The Amateur Astronomical Society of Seltjarnarnes invited pedestrians walking past the headquarters of national broadcaster RÚV on Efstaleiti in Reykjavík this morning to observe the lunar eclipse through an astronomical telescope.
The lunar eclipse this morning. Photos by Geir Ólafsson/Copyright: Iceland Review.
Saevar Helgi Bragason, the society’s chairman, told dv.is that hundreds of people accepted their invitation. All around Iceland, as in many other countries across the globe, people were able to witness the spectacle.
“It was of course breathtakingly beautiful and we must say it was successful. I believe more than 200 people showed up,” Bragason commented. “It is plainly weird to see a red moon in the sky and I believe people really enjoyed watching it with us. It is so rare and it’s been a very long time since it was like this. Definitely around 500 years.”
It is very seldom that a total lunar eclipse falls upon the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. According foreign media sources, the event last occurred on the winter solstice in 1554, or 456 years ago.
Click here to read more about the lunar eclipse and winter solstice.
