Total lunar eclipse visible on May 5

A total eclipse of the moon on May 5 will be visible in the Philippines and in some parts of the world, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

PAGASA said that in Manila, the moon will rise at 5:44 p.m. on May 4 and will set the next day at 5:36 a.m., when the Moon enters the Earth’s penumbra or the outer, lighter part of the Earth’s shadow.

The moon enters the umbra, or the dark central region of the Earth’s shadow at 2:48 a.m. and will enter totality at 3:52 a.m.

"During the one-hour, 16-minute totality, the moon’s color will change to a vivid red or orange. The reason for this is the current clarity of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which always refracts some reddened sunlight into our planet’s shadow," PAGASA said, adding that using binoculars will help magnify the view and make the red coloration of the moon brighter.

The moon "leaves totality" at 5:08 a.m., but it will begin to leave the umbra only at 6:12 a.m. and leave the penumbra at 7:09 a.m., PAGASA said.

The next lunar eclipse will be on Oct. 28, but it will not be visible from the Philippines.