Total lunar eclipse over Germany – first images

Berlin. This evening, Germany witnessed a spectacle that can only be seen every few years: a total lunar eclipse. And at a time when most people were still awake. The eclipse began around 7:30 p.m. and ended shortly before 9 p.m. Afterward, the moon was only partially in shadow.

A lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon. The Earth, illuminated by the sun, casts a shadow into space like a parasol. When the moon passes through this shadow, a lunar eclipse is visible. When the moon is completely within this shadow, it is called a total eclipse.

However, this lunar eclipse had one drawback: The Earth's satellite didn't appear over Germany until it was already completely in the sun's shadow, as Carolin Liefke from the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg had explained in advance. Since it isn't currently an exceptionally large "supermoon," it was more difficult to spot on the horizon. "It's even possible that you won't be able to see it until it's already out of total darkness," Liefke explained.

It may have seemed unusual that the Moon was never as darkened as one would expect during a solar eclipse. It shimmered reddish during the eclipse because the Sun's rays were refracted by the Earth's atmosphere.

Very long, red rays of sunlight are scattered into the shadow zone, illuminating the moon red. The intensity of this effect depended, among other things, on the smog in the air.

Those who missed the event could plan a vacation in America or Asia on March 3, 2026. In Germany, the next opportunity will be on December 31, 2028.

RND/dpa