World11 January 20202 min read

Wolf moon: Full moon and lunar eclipse delight skywatchers

Skywatchers have been treated to the first full moon of 2020 - known as a "wolf moon" - at the same time as a lunar eclipse. Those gazing up at the skies on Friday, weather permitting, would have seen a penumbral lunar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes through the Earth

Editorial Team Legacy

Published 11 January 2020, 8:00 · Updated 21:38

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Wolf moon: Full moon and lunar eclipse delight skywatchers

Skywatchers have been treated to the first full moon of 2020 - known as a "wolf moon" - at the same time as a lunar eclipse.

Those gazing up at the skies on Friday, weather permitting, would have seen a penumbral lunar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow.

The phenomenon, which began at 17:00 GMT in the UK and ended at around 21:00, saw the moon move into Earth's penumbra, or outer shadow, causing it to look darker than normal.

Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said people in the UK would be able to see the display "nice and clearly".

"It will be rising in the east as the sun sets in the west, and we'll be able to observe it throughout the night," he said.

The Met Office said "lovely clear skies" were expected for south-east England. But skies may be cloudier in the western parts of the country, with heavy rain expected across northern Ireland and Scotland.

The next full moon will occur on 9 February, which is known as "snow moon".

Wolf moon: Full moon and lunar eclipse delight skywatchers

Editorial Team Legacy

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