Hyderabad: If you are a sky-gazer and want to witness a key celestial event, you might want to skip a bit of sleep tonight to behold two key events together -- the Hunter’s Moon and a partial lunar eclipse.
Hunter's Moon, the name derived from the European folklore that people used to hunt and gather food under lunar light for the upcoming winters, is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon. A lunar eclipse that would be partially visible in India tonight is set to take place around the same time. Unlike the "ring of fire" solar eclipse of October 14, which wasn't visible in India, skywatchers in the country will be able to watch this celestial display.
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For sky gazers & enthusiasts: Get ready for the cosmic event of the year! A partial #LunarEclipse will occur on Oct 28-29, 2023, Saturday-Sunday, 6-7 Kartika, 1945 Saka Era. Watch as Earth moves between the Sun & Moon & witness the beauty of astronomy in action! pic.twitter.com/MWq9mRaB5Q
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 28, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">For sky gazers & enthusiasts: Get ready for the cosmic event of the year! A partial #LunarEclipse will occur on Oct 28-29, 2023, Saturday-Sunday, 6-7 Kartika, 1945 Saka Era. Watch as Earth moves between the Sun & Moon & witness the beauty of astronomy in action! pic.twitter.com/MWq9mRaB5Q
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 28, 2023For sky gazers & enthusiasts: Get ready for the cosmic event of the year! A partial #LunarEclipse will occur on Oct 28-29, 2023, Saturday-Sunday, 6-7 Kartika, 1945 Saka Era. Watch as Earth moves between the Sun & Moon & witness the beauty of astronomy in action! pic.twitter.com/MWq9mRaB5Q
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 28, 2023
Time- The Ministry of Science has officially announced that the Moon will enter Earth's penumbral shadow at midnight on October 28, with the umbral phase starting from 1:06 am to 2:23 am IST on Sunday, October 29. The entire eclipse will last for 1 hour and 19 minutes.
What is lunar eclipse- Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth aligns perfectly between the Moon and the Sun. As a result, Earth's shadow falls on the lunar surface, creating a stunning celestial display that temporarily dims the Moon. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon can turn a mesmerizing reddish hue, often referred to as the "Blood Moon."
Two stages of lunar eclipse- A lunar eclipse is marked by two stages of the moon coming under the shadow of the earth. When it enters a partially shadowed region of the earth it is known as the penumbral eclipse, when the moon remains partly lighted.
During this time, the brightness will not be noticeable. After this phase moon will partially enter the actual dark part of the earth's shadow which is termed an umbral lunar eclipse and is considered the actual eclipse by most people.
Partial vs total lunar eclipse- The upcoming lunar eclipse on October 29 is classified as a "partial lunar eclipse." In this case, the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon is slightly imperfect. As a result, only a part of the Moon will pass through Earth's umbral shadow, creating a waxing and waning effect. In a "total lunar eclipse," the Moon would be entirely engulfed by Earth's shadow, resulting in the famous "Blood Moon" effect due to the scattering of shorter wavelengths of light in Earth's atmosphere.
How to watch- You don't need sophisticated equipment like eclipse glasses to witness this partial lunar eclipse; it's visible to the naked eye. Just look up at the night sky and find the Moon. Make sure to note the timings (it starts six minutes after 1 am on Sunday and lasts for the next 77 minutes), so be punctual to catch this celestial event from your preferred vantage point.
Live streaming- If you can't be in the eclipse's path, you can watch it live and for free on the Time and Date YouTube channel, making it accessible to enthusiasts worldwide.
Future eclipses- After today's lunar eclipse, India will witness the next lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, 2025. The last lunar eclipse visible in India occurred on Nov. 8, 2022.
Temple closures- Notably, during the lunar eclipse, temples under the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, including Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines, will close at 4 pm on Saturday due to traditional beliefs about inauspicious times. They will reopen after the eclipse for morning purification rituals on Sunday. Several other temples in the country will also close during this period.
