Total lunar eclipse coming Tuesday

A total lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of Vietnam tomorrow.

Hanoi Education University’s astronomy instructor Nguyen Anh Vinh said the eclipse would begin at 2.53.39pm.

The eclipse will begin in full around 4.52pm.

The eclipse’s maximum point will occur at 5.37.22pm and the phenomenon will end at 6.22.24pm, according to Vinh.

Portions of mainland Vietnam will not be able to see the eclipse at all while some areas will be able to view the last half of the eclipse after the 5.37pm pinnacle.

Soldiers on the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa Islands will be able to see most of the eclipse’s strongest parts around and after 4.52pm. Residents on Con Dao and select groups of lucky coastal viewers may be able to catch glimpses of this part of the eclipse as well.

But visibility will be very limited due to the early occurrence of the eclipse as the bright afternoon sky will most likely drown out the phenomenon in most areas.

According to the U.S. space agency NASA, the eclipse, 2007’s second total lunar eclipse, will be at least partially visible in parts of North and South America, the pacific islands, Australia and western New Zealand.

Where visible, the Earth’s shadow will creep across the moon’s surface, slowly eclipsing it and turning it shades of orange and red.

Those on Polynesian islands will see the phenomenon most clearly while Europe, Africa and the Middle East won’t have a chance to view it.

The year’s first total lunar eclipse occurred on March 4 for 90 minutes.

The next one will occur in February 21st, 2008 and will be visible in Americas, Europe and Asia.