There is a treat in store for sky gazers early on Sunday morning when the country will witness a partial lunar eclipse.
"The partial lunar eclipse, which begins at 0106 hours on August 17 and ends at 0414 hours, will be visible in India," said Rathnasree, director of the Nehru Planetarium.The lunar eclipse is a partial one, wherein 80 per cent of the moon will be eclipsed, she said.Besides India, people in the rest of Asia, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia [Images] will also be able to view the celestial event.
The eclipse will be visible at its maximum at 0240 hours when about 80 per cent of the moon will be eclipsed, Rathnasree said.
"People can watch the lunar eclipse with naked eyes, unlike solar eclipse," she said.
The interesting aspect about the lunar eclipse is that the actual event and its different phases will be witnessed at the same time all over the world, she said.
Longitudinal differences would define that time to be different in different regions, she said.
"For instance, while South America would be witnessing the eclipse during the moon-rise on the evening of August 16, Australia would be witnessing it during moonset on the morning of August 17, although the two regions will be witnessing it at the same intrinsic time," Rathnasree said.
The penumbral part of the eclipse will begin at about four minutes before midnight of August 16, Ratnashree said adding, that it is not easily discernible.
The penumbral part of the eclipse is when the sunlight falling on the moon is not entirely cut-off.
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