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A partial lunar eclipse will occur on April 26 (Friday). The event will be visible in Hong Kong if the weather permits.
The Scientific Officer of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Leung Yin-kong, said, "The lunar eclipse will commence at 2.02am with maximum eclipse at 4.08am and end at 5.59am when the moon descends below the horizon. The eclipse has a magnitude of only 0.02, meaning only 2 per cent of the moon's diameter will enter the umbra of the earth at maximum eclipse." Please refer to the diagram for the path of the moon during the eclipse.
Details of the partial lunar eclipse are as follows:
Hong Kong Azimuth Elevation
time
----- ------- ---------
Moon enters 2.02am Southwest 45 degrees
penumbra (218 degrees)
Moon enters umbra 3.52am West-southwest 26 degrees
(240 degrees)
Maximum eclipse 4.08am West-southwest 22 degrees
(242 degrees)
Moon leaves umbra 4.23am West-southwest 19 degrees
(244 degrees)
Moonset 5.59am West-southwest -1 degrees
(254 degrees)
As the elevation of the moon will be rather low at maximum eclipse, the event will be best observed at places with an unobstructed view to the horizon in the west-southwest direction, such as western Kowloon, the southern part of Hong Kong Island, Tuen Mun and Cheung Chau, etc.
The next lunar eclipse observable in Hong Kong will occur on October 19, 2013. It will be a penumbra eclipse.
Please refer to the Observatory's website for a detailed explanation of the technical terms used for a lunar eclipse: www.weather.gov.hk/gts/event/event-lunar-eclps12_e.htm.
Ends/Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:12
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