Lunar Eclipse of the Century: Will the Process Damage Earth?

With many bracing for the total eclipse on July 27, reportedly the 21st century's longest lunar eclipse, an array of Russian experts told Sputnik that the eclipse is unlikely to be fraught with fatal consequences.

Georgy Goncharov, from the Main Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained that the upcoming lunar eclipse, which coincides with Mars being unusually close to Earth, will have no physical impact on our planet.

"Right now, Mars is close enough to the sun and its hemispheres are located in such a way that dust dries out on the slopes of some hollows and then it is easily lifted by the wind. As for Mars' closest approach to Earth, this process will not damage the planet," Goncharov stressed.

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He was echoed by Marina Makarova of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, who pointed out the lunar eclipse's "indirect effect" on Earth's climate.

"This process can cause certain fluctuations in the atmosphere, where a whole array of different waves can be tracked. In this vein, saying for example that such natural phenomenon as a thunderstorm is caused by the moon is irrelevant," she noted.

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Aleksey Vodovozov, who is also a member of the Club of Scientific Journalists, for his part, said that "if a person tries to find signs of the lunar eclipse's negative impact on his body, he will certainly succeed."

"In fact, there will be no harmful effect on human health. But people's nature stipulates that they are seeking to immediately find the reason for their feeling unwell that is right at hand. And it seems that this night, they will have a big reason of their ailments," he concluded.