IRISH stargazers were left raging after a rare total lunar eclipse was overshadowed by cloud this morning.
The dramatic “Blood Moon” was forecast to be seen during the eclipse in the early hours of this morning, with westernmost parts of Europe set to get a glimpse.
This occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon all line up casting a shadow in its path.
As it happened overnight, the moon glowed in a reddish colour, a rare phenomenon.
While the Blood Moon, a name coined by Native American tribes, was spotted at around 6am from Blackrock Castle Observatory in Co Cork, many others were left disappointed by the view.
This morning, Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather asked his followers if anyone had managed to spot it as he gave the mornings forecast.
One person wrote: “I got up extra early to see it and it was raining, gutted!”
Another in Letterkenny said: “Been up since 5am, now 6:30am, and soooo cloudy can’t see a feckin thing.”
A third added: “Can’t believe the weather leading up to this and then clouds for days last night.”
A fourth said: “Can’t see anything with the rain.”
Another added: “Sadly cloudy and raining, no moon since 5:30am.”
The major event was the first total lunar eclipse since 2022, but stargazers won’t have to wait as long to see another.
Another lunar phenomenon is forecasted to make an appearance in September of this year.
The micromoon event will see the moon at the farthest point from the earth.
This will make it appear around seven per cent smaller than normal.
PROTECTING YOUR EYES IN ECLIPSE
ONLOOKERS must always observe a solar eclipse with caution, even if it’s a partial eclipse.
You should never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection, which includes:
- Eclipse glasses
- Solar filters
- Solar telescope
Anyone in an area the eclipse will be seen will need to wear eclipse glasses or use solar filters to safely view this event.
Cameras and binoculars should only be used with solar filters during the partial phases.
You’ll need to remove the solar filters during totality if you want to capture the sight on camera.
But you must keep an eye on the time so you know when the sun is about to remerge, otherwise it could damage your camera and your eyes.
Only buy eclipse glasses and solar filters from trusted sources, as there are reports of fake and poorly made glasses flooding the internet.
This is in contrast to the supermoon which was seen during the lunar eclipse in 2022.
And later this month, a partial solar eclipse is set to appear, with the moon blocking out the sun’s light on Earth.
This will be seen from eastern Canada, parts of Europe, northern Russia and northwest Africa on March 29.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse are being reminded that viewing this with the naked eye can be dangerous.
It is advised to use special eclipse glasses or pinhole projectors to ensure your eyes are safe.
