‘Beaver blood moon’ offers world’s last total lunar eclipse until 2025

Subject: Science and Technology

Context-

Nighttimeskywatchers from East Asia to North America will be treated to the rare spectacle of a “Beaver blood moon” on Tuesday, weather permitting, as the Earth, moon and sun align to produce a total lunar eclipse for the last time until 2025.

What’s happening?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow completely over a full moon, blocking reflection of all direct sunlight from the lunar orb and dimming the color of the moon to a reddish hue, hence the term “blood moon.”
This is only possible when the orbits of the Earth, moon and sun align so that the moon is directly behind Earth relative to the sun.
Otherwise, the moon passes above or below Earth’s shadow because its orbit around Earth is usually tilted relative to Earth’s orbit about the sun.

Why red (Blood moon)?

The reddish appearance of the lunar surface – the moon does not entirely disappear from view – is caused by rays of sunlight around the outer edge of the eclipse shadow, or umbra, being filtered and refracted as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon indirectly in a dim copper glow.
The degree of redness depends on atmospheric conditions that vary with levels of air pollution, dust storms, wildfire smoke and even volcanic ash.

Why Beaver moon?

Nov. 8 event will coincide with the “Beaver moon,” a moniker for November’s full moon adopted by the Old Farmer’s Almanac supposedly from Algonquian languages once spoken by Native Americans in the New England territory.
When combined with the phenomena of a total lunar eclipse, it is widely referred to as a “Beaver blood moon” in the United States.

How rare is it-

Total lunar eclipses occur, on average, about once every year and a half, according to NASA.
But the interval varies. Nov. 8 event will mark the second blood moon this year, following one in mid-May.
The next one is not expected until March 14, 2025.

Where is it visible-

Nov 8’s eclipse will be visible across eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific and North America.

How long it lasts

The entire eclipse will unfold over a period of nearly six hours as the moon gradually edges into the Earth’s paler, outer shadow, its “penumbra,” then enters the Earth’s darker, inner shadow, or “umbra,” before reaching totality and eventually emerging from the other side.
On the West Coast of the United States, the whole display will run from 12:01 a.m. PST until just before 6 a.m., with the total eclipse phase lasting about 90 minutes, peaking at 3 a.m.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time that the Moon is full.
In a typical year, there may be two to four full supermoons and two to four new supermoons in a row.