Penumbral lunar eclipse tonight, partially visible in Italy – Corriere.it

tonight there will be aPenumbral lunar eclipse, which will also be partially visible in Italy. The best place to observe it will be south-eastern Sicily (Catania, Syracuse, Ragusa), the phenomenon will be less evident but as you go up the peninsula towards the north-west. Penumbral eclipse means that our natural satellite does not completely enter the cone of shadow formed by the Earth, but only the one in penumbra with respect to the Sun. Therefore the visible side of the Moon will not appear red as it does during total eclipses, but only slightly shadedand not even for the whole hemisphere facing the Earth.

Just popping out of the horizon

Also, as far as Italy is concerned, the eclipse it will only be visible when the Moon rises above the horizon, when the maximum moment of the phenomenon will have passed but for us it will not be visible as the Moon will be just below the horizon. According to experts, a penumbral eclipse with the eclipsed area less than 60% difficult to discern with the naked eye. It should also be considered that the Moon will be very low on the horizon and therefore to best observe it it will be necessary to have a panorama free from buildings, reliefs or trees.

Timetables in Italy

At the latitude of Milan the eclipse will begin at 20.36 and end at 21.30 with the maximum moment at 20.40 when the surface of the Moon will be eclipsed by 56.1%. TO Rome the eclipse will begin at 20.13 and end at 21.31 with a maximum peak at 20.16 when the surface will be 75.6% in penumbra. Chief Sparrow in Sicily it will be the most favored Italian location: the eclipse will begin at 19.49 and end at 21.31, the maximum peak will be at 19.52 with coverage of 89.1% of the Moon.