If you're the type of person who is absolutely thrilled when there's a nice plump full moon on the rise or a meteor shower to look forward in the astronomical calendar, then you'll want to set a reminder for this ruby delight – an (almost) total eclipse will be visible in the night sky over Sydney.
Sydney Observatory astronomy ambassador and astrophysicist Kat Ross gave us the goss on when to look out for this celestial wonder, and how to get the most out of your dalliance with the cosmos. She says:
"Our closest astronomical object, the Moon, will be putting on quite a show on Friday, November 19. Early in the evening, Sydneysiders will be able to see the Moon turning a deep red colour as it passes into the shadow of the Earth in a partial lunar eclipse that will almost completely cover the Moon.
"The Moon will begin to pass into the shadow of the Earth at around 5pm AEDT, but unfortunately, it will still be hiding below the horizon at this time. People will be able to watch the eclipse from the moment the Moon begins to rise at 7.34pm, and see as it slowly turns redder as more of the shadow covers its surface.
"The maximum of the eclipse will be at 8.02pm when 97 per cent of the Moon is covered by the Earth’s shadow, but the Moon will still be very low to the horizon. This will give the opportunity for some spectacular shots of a big red Moon just above an iconic landscape, but make sure you have a clear view to the east-northeast or you may be beaten by some trees blocking your view.
"The eclipse will continue as the Moon rises until 9.47pm, giving plenty of opportunity to look up and admire our only space companion. The Moon will also be sharing the spotlight with another nearby astronomical object, Venus. Also known as the 'evening star' when it’s visible just after sunset, Venus will be the first star visible after the Sun sets, and will be an incredibly bright star near the horizon to the west, almost completely opposite to the Moon. In November, Venus will be visible in Sagittarius, which is also known as the Teapot constellation.
"So this Friday, get the kettle brewing for a cup of tea and find a nice open space to watch the evening star setting in the west, followed by a lunar eclipse rising towards the east. Let’s hope for some clear skies to view the eclipse, since the next one won’t be until early November 2022."
Kat Ross is hosting a livestream of the lunar eclipse from Sydney Observatory on November 19. You can tune in from 7.30pm AEDT as the Moon rises to hear the science behind a lunar eclipse and stories of women in space who have worked closely with the Moon. She will be joined by fellow astronomers Dr Andrew Jacob and Indigenous Astrophysicist and previous Astronomy Ambassador for Sydney Observatory, Karlie Noon. You can register to watch the livestream for free on the Facebook event page.
Ross is completing her PHD at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research at Curtin University in Perth and is the Sydney Observatory astronomy ambassador. She studies baby black holes at the centres of distant galaxies and twinkling galaxies. She is a dedicated campaigner for women in STEM and launched the #IncludeHer campaign after discovering NSW students in Year 11 and 12 science were being taught by only two female scientists compared to almost 80 male scientists.