 minutes before the moon sets in the west.
Delhi, India
1:31am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while high above the western horizon.
03:00am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red while still high in the western sky.
04:29am – partial eclipse ends over an hour before moonset.
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Manila, Philippines
4:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while relatively high above the western horizon.
5:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red close to the western horizon.
5:38am – a half-red moon sinks below the horizon.
Jakarta, Indonesia
3:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while high above the western horizon.
4:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red.
5:59am – partial eclipse ends around 20 minutes before the moon sets.
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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while high above the western horizon.
5:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red.
6:59am – partial eclipse ends around 20 minutes before the moon sets.
Bangkok, Thailand
3:01am – partial eclipse begins; moon starts to turn red while high above the western horizon.
4:30am – moon reaches maximum of 65 per cent red.
5:59am – partial eclipse ends just five minutes before the moon sets.
When is the next eclipse?
Although the moon will pass into Earth’s outer penumbral shadow four times in 2020, it will never turn red. In fact, what will happen on January 10, June 5, July 5 and November 30 in 2020 is merely the full moon losing is usual brightness. The moon will not turn partially red again as seen from Asia until a total lunar eclipse on May 16, 2022.
