WebProNews

Tag: lunar eclipse

  • Blood Moon, Sign Of The End Of The World?

    Blood Moon, Sign Of The End Of The World?

    On September 28, there will be a Blood Moon and yes, doomsday prophecies too.

    What is interesting about a Blood Moon is that it is always tied in religion and mysticism. Prophets and mystics are convinced that the end of the world might happen once the Blood Moon appears.

    Once again, people are taking a second look for better interpretations of certain biblical passages like in the book of Revelations. Take for example, Acts 2:20, “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”

    Mark Blitz and Christian Hagee, both Christian ministers, noted that four lunar eclipses starting April 2014 with six full moons could be a warning that the world is coming to an end.

    Another passage in the Book of Joel informed people that the moon will turn into blood before the judgment day.

    But what is a blood moon?

    There will be a supermoon this month and it coincides with the lunar eclipse. This means the moon will pass the Earth’s shadow and as a result, the moon appears red.

    This month’s supermoon lunar eclipse will mark the last part of the lunar tetrad. Lunar tetrad is a cycle of four lunar eclipses that happens every six months. It started in April 2014 and the last lunar eclipse happened in April 2015, which lasted five minutes.

    Bible interpreters saw the connection between the tetrad and some important events in history.

    “The last time there was a tetrad was back in the 1900s, and to my amazement, they also fell on the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles,” Blitz observed.

    He explained, “the last two times there were four blood moons in a row, they happened, first, right after Israel became a nation in 1948, and then again when Israel retook Jerusalem in 1967.”

  • Blood Moon 2015: What Hagee Didn’t Bother to Mention

    Repent! Blood Moon 2015 is upon us!

    This Sunday — that’s Easter Sunday to you uninformed and doomed — there will be a lunar eclipse the likes of which the Earth has only seen dozens of times. When that happens, atmospheric factors and the natural refraction of light will make the reflected light that reaches the observing human eye appear to be more red.

    It’s Blood Moon (2015)!

    Professional prognosticator and collector of loose change John Hagee is making bank off this natural phenomenon. He wrote a book back in 2013 called Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change. In this book, Hagee plucked a Bible verse that has often been used to drum up Doomsday fears.

    “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” Joel 2:31

    Of course, that’s an Old Testament verse. Some people might write that off as “old news.” But Hagee backs that one up with this New Testament humdinger, leaving no doubt that this Sunday’s light show is somehow relevant to something, somewhere.

    “…There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars…Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25a, 28

    Hagee’s assertion is that there are four of these “blood moons” (not a scientific term) in a row, one of which lands on Easter. He believes that these four in a row are significant because they all land on Jewish Holy Days. Spooky stuff.

    Here’s what Hagee doesn’t tell you about Blood Moon 2015 — or any other Blood Moon, for that matter:

    1) All “blood moons” are, by definition, full moons
    2) Jewish festivals are always based around new or full moons, since the Jewish calendar is lunar
    3) Whether you can see an eclipse — “blood moon” or not — depends on where you stand on Earth

    When you combine these facts, the notion of some divine significance to a “blood moon” is pretty far-fetched. These are scientifically predictable events that are unremarkable when viewed without religious passion attached to them. Sure, they look beautiful — or scary, depending on your bent. But in the end, they are just shadows and timing, and no more serendipitous than noticing that your windshield wipers happen to match the rhythm of the song on the car radio — for a few seconds.

    It would be like Hagee telling you that he predicts a cold Thursday in November wherein far more turkey will be consumed than on any other day of the year, followed by a day of lavish spending and beastly shopping behavior.

    It doesn’t matter how far out he predicts it. Thanksgiving in the U.S. falls on a Thursday in November, just like how Jewish festivals fall on full and new moons.

    It’s cold in November … in this hemisphere. You can see a “blood moon” this Sunday … but only in Asia, Australia and North America. Not even in The Holy Land, where Hagee feels this event will have the most significance.

    But do buy the book and decide for yourself.

  • Blood Moon Spotted Early Wednesday

    If you were awake during the early hours of Wednesday morning, you may have had the chance to look up at the night sky to see the blood moon. Just before dawn on Wednesday, the second lunar eclipse of the year took place and was easily seen in many parts of the country.

    The eclipse began at 4:18 a.m. EST and the earth’s shadow completely covered the moon between 5:27 a.m. and 6:22 a.m.

    A lunar eclipse is what happens when the moon passes behind the shadow of the earth. The moon usually misses the shadow, but a few times a year it passes through it and causes an eclipse.

    Because the weather was fair and clear in most areas, the lunar eclipse was able to be seen in many other parts of the world as well as the United States, including Australia, western South America and parts of East Asia.

    If you weren’t able to see the blood moon this morning, check out NASA’s website for a webcast that shows the process of a lunar eclipse and offers more information about it.

