The longest lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years will take place on Friday (between 11.32 am to 5.33 pm).
“This is also this year’s final lunar eclipse and is a special eclipse,” said Poornaprajna Amateur Astronomers’ Club (PAAC) co-ordinator Atul Bhat.
The next such ‘long’ eclipse will take place only in the year 2669’. The phenomenon of Lunar Eclipse takes place when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow.
On Friday, the Moon, near the ascending node (Rahu), will enter Earth’s shadow at 11.32 am and reach maximum eclipse at 2.42 pm. At the peak of eclipse, the Moon will appear slightly red due to light scattered by Earth and 99% of its surface will be covered in the Earth’s shadow. The Moon will finally be free from Earth’s shadow at 5:33 pm, Bhat added.
“Due to this extended distance from the Earth, this eclipse will last for six hours and two minutes. But the eclipse will not be visible in India. The Red Eclipsed Moon will be visible in America, Western Europe and Eastern Asia along with countries in the Oceania regions. States in the North East part of India will witness a moon-rise, just as moon exits the Earth’s shadow.
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