PAGASA: Eclipse, meteor shower await stargazers in December

A total lunar eclipse on December 10 and a meteor shower on December 14 to 15 await stargazers this month, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

 

In its astronomical diary for December, PAGASA said the total lunar eclipse will occur on Dec. 10 and will be visible in the Philippines.

 

"The entire event is visible from North America except the eastern part, the Hawaiian Island, Oceania, Australasia, Asia, eastern Africa, and eastern Europe. The eclipse will begin at 7:33 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PST) and will end at 1:30 a.m. (PST) on the following day," it said.

 

PAGASA said on Dec. 10, the moon will rise in Manila at 5:13 p.m. and will set at 5:38 a.m. on Dec. 11.

 

It said the penumbral eclipse will begin at 7:33 p.m., while the partial eclipse will begin at 8:45 p.m.

 

The greatest (total) eclipse will occur at 10:31 p.m., while the partial eclipse will end at 12:17 a.m. of Dec. 11. The penumbral eclipse will then happen at 1:30 a.m., signaling the end of the eclipse.

 

"Lunar eclipses are safe to watch and observers need not use any kind of protective filters for the eyes. A pair of binoculars will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration of the Moon brighter," PAGASA said.

 

Meteor shower

 

The Geminids meteor shower, which makes an appearance annually, will reach its peak on the night of December 14 to 15.

 

Just after midnight, if the sky is dark and cloudless, one will be able to witness meteors or “falling stars” at an average rate of 40 meteors per hour, said PAGASA.

 

"However, a waning gibbous moon will be in the sky on the nights of this shower which will interfere with the show. The shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Gemini, the Twin," PAGASA said.

 

Stars, constellations

 

The weather agency also said the Winter Triangle, the famous equilateral triangle in the sky, will rise after sunset this month.

 

The Winter Triangle includes stars such as:  

Winter solstice

 

Nights in the Philippines will also be longer than daytime this month as the sun reaches the winter solstice on December 22 at 1:38 p.m., said PAGASA.

 

This marks the time when the sun lies at its farthest point south of the equator.

 

It also signals the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. –KG, GMA News