Total lunar eclipse visible on June 16, says Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the country and other parts of the world this Thursday.

PAGASA said the eclipse will begin at 1:23 a.m. (Philippine time) and will end at 7:02 a.m.

“In Manila, the moon will rise at 6:03 p.m. on June 15 and will set at 4:38 a.m. on June 16,” PAGASA said in its monthly astronomical diary.

However, the weather bureau said a low pressure area off Puerto Princesa City, Palawan is expected to bring cloudy skies with rainshowers over most parts of the country which may block much if not most of the eclipse.

The low pressure area was spotted 10 kilometers west southwest of Puerto Princesa City and is embedded along the intertropical convergence zone affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“This weather system is expected to bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao becoming widespread rains over Palawan, Mindoro and Southern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides,” it said.

The agency said the total lunar eclipse will be seen from the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and western Australia.

Observers throughout Europe, however, will miss the early stages of the eclipse because they occur before moonrise, it said. Totality will be seen throughout the continent except for northern Scotland and northern Scandinavia, it said.

Eastern Asia, eastern Australia, and New Zealand will miss the last stages of eclipse because they occur after moonset, the agency added.

It said observers in eastern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina will also witness totality.

However, none of the eclipse will be visible from North America. At mid-eclipse, the moon is near the zenith for observers from Reunion and Mauritius, PAGASA said.

According to the weather bureau, lunar eclipses are safe to watch and observers need not use any kind of protective filters in the eyes.

“A pair of binoculars will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration of the moon brighter,” it said.