Iranian citizens fortunate to gaze at partial lunar eclipse

17 August 2008

Tehran-Iranian citizens were lucky to witness a partial lunar eclipse from 01:40 (marking the greatest eclipse) to about 03:15 hours local time on Sunday morning.

In the midnight about 80 percent of the moon was seen to be eclipsed.

Reduced visibility of the moon occurred hours after nationwide celebrations on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the last Imam of Shiites, Hazrat Mahdi (May God Hasten His Reappearance), who is also known as `Imam of the Age.'
The experience featured the earth's shadow sweeping past the moon late night, turning a shining full moon into a dim red one and finally blackening it out of view.

The event actually happened from 01:06:07-04:14:16 am but the time it was observed in Iran was the 01:40-03:15 am interval.

All of Iran could witness the eclipse which was also visible from South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

That was the 29th of 83 lunar eclipses in the saros cycle. The next will be a penumbral eclipse on February 9, 2009.

Director of Iran's Planetarium and Amateur Astronomers Association Masood Atiqi had told IRNA Saturday that the remarkable event would be observable from 12:05:45 pm hours local time.

It was safe to watch the lunar eclipse with naked eyes and it was not harmful to the eyes.