Today in the history of astronomy, the moon becomes dark – and red.
The same aerosol that made the sunset spectacular after the explosion of L. Chichon in 1982, also affected the color and shading of Lunar eclipse of July 6. Credit: Neil M. Wet/Wikimedia Commons
- On July 6, 1982, the lunar eclipse lasted for 1 hour, 45 minutes and 44 seconds.
- The eclipse was visible in many continents.
- Erosol, a volcanic of L Chichon affected the presence of the received.
- The moon appeared unusually dark, especially in its upper half.
The total lunar eclipse of July 6, 1982 was the longest lunar eclipse of the 20th century, with the totality 1 hour 45 minutes 44 seconds. Visible in Australia, Pacific, America and West Africa, Eclipse in Mexico was dramatically affected by the March-April 1982 explosion of El Chichon volcano. A volcanic eruption injects sulfur dioxide and water vapor into stratosphere, forcing sulfuric acid haze. Such clouds can persist for years, filter sunlight, affect surface temperature, reduce solar radiation, and create unusually luxurious colorful sunrise and sunset. During the lunar eclipse of 1982, it also gave the moon a different appearance: the top and the middle were deep, while the bottom was shaded in red. Specifically black appearance of the upper half of the moon suggested that volcanic aerosols were more present in the Northern Hemisphere.
