THE longest “blood moon” eclipse this century dazzled skygazers across the globe Friday, coinciding with Mars’ closest approach in 15 years in a thrilling celestial spectacle.
As Earth’s constant companion slowly sailed across the skies, crowds gathered around the world to catch a glimpse of the rare phenomenon.
Beside Lake Magadi, 100 kilometres southwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, young members of the Maasai community watched the eclipse through a high-powered telescope provided by a local couple.
“Until today I thought Mars, Jupiter and the other planets were in the imagination of scientists,” Purity Sailepo, 16, told AFP.
“But now I’ve seen it I can believe it and I want to be an astronomer to tell other people.”
Unlike with a solar eclipse, viewers did not need protective eye gear to observe the rare display.
For about half the world, the moon was partly or fully in Earth’s shadow from 1714 to 2328 GMT – six hours and 14 minutes in all.
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