After the spectacular solar eclipse of December 26, 2019, the new decade is ready to see its first lunar eclipse on Friday, January 10. This penumbral lunar eclipse will be the first of the four such eclipses in 2020.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon. And in a penumbral lunar eclipse – which is different from total and partial eclipses – the moon falls into the Earth’s outer shadow, the Penumbra.
The eclipse is called the Wolf Moon and will be visible over Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa. Here are three things to know about the penumbral lunar eclipse.
What is a penumbral lunar eclipse?
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is in its full moon phase. In this type of eclipse, the sun, the Earth and the moon are imperfectly aligned, causing the Earth to block off some or all of the light from the sun from directly reaching the moon. Thus, the Earth covers the moon entirely or in part with the outer part of its shadow. The penumbra, unlike the dark core of the Earth’s shadow – the umbra, is much fainter. Therefore, a penumbral lunar eclipse can seem like a full moon, when it’s not.
The Penumbral lunar eclipse is nicknamed Wolf Moon due to the myths and stories associated with it, although there are no scientific mentions behind it.
Where will this eclipse be visible?
The eclipse will be visible in many places, including cities in Egypt, Russia, UK, Italy, Turkey and Belgium, among others.
In India, the penumbral lunar eclipse – which will last around four hours and five minutes – will take place on January 10, beginning at 10.37 pm. It will go on till 2.42 am on January 11, with the maximum eclipse estimated to be visible at 12:42 am on January 11.
How to view the eclipse?
Unlike the solar eclipse, you do not need protective gear to view this lunar eclipse. Although it can be a bit difficult to spot and discern from the full moon, there isn’t a risk if you view this eclipse with the naked eye as well.
You could also watch the eclipse online through live streams, such as this one by CosmoSapiens.