It was an event not to be missed. Visible only from Australia, across most of the United States, western South America and southeast Asia, the total lunar eclipse on May 26, 2021 has conquered all lovers of astronomy. A celestial spectacle all the more remarkable since it coincided with a "super moon": our natural satellite appeared larger than the average (it is currently at its perigee, the point closest to the Earth) and more bright 30%. The inhabitants of the regions of the world where the eclipse was visible were therefore able to discover a super moon becoming red-orange in color, reminiscent of the glow at the time of sunrise or sunset.
The event, which occurs once a decade, only lasted about ten minutes.
It started at 1:11 p.m. KST and ended at 1:25 p.m., evening in Sydney and before dawn in Los Angeles.
Unlike a solar eclipse, the phenomenon is harmless to eyesight.
In history, lunar or solar eclipses were a bad omen, especially among the Incas.
Some Australian Aboriginal communities also saw it as a sign that someone who had left had been injured or killed.
Those who miss Wednesday's show will have to wait until 2033 to witness the next “Blood Moon,” as the Americans call it.