Dim Lunar Eclipse Visible in Western Hemisphere Sat. Night / Sun. Morning

                                           
                                              Photographs of a Penumbral Lunar
                                              Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the
                                              Moon in January of 1999 shows the
                                              dimming of the Southern Hemisphere
                                              (top half of the Moon in these photos)
                                              of the Moon (left photo) compared to
                                              the Moon seen outside of the Earth's
                                              shadow (right photo).
                                              (Image Sources: Wikipedia.org , By SockPuppetForTomruen (talk) - I
                                                             created this work entirely by myself. Transferred from en.wikipedia, Public
                                                             Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17097701)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Late Saturday evening into Sunday morning, very observant viewers in most of Earth's Western Hemisphere (as well as most of Africa and Western Europe) may be able to see a dim Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon.

A Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon is the type of eclipse which is safe to look at with the naked-eyes (one-power), binoculars, and telescopes.

During a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon, the Earth's solar shadow shines on part or all of the Moon, at or very close to the time of the Full Moon phase. The Earth actually casts two shadows: the main and darker Umbral Shadow along with the secondary and dimmer Penumbral Shadow.

In the case of a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon, the Earth's Umbral Shadow completely envelops the Moon. In the case of a Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon, only part of the Moon is covered by the Umbral Shadow.

In the case of a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon, only the dimmer Penumbral Shadow covers part or all of the Moon. A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon is dimmer than a Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon.

Of course, weather conditions have to be clear to have a chance to see this eclipse. However, the shading of the Moon during such a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon is extremely subtle, and not everyone may be able to tell when the eclipse is occurring.

One strategy for successfully observing a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon could be the following: Note the time of greatest eclipse (given below); first look at the Moon a couple hours before the time of greatest eclipse; then, follow the Moon as the eclipse progresses and see if you can notice the dimming of the Moon's image.

And, if you have a light-meter, you could take measurements a couple hours before the eclipse, and while the eclipse is progressing.

This Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon could be visible to viewers in South America, most of North America (except Alaska, the northern-most sections of Canada, and Iceland), southern tip of Greenland, most of Africa, Western Europe, Atlantic Ocean, and most of the Pacific Ocean.

       Times of Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon Eclipse Phases

             (EDT = Eastern Daylight Saving Time; UTC = Coordinated Universal Time)

                                Saturday, 2020 July 4 to Sunday, 2020 July 5

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Begins:                                    11:07:23 p.m. EDT / 3:07:23 UTC

Greatest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:                                  12:30:02.2 a.m. EDT / 4:30:02.2 UTC

Primary Moon Phase - Full Moon:                                      12:44 a.m. EDT / 4:44 UTC

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Ends:                                           1:52:27 a.m. EDT / 5:52:27 UTC

Special Note: Although the times given for the beginning and ending of the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon are the correct times, it is highly unlikely that the beginning and ending can be viewed visually. On average, a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon is only visible approximately one-half-hour before until one-half-hour after the time of greatest eclipse.

Actual observations with precise times, of when such an eclipse is first visible and when the eclipse is no longer visible, would be valuable information for research scientists. Precise times can be determined from government time service radio stations, such as the following stations serving North America ---

• Short-Wave: WWV, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Short-Wave: WWVH, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Short-Wave: CHU, National Research Council of Canada
• Consumer “Atomic Clocks” Corrected Periodically by Long-Wave Radio Station WWVB, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology

SPECIAL ALERT: Do not confuse a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon with a Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun. Never look directly at any Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun unless you have the proper equipment and proper training to do so safely! Otherwise, eye-sight could be damaged, permanently!

SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAFE VIEWING:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/FAQ/soleclipse/solareclipseviewingtips.html

The July Full Moon is known as the Buck Moon, as it usually occurs around the time bucks are beginning to grow new antlers. Some people refer to the July Full Moon as the Thunder Moon, due to the many electrical storms prevalent during the "Dog Days of Summer," approximately July 3 to August 11.

Native Americans also referred to the July Full Moon as the Hay Moon, Buffalo (Bull) Moon, and the Hot Sun Moon.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the July Full Moon is known as the Wolf Moon, Old Moon, and Ice Moon.

And, this year's July 5 Full Moon is also known, in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, as the Short-Night Moon. This is due to the fact that it is seen in the sky for less time in one night than any other Full Moon of the year, due to its low astronomical declination in the sky.

As the Sun appears high in the sky (high in astronomical declination) near the Summer Solstice (which was June 20), at the same time of the year the Moon appears to travel low in the sky resulting in a later Moon-rise and an earlier Moon-set.

Most years the Full Moon of June is the Short-Night Moon. However, since this year's July Full Moon is closer to the Sumner Solstice than the June Full Moon, the July Full Moon is the Short-Night Moon for 2020.

Also, Saturday (2020 July 4), in addition to being U.S. Independence Day, is Earth Aphelion Day, the one day when Earth is farther from the Sun (at 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC, at a distance of 94,507,634.78783841 statute miles / 152,095,295 kilometers) than any other day of the year. Although the coldest time of the year, the Earth's closest approach to the Sun actually occurred on January 5 at 2:47 a.m. EST / 7:47 UTC (91,398,199 statute miles / 147,091,144 kilometers).

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon, 2020 July 4 to 5 --
More Information:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/astrocalendar/2020.html#luneclipse20200705

More about a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon:
Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse

Related Blog Posts ---

"Dim Lunar Eclipse in Eastern Hemisphere Friday / Saturday." Fri., 2020 June 5.
Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2020/06/dim-lunar-eclipse-visible-in-eastern.html

"Dim Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Early Wed. Morning" Tue., 2016 March 22.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/03/dim-penumbral-lunar-eclipse-early-wed.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.
              Saturday, 2020 July 4.

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
< http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/ >
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >