East Africa news – Lunar eclipse excites tourists and locals

LUNAR ECLIPSE EXCITED ONLOOKERS

A view of the moon over Kigali during the total lunar eclipse of 15/16June2011

Last night will brought about the longest and darkest lunar eclipse witnessed since 40 years ago, according to records provided to this correspondents by local news sources, when the full moon rose at dusk before being progressively darkened by the earth’s moving in between the sun and the moon.

Across East Africa were people going outside or watched the spectacle from their windows, as the earth’s shade progressively moved across the face of the moon, eventually turning it into dark red orange colour during the night hours between just after 9 p.m. and just after 1 a.m.

The extraordinary night sky spectacle, witnessed by this correspondent from the Kigali Serena Hotel in Rwanda while on assignment, also had tourists staying there assembly around the outside gardens and pool terrace, staring into the night sky in awe as the moon’s illumination and colours began to change.

The Eastern African countries offered a ‘prime seat’ to watch this lunar eclipse and initial reports in from game parks across the region, where the absence of much light emission made the night sky even clearer, talked of safari guides and lodge personnel alerting guests who then enjoyed the rare spectacle as an added bonus to their safaris.

Only in East Africa, only in East Africa!