    Blood moons may not happen often, but they are not as rare as most people think. Throughout history, blood moons have played a major part in the lives and traditions of many cultures. Some cultures fear blood moons and relate them to biblical prophecies of the end of the world.

    Other cultures believe the blood moon is a bad omen and can mean war, famine or impending doom.

    In the Celtic tradition, the blood moon was seen as a symbol of spiritual growth and appeared at a time when the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest.

    Did you see the blood moon this morning and do you believe it brings good luck or is it a bad omen?

  • Lunar Eclipse Gives A Full Blown Blood Moon (Photos)

    In one of the most spectacular astronomical events in years, the full lunar eclipse brought out the the experts, and the novices.

    People gathered at spots they were certain to see this rare phenomenon and took their share of photos to prove they were there to capture the “blood moon.”

    Although they aren’t NASA quality, there are actually some awesome photos circling on social media sites, and from places all over the U.S. – taken with iPhones, iPads, Galaxies and actual digital cameras.

    Post by Veġan Fred Wodnicki.

    It started around 11 pm PT, when the moon looked as if a bite had been taken out of it – and as the Earth blocked the sun, Mr. Moon took on an eerie reddish shadow.

    What made this one so rare is that this time there will be four total eclipses in a row… known as a tetrad. All of them will be visible from North America. The April eclipse is the start of this tetrad – with the others following on October 8, 2014, April 4th and September 28, 2015.

    The eclipse was simply amazing for all who had the opportunity to view it. If you missed it, no worries, another one comes around this year in October.

    Image via NASA

  • Lunar Eclipse Explained by NASA Astronomer

    Lunar Eclipse Explained by NASA Astronomer

    Tonight’s the night. Millions of people in the Earth’s western hemisphere will be treated to a spectacular event tonight when the moon falls beneath the shadow of the Earth.

    The event, called a full lunar eclipse, will cast the moon in an eerie orange light and produce an event colloquially known as a “blood moon.” The eclipse will begin at around 2 am and will continue for three hours as the moon becomes dark and eventually passes through the Earth’s shadow.

    Though not as rare as a solar eclipse, a full lunar eclipse is rare enough that it sparks curiosity among those not familiar with such an event. Like many other celestial happenings, it also brings its share of pseudo-scientific and metaphysical prophecies from astrologers and others. Luckily, real scientists are very familiar with lunar eclipses, their cause, and what people can learn from the events.

    Today NASA ‘s Goddard Space Flight Center released a new video detailing everything most anyone might want to know about the upcoming eclipse. As NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller explains in the video, the sunlight that normally produces the bright reflection seen coming from the moon will be blocked tonight by the Earth itself. Thaller even reveals that the blood moon effect and color is produced because the light reaching the moon passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, the same atmosphere that generally reflects more blue light, leaving the red-tinged edge of the visible spectrum to pass through.

    As Thaller mentions in the video, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will be reliant on battery power during the eclipse (it normally runs on solar power). Though this particular eclipse will mean the LRO will have to make two full passes withing the Earth’s shadow during the event, NASA’s LRO project scientists will be shutting off many of the probe’s instruments and are confident that the LRO will survive this eclipse, as it has many others.

    Image via NASA

  • Moon Eclipse 2014: Blood Moon Visible Mon & Tues

    The lunar eclipse scheduled to take place on April 14-15th promises to give sky watchers an unusual and even rare event.

    Lunar eclipses usually happen at random – you can get a total eclipse, followed by a prenumbra, then a partial and then another total – but this time – there will be four total eclipses in a row… known as a tetrad. All of them will be visible from North America. Tonight and tomorrow night is the start of this tetrad – with the others following on October 8, 2014, April 4th and September 28, 2015.

    Although tetrads are somewhat rare, with the exception of eight that will occur this century, this one is rare because it is the first tetrad sequence to happen while the Earth, Mars, and the Moon are aligned.

    A normal lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth align so that Earth’s shadow falls across the moon’s surface. Monday night’s lunar eclipse is a total eclipse, which means Earth’s shadow will cover the moon completely.

    The moon won’t be blacked out by our planet’s shadow. Instead, it will take on a reddish hue — anywhere from a bright copper to the brownish red of dried blood.

    Perhaps this is why we are seeing the term “blood moon” popping up all over the news.

    North America, as well as Central America and parts of South America, will have a front row seat to this rare event. If you live on the West Coast, you are especially lucky because you won’t even have to stay up too late to see it.

    The event is expected to begin at 10:20 pm PST, where a faint shadow will begin to fall on the moon. This is known as a penumbral eclipse, which is pretty subtle.

    But keep watching, because at 10:58 p.m., the partial eclipse begins and a section of the moon will appear to be missing. And later, the Earth’s shadow will move across the moon, covering more and more of its surface minute-by-minute.

