Viewing a Total Lunar Eclipse in Sydney

On May 26, 2021, a total lunar eclipse will occur. Although I have experienced many lunar eclipses and total lunar eclipses before, I often couldn't see this wonder due to weather. Today the weather in Sydney is very good, clear skies, bright sunshine, and not a single white cloud in the deep blue sky, indicating that tonight we can witness this astronomical wonder.

The Earth, Moon, and Sun each have their own orbits. When the Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun, it blocks the sunlight. The Moon itself does not emit light, so the blocked part is not visible, thus forming a lunar eclipse.

Sunlight has a seven-color spectrum, and red light has the longest wavelength. It can penetrate the atmosphere and refract onto the Moon hidden in the shadow. Today is a full moon, and a round, dark red moon will hang in the Sydney night sky.

We prepared in advance, choosing the garden at my daughter's home as the viewing spot. The area is open with no obstructions. We also prepared a DSLR camera and tripod; only a DSLR in manual mode can capture the red moon.

At 5:30 pm, the sky gradually darkened, and some stars appeared. Ten minutes later, a bright moon rose into the sky, and the stars filled the sky, twinkling from time to time. At 7:40 pm, we walked into the garden. The bright moonlight spilled onto the lawn. Tonight's moon was big, round, and bright. At this time, the Earth was at its closest point to the Moon. The round moon hung in the sky, seeming closer to us than usual. At 7:44 pm, the partial eclipse began; a dark edge appeared on the moon's rim. The dark edge grew larger, eroding the originally round moon. The moon began to show a notch, and gradually the notch grew larger. By 8:44 pm, an hour had passed, and only a small crescent of the moon remained, losing its previous brightness, and the earth fell into darkness.

At 9:11 pm, the total eclipse began; the moon was bathed in scorching red light, lasting for 14 minutes. At 9:25 pm, the maximum eclipse occurred, and the moon slowly began to show a white bright edge. The bright edge gradually expanded, and slowly it returned to its original shape.

In Sydney, we witnessed together this rare moment when the Earth, Moon, and Sun were aligned in a straight line during a full moon, and we felt very fortunate. It will take another twelve years of patient waiting for the next such astronomical event.