A rare celestial occurrence

Come August 16, we can witness partial lunar eclipse, which will be visible from all parts of India. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the umbral region of the earth's shadow and becomes imperceptible.

Lunar eclipse is discernible from a large part of the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the moon passes through some portion of the earth's shadow. This can occur only when the sun, earth and moon are aligned exactly or very closely so, with the earth in the middle. Hence, there is always a full moon on the night of the lunar eclipse. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the moon's location relative to its orbital mode.

The partial lunar eclipse will be visible in the region, covering Antarctica, Australasia except New Zealand, Asia except northeasern part, Europe, Africa and South America.

The beginning of the central phase will be visible from the western part of the Pacific Ocean, the northern tip of Japan and the northeastern part of Russia. The ending of the umbral phase will be visible from the south-western part of the Pacific Ocean, north eastern part of South America and Greenland.

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch. You don't need any kind of protective filters. It isn't even necessary to use a telescope. You can watch the lunar eclipse with nothing more than your own two eyes. If you have a pair of binocular, they will help magnify the view and will make the real coloration brighter and easier to see. A standard pair of binoculars works fine. Enjoy the spectacle.