A total lunar eclipse took place on 27 July 2018: The Moon has passed through the centre of the Earth’s shadow.

This eclipse was the longest total lunar eclipse in the 21st century, since it occurred near apogee (the Moon’s orbit point farthest from the Earth). It lasted approximately 103 minutes. The moon remained at least partially in Earth’s shadow for a total of four hours. The eclipse occurred simultaneously with the perihelic opposition of Mars (Mars is closest to the Sun and particularly close to Earth), a coincidence that happens once every 25,000 years.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 at Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 at Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Mohsen Ataei, FARS.

July 2018 at Darabad Museum in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Behnam Tofighi, MEHR.

July 2018 in Hasanabad, Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Reza Zakeri, FARS.

July 2018 in Hasanabad, Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Reza Zakeri, FARS.

July 2018 in Hasanabad, Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Reza Zakeri, FARS.

July 2018 at Holy Mary Church, Hamedan, Iran. Photo credit: Mohammad Amin Najafi, Young Journalists Club.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Samira Shariatmadari, Young Journalists Club.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Samira Shariatmadari, Young Journalists Club.

July 2018 at Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Samira Shariatmadari, Young Journalists Club.

July 2018 at Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 at Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran. Photo credit: Morteza Salehi, TASNIM.

July 2018 at Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran. Photo credit: Peyman Shahsanaei, ISNA.

July 2018 at The Tomb of Avicenna, Hamedan, Iran. Photo credit: Mohammad Amin Najafi, Young Journalists Club.

Iran, July 2018. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: Amin Faezi, FARS.

July 2018 in Persepolis, Fars, Iran. Photo credit: IRNA.

July 2018 in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran. Photo credit: Amir Sadeghi, FARS.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Shahab Ghayoumi, MEHR.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Shahab Ghayoumi, MEHR.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Ali Ahmadvand, ANA.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Maryam Kamyab, MEHR.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Mohammad Moheimany, MEHR.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Mohammad Mohsenifar, MEHR.

July 2018 in Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Mohsen Ataei, FARS.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth’s umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, Earth’s shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the Earth’s shadow begins to “cover” part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color (typically – the color can vary based on atmospheric conditions). The Moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by Earth’s atmosphere into its umbra. The Moon’s brightness is exaggerated within the umbral shadow.

Sources: ANA, Fars News Agency 1, Fars 2, Fars 3, Fars 4, Fars 5, IRNA 1, IRNA 2, IRNA 3, ISNA, Mehr News Agency 1, MEHR 2, MEHR 3, MEHR 4, Tasnim News Agency 1, Tasnim 2, Young Journalists Club (YJC) 1, YJC 2, YJC 3, Wikipedia, timeanddate.com, NASA