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Total Lunar Eclipse Tints Moon Red Over Parts of Japan as Clouds Block Much of the Country

Pockets of clear sky broke through a low-pressure system, giving viewers an hour of copper-red totality.

Overview

  • The Moon began to enter Earth's shadow around 6:49–6:50 p.m. JST, with totality from about 8:03–8:04 p.m. lasting roughly one hour.
  • A low-pressure system brought widespread rain and snow that thwarted viewing across many regions.
  • Clear breaks in Okinawa, Kyushu including Miyazaki, and parts of Hokkaido enabled sightings and photographs of the dark red disk.
  • The reddish appearance occurred because Earth's atmosphere scatters blue light and refracts longer red wavelengths onto the Moon.
  • The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan says the next total lunar eclipse visible from Japan is expected before dawn on January 1, 2029.