Tanzania to experience total lunar eclipse on Sunday
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA will witness a total lunar eclipse on Sunday night starting from sunset, with coastal residents expected to see the entire moon covered and gradually turning dark.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily News, astronomer Dr Noorali Jiwaji confirmed the rare celestial event, noting that while the eclipse will be most dramatic along the coast, interior regions will also see the moon darkening.
This Sundays eclipse comes at a very convenient time in the evening and with clear skies expected. Everyone across the country will be able to enjoy watching the moon completely covered, turning into a dark red colour, explained Dr Jiwaji, a senior lecturer in Physics and astronomy expert at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT).
He added that such favourable conditions will not occur again until October 18, 2032, exactly seven years from now.
So, everyone should take this opportunity to witness this wonderful astronomical spectacle on a weekend when they are resting, directly from outside their homes, with the naked eye, even without a telescope, he encouraged.
Dr Jiwaji further explained that during a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through different parts of earth’s shadow, creating various visible stages. The umbra, he said, is the darkest part of the shadow, during which the moon becomes completely dark, an event scientifically referred to as a total lunar eclipse.
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In Tanzania, the lunar eclipse will begin with the penumbral phase, where a very faint shadow is hardly noticeable, starting at 6:28 pm. This will be followed by the partial eclipse at 7:27 pm, leading into the full eclipse phase beginning at 8:31 pm.
The maximum eclipse, when the moon is completely covered, will occur at 9:12 pm. The full eclipse will end at 9:53 pm, with the partial eclipse concluding by 10:56 pm. Finally, the penumbral eclipse will end at 11:55 pm, marking the conclusion of this spectacular celestial event.
