Those who pay attention to the skies are preparing for a very rare event. A total lunar eclipse will be appearing in the Earth's sky on April 15, just before midnight. What makes this event so special, is that this is the first of four that will take place in the 2014-2015 season. The Universe Today reports that the eclipse will last 1 hour, 17 minutes and 48 seconds.
A lunar eclipse happens when Earth, the sun and the moon align in a way that makes Earth's shadow falls on the moon, giving the moon a dark color. The blood-red color the moon takes on during an eclipse happens when earth deflects the sun's light.
A small group of Christians see the upcoming lunar eclipse series as a sign of End Times, an event described in biblical prophecy. Four Blood Moons: Something is about to change, a book that was released last year, suggests that the event could be a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, USA Today reported. Referring to the Bible, author John Hagee quotes Joel 2:31 saying, "The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."
Reports say the next three eclipses are expected to appear on Oct. 8 of this year and April 8 and Sept. 28 of 2015.
In an article from the website NEWSMAX, it was noted that the upcoming 'blood moons' will also fall on Jewish holidays. Lunar eclipses on April 15 and Oct. 8 of 2014 concur with the Jewish Passover and feast of the Tabernacle. Lunar eclipses falling on April 4 and Sept 28, 2015 also concur with the same Jewish holidays.
The upcoming eclipse can be observed from the central Atlantic westward to eastern Australia.
Deborah Byrd with EarthSky.org told an online science magazine. That there will be a total of eight lunar eclipses coming in groups of four (tetrads) between 2001 and 2100.
