July's stargazing evening will be held at the Club's premises in Pearly Beach on the evening of the 27th July to coincide with the total lunar eclipse and Mars's close approach. We will also be supplying a live feed to Slooh from the Club's observatory in Pearly Beach.
A total lunar eclipse of the Moon occurs on the evening of July 27th. The Moon enters the Earth's shadow (umbra) at 20:24, with totality starting at 21:29, noting the colouration and darkness of the eclipse (Danjon number).
Unlike a solar eclipse (visible from a much narrower path), a lunar eclipse is visible anywhere on Earth where the Moon is in the sky at the time.
Total lunar eclipses can last up to 100 minutes, and do not need any eye protection (unlike solar eclipses). During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon darkens gradually as it moves through the penumbra (Earths outer shadow), and then more noticeably as it enters the umbra. The appearance of the Moon during totality depends on how much light is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere. The umbra is usually copper coloured, sometimes very dark, and occasionally distorted.
The eclipse will be visible from southern Africa, as well as Antarctica, Australia, Russia (except the northernmost part), Asia, Scandinavia, Europe,
All about Mars and the Mars Hoax!
If you were wondering what that bright red star rising in the east is at around 20:00 in Pearly Beach and surrounds, it is none other than the red planet Mars. The planet is now brighter than the brightest star in the evening sky, Sirius, and will soon outshine Jupiter when it reaches opposition on the 27th July. At opposition, Mars will reach its closest approach to Earth at 57.6 million kilometers away. The last time this happened was in 2003 when the red planet was just 55.8 million kilometers distant The 2003 opposition was the closest to the Earth in 60 000 years and this record will not be broken until the 2287 opposition on the 28th August (55.6 km).
The 2003 opposition also yielded the famous Mars Hoax, that went viral, doing its rounds every year around September. The hoax claims that Mars will be as big and as bright as the full Moon! So, while Mars will continue to brighten in our evening skies, appearing 5 times brighter than usual when it reaches opposition, the planet is only half the size of Earth. So even at closest approach it will be 24.3 arc seconds across when seen from Earth, while in comparison, the Moon is 1 800 arc seconds (half a degree), roughly 75 times larger. So don't be fooled.