    “If you were standing on the moon during a total lunar eclipse you would see the Earth as a black disk with a brilliant orange ring around it,” said Alan MacRobert, of Sky and Telescope magazine. “And this brilliant ring would be bright enough to dimly light up the lunar landscape.”

    By 12:07 am, the complete lunar surface will be in Earth’s shadow. It will be glowing red, because even though our planet is blocking out direct sunlight, the light from the sun will still make it to the lunar surface, from behind Earth. The planetary show is expected to last until around 1:25 am, PT.

    The unique term, “blood moon” that might sound a bit foreign, indeed is, as MacRobert has been writing about astronomy since 1982, and had never encountered it before.

    The astronomy website EarthSky.org suggests the phrase originated not with astronomers, but with a Christian pastor named John Hagee and his 2013 book, Four Blood Moons: Something is about to change.

    According to Hagee’s ministry website, the book “explores the supernatural connection of certain celestial events to biblical prophecy.”

    Either way, call it a red moon or blood moon, it will be something worth staying up late to observe.

    “I really urge everyone to watch the progress of this eclipse,” MacRobert said. “Whether you have a small telescope, a pair of binoculars or even just your naked eye — you’ll be seeing part of the geometry of the cosmos happening right in front of your eyes.”

    Image via NASA

  • ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible On Tuesday

    The moon is all set to turn red starting on late Monday when it aligns with the Sun and Earth, assuring a celestial spectacle for sky gazers. Astronomers claim that the total lunar eclipse will stretch into the wee hours of Tuesday.

    This rare astronomical phenomenon is the first of four consecutive lunar eclipses called a lunar tetrad. But according the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Tuesday’s eclipse will the last total lunar eclipse that will be visible from the United States until the year 2019. With favorable weather, the ‘blood moon‘ can be seen from most parts of the country, except for Alaska and New England.

    Alaskans will be able to see a partially eclipsed moon as it rises. For residents of New England, however, the moon will have set before the end of the eclipse.

    People won’t have to use binoculars or telescopes to enjoy the show stopping eclipse. Chairperson of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College, Andrew Fraknoi, stated that people need only bring their eyes to find the full moon.

    After this tetrad, the next eclipse should occur on October 8. The next series of eclipses won’t take place again until the year 2032. NASA is due to provide live coverage of the event beginning at 2 a.m. EDT on NASA TV, their official website, as well as its social media accounts.

    Despite the massive developments in astronomy and the way it has provided scientific explanations to various natural celestial phenomena, many people still maintain that there are religious and spiritual connections to eclipses – especially the ‘blood moon’. A Texas pastor named John Hagee came out with a book last year called Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change, which examines the “supernatural connection” of certain astronomical phenomena to prophecies in the bible.

    Watch the moon turn blood red.

    Image via YouTube

  • Full Lunar Eclipse Coming April 15

    Full Lunar Eclipse Coming April 15

    A full lunar eclipse is not nearly as rare as a solar eclipse, but the event still draws eyes to the heavens. This month people in the Earth’s western hemisphere will get to see the moon at its most impressive.

    Early on the morning of April 15 the moon, Earth, and the sun will be perfectly in alignment. From Earth’s perspective this will cast the Earth’s shadow across the moon’s surface – a total lunar eclipse. The moon will appear to be cast in an orange light, creating the state known as a “blood moon.”

    The event will be particularly scenic in North America, where this will be the last full lunar eclipse until the year 2019. The eclipse is scheduled to start at around 2 am EDT and will last for three hours.

    “Sometimes they’ll happen and you’ll have to be somewhere else on Earth to see them,” said Noah Petro, deputy project scientist for NASA‘s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. “Most [residents] of the continental United States will be able to see the whole thing.”

    Though the event will be a sight to see from Earth, Petro and his colleagues will be keeping careful watch on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Since the LRO relies on solar power to charge its batteries, the eclipse will mean the probe will be running without sunlight for an extended period.

    The LRO has, of course, made it through lunar eclipses in the past. This time, however, the probe will have to make two complete passes through the Earth’s shadow before the event is over. Even so, Petro predicts that the LRO will make it through unscathed.

    “For quite a while, people in LRO have been analyzing what’s going to happen during this eclipse,” said Petro. “The spacecraft will be going straight from the moon’s shadow to the Earth’s shadow while it orbits during the eclipse.

    “We’re taking precautions to make sure everything is fine. We’re turning off the instruments and will monitor the spacecraft every few hours when it’s visible from Earth.”

    Image via NASA

  • Lunar Eclipse: Peak Period Tonight at 7:50 EST

    If the weather is clear enough tonight, stargazers from around the world will get a chance to see a penumbral lunar eclipse.
    East Coasters will get a better look at the action as opposed to the West Coast of the United States because the eclipse will take place back East after the sun has set.

