See the century's full lunar eclipse Sept. 17

See the century's full lunar eclipse Sept. 17

JAKARTA (JP): Circle Sept. 17 on your calendar and set your
alarm clocks for midnight because astronomers say that will be
when the last full lunar eclipse of this century occurs.

"The earth will come between the sun and the moon at 1:16 a.m.
and the eclipse will last until 2:19 a.m.," astronomer Moedji
Raharto told Antara in Bandung.

The process of the eclipse itself will begin at 12:09 a.m.

People throughout the country and even Southeast Asia should
have no trouble viewing the unique natural event, unlike those in
Africa or South America who will only be able to see the last
part of the eclipse.

So far this century there have been 81 full lunar eclipses, of
which 54 were viewable from Indonesia.

According to Moedji, the next full lunar eclipses will not
occur until Jan. 21 and July 16, 2000.

"But we in Indonesia will only be able to see the one on July
16," explained the senior researcher from Bosscha Lembang
Observatory.

Eighty-five full lunar eclipses are expected to occur in the
next century, with the archipelago being able to view 50 of them.
(mds)