Lunar eclipse or Chandra Grahan is appearing in the skies today. It will be the fourth and the last eclipse of 2020. The latest lunar eclipse is not likely to be visible in India. However, it will be seen in many parts of Europe as well as Australia, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic — along with some parts of Asia. The eclipse will be a penumbral lunar eclipse, which means that it will appear when the Moon moves through the faint outer part of Earth’s shadow, known as the penumbra.
Lunar eclipse 2020: What is a penumbral lunar eclipse?
Lunar eclipses are generally of three different types, namely total, partial, and penumbral. The one that’s appearing today is the penumbral one. A penumbral lunar eclipse, which is known as Upchaya Chandra Grahan in Hindi, occurs when the Earth blocks some of the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon and the Earth’s shadow covers all or part of the Moon. The eclipse is harder to spot as the shadow or penumbra is fainter compared to the dark core of the Earth’s shadow, which is called umbra. Sometimes, a penumbral lunar eclipse is also mistaken as a full Moon.
When and where to watch lunar eclipse today
As per the details available on the Norwegian site timeanddate.com, the lunar eclipse appearing today will begin at 1:02pm IST and will be maximum at 3:12pm IST. It will last for four hours and 21 minutes and will end at 5:23pm IST. Although the eclipse is not likely to be clearly visible in India, some parts of the country may see its appearance at the time of Moonrise, according to a document provided by NASA.
How to watch the lunar eclipse live in India and other parts of the globe
You can watch the lunar eclipse live through some video streams available on YouTube. A video embed is available below for instant watching. If it’s appearing in your region, you can just go outside and watch it live with your eyes.
You don’t need any special eyewear to watch lunar eclipses live. However, being a penumbral eclipse, it may be difficult to spot any difference at first glance.
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