A total lunar eclipse will be visible from South Africa on June 15, the South African Astronomical Observatory says.
“The last total lunar eclipse visible from this region was in February 2008 and the next one will only be in September 2015,” the observatory said.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth, preventing the rays of the sun from striking the moon.
“Though lunar eclipses happen at least twice a year, any given eclipse will only be visible from certain parts of the world. Furthermore, total lunar eclipses are also rarer,” said the observatory.
The eclipse will start happening at 8.23pm and the total eclipse will last from 9.22pm to 11.03pm.
“During the total lunar eclipse, the moon will most likely have a dark copper red hue on it. This is because a great quantity of the blue light will be removed by the earth’s atmosphere through scattering of small particles, letting mainly the red part of the sunlight through.”
Viewing a lunar eclipse does not require taking any eye safety precautions. — Sapa