Eclipse, meteor shower today

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) yesterday said stargazers would be treated to a partial lunar eclipse and a meteor shower today.

The Pagasa said that the eclipse of 2010 would be visible in the Philippines as a partial lunar eclipse. Its magnitude would be 54.2 percent and would be seen primarily in some parts of America, the Pacific Ocean, Antartica, eastern Asia and Australasia.

In the Philippines, the eclipse would start at 4:55 p.m. and end at 10:21 p.m.

In Manila, the moon would rise at 6:28 p.m. today, and set at 5:04 a.m. tomorrow.

Pagasa said “lunar eclipses are safe to watch and observers need not use any kind of protective filters for the eyes. A pair of binoculars would help magnify the view and would make the red coloration of the moon brighter.”

Pagasa also said the annual June Bootid meteor shower is worth observing. It is usually active from June 26 until July 2, but peaks on June 27, Pagasa said.