The first solar eclipse of 2023 recently ended, while the first lunar eclipse will take place on May 5. The Moon will be hidden by the fragile outer part of the Earth’s shadow during a penumbral lunar eclipse. This kind of lunar eclipse could be difficult to notice. Here’s why.
Lunar eclipses occur when the moon is completely developed. During these times, the Earth moves in front of the Moon and the Sun, casting a shadow across its surface. According to NASA, there are three types of lunar eclipses: total, partial, and penumbral. During a complete lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through the umbra, or interior part of Earth’s shadow.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when just a section of the Moon is completely hidden by Earth’s shadow; therefore, the term. A penumbral lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through Earth’s penumbra, or the slender outside edge of the planet’s shadow. The Moon will just slightly wane. The Moon’s light won’t be severely impacted as a consequence, making the eclipse difficult to view.
According to TimeandDate, the penumbral lunar eclipse may be seen from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica, the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian seas.On May 5, at 8:41 PM IST, the eclipse will start, and it will last till 10:52 PM IST. It will end at 1:00 IST on May 6.The lunar eclipse will last for four and twenty minutes.
Sadly, the penumbral lunar eclipse won’t be seen in India. However, you can watch the live stream of the event. Furthermore, it is safe to watch an eclipse of the moon unprotected.
The second lunar eclipse of this year will occur on October 28. There will be a partial eclipse.The next time there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse is on March 25, 2024.There won’t be a complete moon eclipse until much later. Not until March 2025, however.The last time we saw one was in November 2022.