    The October full moon is known as the Hunter’s Moon. During the partial eclipse, the southern part of the Moon will grow darker as the eclipse occurs, this happens because the Earth’s outer shadow is casting on the Moon. Tonight’s eclipse is called a penumbral lunar eclipse because the Moon will pass through the earth’s shadow, resulting in a subtle darkening. This is opposed to a total eclipse, which is obviously more dramatic. So, there’s no guarantee that you will see the eclipse because it won’t be overtly noticeable. However, the event will last about four hours, Primetime viewing should occur around 7:50 pm.

    Don’t worry if you can’t see the eclipse because the weather isn’t great in your area. The Slooh Space Camera has their online internet feed which will bring the action to you with a live broadcast from telescopes stationed in the Canary Islands. An explanation of the eclipse will accompany the real-time images. Eclipse experts will be on the air beginning at 7:30 pm to talk about the eclipse at its peak.

    You can keep up with current information and see pictures of the eclipse on Twitter at #lunareclipse. Here are a few early tweets:

    Image via Wikipedia

    .

  • Penumbral Lunar Eclipse to Be Seen This Evening

    If there is ever an evening to gaze up at the night’s sky, tonight would be it. On October 18, 2013, a “penumbral” eclipse is in store for individuals located in the eastern half of North America and South America, all of Europe and Africa, and western Asia. The Indian subcontinent and China’s western half may notice some shading early on Saturday morning.

    To see this eclipse from the western half of North America is impossible. The penumbra will be greatly detected on the time of the deepest phase (7:50PM EDT, or 2350 GMT), therefore the eclipse occurs before the moon rises and sun sets in the western half. At this time, the penumbra will cover approximately 76.5 percent of the lunar disk.

    According to Earth Sky, a penumbral eclipse is more difficult to observe than a partial or total eclipse. This specific type of eclipse occurs when the moon moves through the outer part of Earth’s shadow. Some may observe the dark shading on the moon’s face at mid-eclipse, while others will notice nothing at all.

    (image)

    According to Fred Espenak, about 35 percent of all eclipses are penumbral, 30 are partial, and 35 are total. Tonight, the penumbral lunar eclipse will produce a slightly reddish shade upon the southernmost portion of the full moon’s surface.

    You can also watch the eclipse online since the Slooh Space Camera will air a live broadcast, with Slooh’s team of experts joining in during the eclipse’s peak. “Although a penumbral lunar eclipse might go unnoticed by someone casually glancing at the moon, we will be able to observe the gradual shading of the moon in the live images Slooh will broadcast throughout the eclipse. The shading becomes far more apparent when viewed as a time-lapse, and we’ll show viewers that during the live segment of the show,” said Paul Cox, from Slooh’s team of experts.

    Images via Fred Espenak & Wikimedia Commons

  • Lunar Eclipse Friday: Watch it Online Tonight

    Make sure you step outside this evening when the sun is setting and try to get a glimpse of the partial lunar eclipse. If the weather permits, Americans can see the penumbral lunar eclipse just as the moon is rising, and optimal viewing time for much of the U.S. will be at 7:50 E.T. For those who either can’t get outside or can’t see the lunar eclipse because of location or poor weather, a livestream of the eclipse will be shown online at Space.com.

    AccuWeather has put together a nice graphic for eclipse viewing conditions on Friday evening. People in the Northeast have a good chance to see the penumbral lunar eclipse, but viewing conditions for people outside the East Coast and South are poorer.

    (image)

    A penumbral lunar eclipse is different from a total eclipse, as only a portion of the Earth’s shadow keeps the sunlight from reaching the moon. Partial eclipses happen just a few times per year, and since the optimal viewing window is limited based on location and weather conditions, it can be hard for a lot of people to see them.

    When you step outside tonight, don’t be alarmed if you don’t notice the partial eclipse at first. Because of the nature of a penumbral lunar eclipse, they are harder to see. Combine this with trying to see the lunar eclipse as the sun is setting, seeing the eclipse will be more difficult. If you have access to a camera with a good zoom lens, binoculars or a telescope, try to have those on hand when attempting to view the lunar eclipse.

    According to Space.com’s Miriam Kramer, the shading of the lunar eclipse will be “subtle.” Kramer also says, “The moon will be partially in shadow for about four hours with the time of deepest eclipse occurring at 7:50 p.m. EDT (2350 GMT). At that moment, the Earth’s outer shadow will cover 76.5 percent of the lunar disk.”

    Check out the lunar eclipse schedule for the world on Friday below:

    (image)

    [Main image via WikiMedia Commons; Article images via AccuWeather and U.S. Navy]