Eclipse 2020 UK time: What time is the Penumbral lunar eclipse tonight?
A PENUMBRAL eclipse will shroud the Moon in Earth's shadow tonight - but what time will the eclipse be visible in the UK?
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The lunar eclipse will darken the face of the Strawberry Full Moon tonight (Friday, June 5). Astronomers predict the eclipse will last about three hours, passing over parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Unfortunately for viewers in the US, the Moon will mostly be below the horizon when the eclipse unfolds.
NASA's lunar expert Gordon Johnston said: "The Moon will be close enough opposite the Sun that it will pass through the part of the partial shadow of the Earth, called a partial penumbral eclipse of the Moon.
"During the eclipse, the Moon will not be in the sky for most of the Americans."
Parts of the eclipse will, however, be visible from the UK.
The eclipse will begin in the early evening, with the Full Moon passing overhead later in the night.
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What is a penumbral eclipse of the Moon?
A penumbral eclipse is caused by the Moon passing through the Earth's penumbral shadow.
As the Sun bathes the planet in its glow, two shadowy regions are cast directly behind Earth.
The more potent and narrower shadow is the umbra and it is responsible for total eclipses.
A second, more diffuse shadow extends on either side of the umbra and is known as the penumbra.
It will pass through the part of the partial shadow of the Earth
Unfortunately, because the penumbra is much weaker when compared to the umbra, amateur stargazers might be hardpressed to see any noticeable dip in the Moon's brightness.
Mr Johnston said: "If we could see the Moon, the slight dimming during this eclipse will not be noticeable without instrumentation.
"For spacecraft at the Moon such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), the reduction in solar power is noticeable."
You can still try your luck tomorrow. Check the below times to see when the eclipse will be visible from the UK.
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What time is the Penumbral lunar eclipse in the UK?
Tonight's eclipse is expected to last about three hours from the moment the Moon enters the penumbra.
Eclipsing will begin at about 6.45pm BST but will not be visible from the UK just yet.
The Full Moon will not rise today until after 9pm BST, when viewed from London, and even later the further up north you live.
Click here to find out what time the Full Moon will rise in your area.
The midpoint of the eclipse, also known as maximum eclipse, will occur at about 8.24pm BST.
When viewed from London, maximum eclipsing will occur low on the horizon at about 9.06pm BST.
The event will then wrap up at about 10.04pm BST.
The eclipse will be best visible in Africa, Asia and Australia.