PANJIM: Impatient children and hassled parents watched as the rare rising total lunar eclipse was gradually visible for star gazers at the Public Astronomical Observatory in Panjim.
This rare occurrence was the result of the Sun, Earth, and Moon lining up perfectly for a lunar eclipse just as the moon is near its closest orbit point to Earth, a mere 3,60,200 kilometers away at the peak of the eclipse, close enough for super moon status.
Association of Friends of Astronomy Goa president Satish Nayak said, “It is a very rare phenomenon. It is a once in two decades event. It is called a snow blue super rising copper total lunar eclipse. Today the moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth and the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. Traditionally every full moon has a unique name and the second full moon of January is called a snow moon.”
He went on to say this was the last of three consecutive super moons – December 3, 2017, January 1, 2018 and January 31, 2018. It is an extremely special occurrence that all three seasonal full moons of the astronomical winter of 2017/18 are super moons. This happened previously in 2016 and will again happen in 2020. He went on to say that the super moon is a phenomenon in which the full moon phase occurs when the moon is at perigee (closest approach to Earth). Scientifically this phenomenon is known as lunar perigee syzygy. The next time this coincidence happens will be on 31 March 2037.
With a large crowd present on the terrace of the observatory, there were children trying to take a peek at the moon through the telescope. Cornel Estibeiro, who was present with his father Ajoy Estibeiro, said he was excited but wanted to see the moon when it was all bright and he hoped to see it in 19 years when he would be a man.
Another young man who decided to watch this rare occurrence was Atish Prabhudesai said it was exciting to be present for something that happens once every 20-odd years. He said “Even though there were a few clouds earlier in the evening, we could see it in all its glory. I was tracking it on the youtube channel as well as the NASA link. This will be visible next in 2037 I can say I was present at least once when it happened.”
Shabaz Pathan who visits the facility on occasion said it was something new and he said with the next occurrence due in 2037, he could say that he was present for this one.
