Super Blood Wolf Moon 2019: Amid US Government Shutdown, NASA Spacecraft LRO Prepares to Cover the Whole Lunar Eclipse

The first and only total lunar eclipse of 2019 will grace the night skies on January 20 and the early hours of January 21. People who live in North and South America will have a front row seat to view the whole bloody event. During the eclipse, the Moon will turn into a darker shade of red, which is why these events are often referred as Blood Moon, and since it will occur in January, it is known as the Wolf Moon. Where America is facing a partial government shutdown, this has not affected the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) determination to cover the rare celestial event of the year. Super Wolf Blood Moon Eclipse 2019 Live Streaming: When And How to Watch Chandra Grahan Online in India. 

The partial government shutdown is having an adverse effect in the regular life of the Americans. Spacecraft operations are one of the functions considered very significant for government operations. Despite the US government shutdown, many of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) employees continue to work, reported space.com. Besides, the contractors whose work has been paid ahead of time by their respective companies, continue their assignments with the LRO, project scientist Naah Petro was quoted in the same report. Super Blood Wolf Moon 2019 Date and Timings: Know About The Rare Astronomical Phenomenon Occurring in January. 

LRO is NASA’s robotic spacecraft which is currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit. The data collected by the spacecraft has been described as essential for planning NASA’s future human and robotic missions to the Moon. Petro is a space scientist at Goddard. He is on call in case something happens with LRO; however, he has not been asked for his visit yet. Much of the preparatory work for LRO’s eclipse operations took place months before this rare event. LRO will turn ten years old this year, and Petro reported that the solar-powered is in excellent health. Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse on January 20, 2019: Know What is Total Lunar Eclipse and Why is it Called Wolf Moon. 

During the weekend’s event, LRO would keep most of its instruments turned on to perform the observations all of the time. But during the end, a small number of devices have been turned off to preserve LRO’s battery. Petro further informed that LRO would not be performing observations while the moon is dark; instead it will remain in a power-saving mode to preserve its battery. Before the spacecraft speeds into shadow, the team will turn on its heater for a while to “preheat” the spacecraft, before shutting it off. Following these precautions, space scientist Petro said that the team expects LRO will sail through the event superbly, just like the past eclipses. Super Blood Moon on January 21 is a Doomsday? Rare Celestial Event Combining Total Lunar Eclipse 2019 Predicts Apocalypse. 

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon. When that takes place, the Earth blocks most of the light of the Sun and the Moon is then plunged into our planet’s shadow. Due to the cycle of geometric positions, between planet Earth, Sun and Moon, the next total lunar eclipse will occur in May 2021. During the period, the scientists will get more time to focus on the ongoing observations that LRO performs every day. Later in 2019, Petro and other employees at Goddard plan to highlight LRO’s contributions and also mention many celestial works along with the science performed by the Apollo Moon Missions in the 1960s and 1970s. At present, the eclipse is seen as an opportunity to get the public interested in the Moon and to raise awareness about science activities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2019 09:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).