A penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on October 18, the last of
three lunar eclipses in 2013, the Vietnam Youth Astronomy Association
was quoted by the Vietnam Net online newspaper as saying.
People in the regions such as the Americas, Oceania, Europe, Africa
and Asia will observe this interesting phenomenon. In Vietnam, it is
possible to observe the eclipse at sunset (moon is just rising) on
October 18. At that time, 76 percent of the diameter of the moon will
sink into the penumbra of the earth and turns into a reddish colour.
This eclipse is the one of four lunar eclipses in a short-lived series
at the descending node of the moon’s orbit. The lunar year series
repeats after 12 lunations or 354 days (Shifting back about 10 days in
sequential years). Because of the date shift, the Earth’s shadow will be
about 11 degrees west in sequential events.-VNA