KEEP YOUR eyes on the skies.
A partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight and is expected to be visible from everywhere in Ireland—assuming that the rain holds off.
The Irish have always been fascinated with the moon and what happens during an eclipse and were in fact the first recorded nation to document it, with the Ancient Irish carving an illustration of an eclipse into stone over 5,000 years ago.
Today, modern Irish society is as awed by the natural phenomenon as ever, and to mark the occasion Astronomy Ireland have announced a viewing event to watch it happen at their headquarters in Blanchardstown.
They are offering people the chance to use telescopes powerful enough to see the mountains inside the craters of the moon, as well as close-up views of Jupiter and Saturn.
The free event will begin at 9.30pm as the moon rises into the sky, and it is expected that nearly two thirds of the celestial object will be swallowed by the Earth’s shadow from 10pm until midnight.
The Ancient Irish documentation of the eclipse // Credit: IrishCentral
As well as showing the lunar event itself, astronomer and founder of Astronomy Ireland David Moore will speak at the event and educate those in attendance of how lunar eclipses shaped ancient civilisations, leading to our modern-day fascination.
The event falls in a week celebrating humanity’s relationship with the moon: the original moon landing happened 50 years ago today, and July 20th will mark the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first steps on its surface.
You can find more information on Astronomy Ireland's website.
