Nigeria To Experience Longest Total Lunar Eclipse On Friday – Scientist

Nigeria will on Friday night experience a
spectacular total lunar eclipse, which will last for
one hour, Prof. Augustine Ubachukwu, has said.
Ubachukwu, the leader of Astronomy and
Astrophysics Research Group of the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka, disclosed this on Thursday in
an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in
Abuja.
He said: “Nigeria is set to experience a very
spectacular total lunar eclipse on Friday, July 27,
weather permitting.
“It will be visible from 9:30.p.m. and last till 11:
220 p.m.
“This total lunar eclipse will be primarily  visible
from the world’s Eastern Hemisphere, which
are Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New
Zealand.
“Part of South America will be able to watch the
final stages of the eclipse just after sunset on
July 27.
“New Zealand will catch the beginning stages of
the eclipse before sunrise on July 28.
“It will be the century’s longest total lunar eclipse
with a whopping one hour and 43 minutes in
totality.
“It starts with a partial eclipse at 7:24 p.m. The
total eclipse begins at 8.30 p.m., and ends at
10.13 p.m. The peak of the eclipse will occur at
9.22 p.m. The partial eclipse ends at 11.19
p.m.’’
Ubachukwu observed that a lunar eclipse could
occur only on the night of a full moon.
The scientist said during a total lunar eclipse, the
earth completely blocks direct sunlight from
reaching the moon, while the only light reflected
from the lunar surface would be refracted by
earth’s atmosphere.
According to him, unlike solar eclipses, lunar
eclipses are safe to view without any eye
protection or special precautions as they
appear dimmer than the full moon.
The professor, however, said that the next total
lunar eclipse that would be visible in Nigeria
would occur on January 21, 2019.
Prof. Rabiu Babatunde, the Director, Centre for
Atmospheric Research in Kogi told NAN that
people should not be perturbed at the
occurrence.
Babatunde said that the event underscored the
fact that planetary objects, including the earth
were in a state of defined continuous motion.
He said that the occurrence necessitated the
need for scientists to continue monitoring and
exploring the dynamics of the motion and the
phenomena associated with them.
He said: “Keeping tab on the dynamics will
enable scientists sensitise the global community
of any hazard associated with such
occurrences.’’