Moon to glow a coppery red on August 28 full lunar eclipse

The second total lunar eclipse of 2007 would happen just hours after midnight on Tuesday morning, August 28th, but the moon wont likely disappear completely.

Washington, Aug 27 : The second total lunar eclipse of 2007 would happen just hours after midnight on Tuesday morning, August 28th, but the moon won't likely disappear completely.

It will glow as an eerie, coppery red disk in the sky, due to sunlight scattering around the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, astronomers have said.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon form a nearly straight line in space, so that the full Moon passes through Earth's shadow.

Unlike a solar eclipse, which requires special equipment to observe safely, a lunar eclipse can be watched with the unaided eyes. Binoculars or a telescope enhances the view dramatically.

The outer part of Earth's shadow, called the penumbra, creates only slight dusky shading on the lunar disk. But as the Moon begins to move into the central and darkest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra, there's an obvious and ever-larger "bite" in the full Moon. The partial eclipse is then under way.

The total eclipse begins when the Moon is fully within the umbra.

On August 28th, the total lunar eclipse would last 1 hour 31 minutes, but the moon likely won't disappear completely.

Light from all the sunrises and sunsets in progress around Earth at the time would make the moon glow a coppery red, astronomers said.

ANI