The peak of the eclipse will be at 05:05, and it will be possible to observe it without an aid. This is the 19th eclipse out of the Saros series number 136 which contains 72 eclipses in total
Yigal Fattal, Israeli Astronomical Society
Direct link to this page: https://www.hayadan.org.il/likui281004.html
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in Israel early Thursday morning, October 28. The peak of the eclipse will be at 05:05. Admittedly, the time is not convenient for lovers of rest and those who get up every morning for a grueling work day, but the phenomenon is spectacular and highly recommended not to be missed. This is the 19th eclipse from the Saros series number 136 which contains 72 eclipses in total.
In this eclipse the moon will be at a depth of 2.4 lunar diameters within the cone of the shadow cast by the earth and the distance of the center of the moon from the center of the shadow will be about a quarter of the radii of the earth. This fact that the moon is relatively deep inside the cone of the shadow guarantees that the southern part of the moon, which is close to the center of the shadow, will be relatively very dark, although such predictions are not accurate and depend on the nature of the Earth's atmosphere, the amount of dust in the atmosphere, cloudiness, etc.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon, which receives its light from the Sun, is hidden from the Sun's light by the Earth. This situation occurs only when the moon is full (half the Hebrew month), because then the moon, the earth and the sun are on the same line. Usually, a total lunar eclipse comes in close proximity of half a month with a solar eclipse (with a difference of half a cup when the moon is in the navel and it hides the sun from the earth).
Since the plane of rotation of the moon around the earth is inclined at an angle of 5 degrees relative to the plane in which the earth revolves around the sun, no birth defects or full moons occur. The condition is that in addition to the moon being natal (to allow a solar eclipse) or full (to allow a lunar eclipse), it also has to be very close to the plane of rotation of the Earth around the Sun.
The Babylonians found the cycle of eclipses of the luminaries already 3,000 years ago and called it "Saros" because the Saros cycle has up to about 74 eclipses on average (there are also cycles with over 80 eclipses). At the same time there are several saros cycles at the same time.
How to watch a total lunar eclipse
The eclipse will be visible at any point where the moon is above the horizon at the time of the eclipse. The lunar eclipse, in all its phases, can be seen with the unaided eye. Viewing through binoculars or a small telescope at low magnification may enhance the spectacle especially during the full phase, when the hue of the moon will be emphasized.
The main focal point for viewing the eclipse will be the observatory in Givatayim. The observatory guides will be waiting for the audience who will arrive at the place, who will allow them to watch the eclipse through a telescope and at the same time explanations about eclipses will also be given. If there will be additional organized events, we will be happy to announce it as part of the Ynet Astronomy Forum.
The phases of the eclipse
A lunar eclipse has three phases: the partial shadow (penumbra). At this point, the earth hides only part of the sunlight and part of the light falls on the moon. When the moon is in the partial shadow area, it is very difficult to see a decrease in the moon's light, but only when the moon is close to the full shadow area.
The full shadow (Umbra): In this area, the Earth blocks all the light of the Sun from the Moon. The shape of the full shadow area is a cone extending from the Earth to beyond the Moon. When the moon (or part of it) enters the full shadow area, the sun's light is avoided from that area altogether. As long as part of the moon is in the full shadow area and part in the partial shadow area, the eclipse is partial.
Total eclipse: when the entire moon is in the full shadow area. At this stage, the sun's light is prevented from the entire moon (a person standing on the moon will see a total solar eclipse, when the sun is hidden behind the earth). During the total eclipse phase some of the sun's rays refract through the Earth's atmosphere into the full shadow area and some reach the moon.
As the amount of dust in the atmosphere is greater, the chance of the blue rays of the sun to penetrate through the atmosphere will decrease and the moon will appear redder. Also, the closer you get to the center of the shadow cone cast by the earth, the less and less rays manage to reach. For this reason, the moon will appear reddish during a total lunar eclipse.
Times
02:05: The moon enters the penumbra. At this stage, it is very difficult to notice the decrease in the intensity of the moon's light, because some of the sun's rays still illuminate it. Only towards the next stage is a faint shadow visible on the eastern edge of the moon.
03:14: The moon enters the full shadow area. At this point a dark shadow will appear that will spread across the surface of the moon from the northeast side of the moon.
04:23: The beginning of the total eclipse. At this point, the entire moon is in the full shadow region and is completely hidden from the sun. However, some of the sun's rays are refracted in the earth's atmosphere and illuminate the moon with a reddish light.
05:04: The peak of the total eclipse. At this stage the moon is close to the center of the shadow cone cast by the earth. At the peak of the eclipse the moon will be north of the center of the shadow cone and its southern part will be darker than its northern part.
05:44: End of total eclipse. At this point, we will see a spot of light on the northeastern edge of the moon, which will spread and eventually illuminate the entire moon.
06:01: Moonset in Israel. At this point, the eclipse is over for us, but the moon will set partially eclipsed, a spectacular sight in itself.
A page on the Association for Astronomy website detailing the activity on the night of the eclipse
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~988127693~~~171&SiteName=hayadan
