Tomorrow morning, Vietnam will see a record-long lunar eclipse.

Early morning on June 16, if weather conditions are favorable, Vietnam and other countries around the world can observe an unusually long total lunar eclipse.

According to AP, if the weather is favorable, East Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and western Australia will see the total lunar eclipse from the beginning to the end. In Vietnam, this phenomenon will be clearly visible at about 2 am tomorrow morning.

The period when the Earth's shadow completely covers the moon - known as a total lunar eclipse - will last for about 100 minutes. The last time the moon was covered for that long was in July 2000, when the eclipse lasted 107 minutes.

The moon is obscured by the Earth during a total lunar eclipse. Photo: AP

In Vietnam, according to Mr. Dang Tuan Duy, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club, the penumbral lunar eclipse will begin at 0:22 on June 16 when the moon enters the Earth's penumbral shadow, but the penumbral lunar eclipse will be very difficult to detect because the moon is only slightly darker than normal.

According to Mr. Duy, the best time to start observing is 1:22 a.m., when the partial lunar eclipse begins. The color of the Earth’s shadow on the moon will gradually change from grayish black to red as the shadow grows larger.

The total lunar eclipse will begin at 2:22 a.m., when the entire moon will turn red. The total eclipse will reach its peak at 3:12 a.m., when the moon will be tinged with a beautiful coppery red.

"We will continue to observe the total lunar eclipse until 4:02 a.m. After that, the moon will gradually leave the shadow area, and its color will gradually return to normal until the moon leaves the shadow area completely at 5:02 a.m. and the partial lunar eclipse ends," said Mr. Duy.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong, Vietnam Astronomy and Space Association, said that unlike a solar eclipse, observing a lunar eclipse does not affect human health, so it can be observed with the naked eye.

He also noted that when observing the phenomenon, observers should choose an area with few high-rise buildings, facing southwest, and prepare all necessary equipment for observation.

According to NASA calculations, in 2011, the next total lunar eclipse will take place on December 10, the moon will be completely obscured for 52 minutes. The best observation areas are Asia and Australia. During this lunar eclipse, Vietnam will have more favorable conditions to observe.

A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the moon comes into a straight line with the earth and the sun, so that it is hidden by the earth's shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse lasts longer because the earth's shadow is quite large compared to the moon.

When the moon enters the umbra, we have a partial lunar eclipse. When the moon passes completely into the umbra, we have a total lunar eclipse, which we will see early tomorrow morning.

According to VnExpress