Lunar Eclipse

Egypt State Information Service

The moon will turn an eerie shade of red for people in the Arab world, including Egypt, late today and early tomorrow.

According to NASA, the event should also be visible from South America and most of North America on February 20 as well as western Europe, Africa, and western Asia, including countries like Lebanon,! Jordan, Egypt and Israel on February 21.

In a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Earth and Moon are directly aligned and the Moon swings into the cone of shadow cast by the Earth.

But the Moon does not become invisible, as there is still residual light that is deflected towards it by atmosphere.

Most of this refracted light is in the red part of the spectrum and as a result the Moon, seen 'from Earth, turns a coppery, orange or even brownish hue.

The last total lunar eclipse took place on August 28, 2007. The next will take place on December 21, 2010.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon swings between the Earth and the Sun.