The total eclipse this Friday was the longest of the 21st century — from 2001 to 2100 — lasting 1 hour, 42 minutes, and 57 seconds. Partial eclipses precede and follow the total eclipse, which means that from start to finish, the moon will spend nearly four hours traveling behind the Earth.
Another major astronomical event also took place that night as the Earth was expected to be perfectly aligned with the sun and Mars. This is the time when Mars is closest to our planet in the entire decade, so the red planet will appear larger in the sky.
