the magnificent images of the lunar eclipse visible tonight in France

Astronomy enthusiasts had to set their alarms to observe the unique sky that cleared during the night of Tuesday, September 17 to Wednesday, September 18. Especially since, unlike the solar eclipse, the lunar eclipse was observable with the naked eye without any special protection, which allowed for magnificent shots for photography enthusiasts. A spectacle that was admired by millions of people around the world, both in mainland France and overseas. In France, however, it was necessary to get up very early to observe the double phenomenon since the peak of the eclipse was announced at 4:44 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

A doubly rare spectacle

A lunar eclipse only occurs twice a year and requires three conditions to be met. It only occurs when the Earth comes between the Moon and the Sun, casting its shadow on our natural satellite. In addition, the Moon must be full and be located near one of the points where its orbit intersects the ecliptic (the Sun’s path in the sky).

Tonight, the lunar eclipse was accompanied by a second phenomenon called the “supermoon,” which appears when the star is in its closest position to Earth, which can make it larger but also colorful. A small drawback was the low expected amplitude, since only the upper part of the Moon ended up in the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow.

A colorful harvest moon

Enthusiasts have therefore observed a Moon closer to Earth than usual (357,530 kilometers compared to an average distance of around 380,000 km), which can give it a color that can vary from red to orange to purple. For this reason, French farmers are said to have given it the name “Harvest Moon” during which they could extend their harvests even after dusk thanks to the light emitted by this phenomenon.