A Noob's Guide To The Special "Blood Moon" Eclipse Happening On 8 October
Malaysia will get to see a "blood moon" eclipse on 8 October. What does it mean? Why does it happen? Read on.
By Darian Goh — 07 Oct 2014, 01:30 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
On 8 October, Malaysian skies will be treated to a total lunar eclipse for the second time this year
Tomorrow night, Malaysian skies will be treated to a total lunar eclipse for the second time this year.
Image via businessinsider.comThe eclipse means that our planet’s Moon will almost disappear from view, as the light it usually reflects from the Sun will be blocked by the Earth. What you will see is a blood red globe, as light bends around Earth’s atmosphere on its way from Sun to Moon.
Lunar eclipses are nonetheless quite cool, and this is the second total lunar eclipse of the year, following the first on April 15th. There will be two more before the 16-month period of the tetrad ends, on April 5, 2015, as well as September 28 of that year.
A total lunar eclipse is a phenomenon where "the Earth is perfectly aligned between the moon and the sun, with the moon hiding behind Earth in its umbra"
A total lunar eclipse is a phenomenon where "the Earth is perfectly aligned between the moon and the sun, with the moon hiding behind Earth in its umbra"
Image via wonderhowto.comA total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is perfectly aligned between the moon and the sun, with the moon hiding behind Earth in its umbra.
Eclipses occur two or three times per year when the sun, Earth and the full moon line up so that the moon passes through Earth’s shadow.
thestar.com.myUmbra: The fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse. - Google
Eclipse: An obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination - Google
This eclipse is called the "Blood Moon" eclipse and a good reason so. Observers will notice that the moon will be a slight tinge of orange and red. Besides that, this phenomenon will occur for two years every six months.
This eclipse is called the "Blood Moon" eclipse and a good reason so. Observers will notice that the moon will be a slight tinge of orange and red.
Image via startribune.comThe moon will appear orange or red, the result of sunlight scattering off Earth's atmosphere. That's why it's called a blood moon.
msn.comBeyond its occurrence over two heavily populated continents, the event has kicked off a lunar eclipse tetrad (group of four). For two years, a lunar eclipse will occur over the Western Hemisphere every six months. In addition to April 14-15, mark your calendars for this October 8 and for April 4 and September 28, 2015.
nationalgeographic.com
Well, a "Blood Moon" eclipse happens when light from the sun bends through the earth's atmosphere and reflects onto the moon. On earth, we experience this as sunrises and sunsets and this very same light is reflected off the surface of the moon.
On earth, we experience this as sunrises and sunsets and this very same light is reflected off the surface off the moon.
Image via tnwcdn.comFun fact: tomorrow’s total lunar eclipse, like the one before it, is a “blood moon” eclipse, where light from the Sun bends through the atmosphere of the Earth — what we experience as sunrises and sunsets around the planet — and shines onto the surface of the Moon. That reflection off the surface of the moon — known as its albedo — is around 0.12, so only 12 per cent of the light shining onto it from Earth’s collective sunsets and sunrises during the eclipse is reflected back for us to see.
The term "Blood Moon" was popularised by two Christian pastors who took it as a sign of the end times and judgement day is near. However, blood moon eclipses have occurred quite a number of times throughout history.
Past tetrads that coincided with violent events have given rise to the outrageous Blood Moon prophecy, formed by controversial US evangelist Mark Biltz who first made the claim in 2008 that this ongoing tetrad of 'blood moons' will bring significant changes to the world. Biltz' claims found support in fellow evangelist John Hagee, who is also no stranger to conspiracy theories. While Biltz believes that the final eclipse on Sep 28, 2015 will mark the Second Coming, Hagee says that the tetrad will have serious implications for the course of history in Israel. Both have written books and spoken at length detailing their claims.
thestar.com.myThe “blood moon” is a simple enough effect in scientific terms, but this current tetrad has been picked up on by two Christian pastors, John Hagee and Mark Biltz, as a timely sign of the end times and as proof that Judgement Day is imminent, hinging on the fact that the eclipses fall on both the significant Jewish holidays of Passover and Sukkot. Rather than blindly speculate whether Blitz and Hagee are right or not, we’ll point you to the experts at Earth & Sky, who say that blood moon eclipses have occurred at least eight times during both Passover and Sukkot in the last 2000 years.
If you're in Peninsular Malaysia, catch it tomorrow, 8 October, in its full glory at 7PM Malaysian time. It will last approximately 20 minutes, so grab a good spot to get a clear view of it! In East Malaysia, it will start an hour earlier so don't miss it.
