Began the darkest day for 400 years: a total lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice

Total lunar eclipse, the last of this year, began on Tuesday at 08:29 Moscow time. For the first time in nearly 400 years, it coincided with the winter solstice. These days specialists have already dubbed "the darkest in the last four centuries."
Watch this rare natural phenomenon could the inhabitants of Western and Northern Europe, North and Central America, Pacific Islands, the Russian Chukotka and Kamchatka, Taymyr, Novaya Zemlya, the northern part of the Kola Peninsula, as well as Iceland, Greenland, RIA Novosti news agency.
According to NASA, the Earth's shadow completely covered the moon from the sun for 72 minutes. The moon changes color, which can range from gray to orange or dark red.
In South America, West Africa and Western Europe, northern European Russia, some phase of the eclipse was visible in the twilight of the moon, and in China, Japan, Australia and Southeast Asia - at sunrise. Living in India, southern European Russia (including the Muscovites), Central Asia and western Siberia, the Middle East, western China and almost all of Africa the eclipse, this time not seen.
Residents of Kamchatka prevented overcast. This is the only obstacle, because at that time on the peninsula have already occurs at night, under clear skies and night light can be clearly seen, told a representative of the Kamchatka weather center.
Total eclipse, when Earth's shadow completely closes the lunar disc, the eclipse reached at 07:40 universal time (10:40 Moscow time). The total phase will last until 8:58 universal time (11:58 Moscow time). The moon is completely out of the Earth's penumbra at 11:04 universal time (14:04 Moscow time).
Last lunar eclipse was partial, the Earth's shadow covered the moon a little more than half. It was observed June 26, 2010, he could see the inhabitants of North and South America, Australia, Pacific Islands and the Far East of Russia. In Primorye it again prevented the storm.
The next year will be two full lunar eclipse - 15 June and 10 December.
Lunar eclipses occur when a natural satellite of our planet, moving around the Earth, is part of the earth's shadow. According to scientists, the last time an eclipse of the moon coincided with the winter solstice, when the northern hemisphere have marked the shortest day and longest night, in 1638. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch.