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)