On Friday, July 27, the full moon will pass through the shadow of the Earth. For 103 minutes, the usually silvery moon will turn blood red. It will be the longest “blood moon” lunar eclipse of the century, lasting 26 minutes longer than the last total lunar eclipse, in January.
Weather permitting, Except for the people in USA and Canada rest of the world shall get to watch a beautiful celestial sight. All you need is a clear view of the night sky. Your eyes are the best instrument to soak up the sight. If you happen to have a pair of binoculars to hand you can use them to range across the craters of the moon. Best of all, you don’t need to wear special filters or protective glasses to view a lunar eclipse. Unlike a total solar eclipse, where it is dangerous to look at the sun, the moon never gets bright enough to cause a danger to your eyes.
Why moon turns red
A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and the moon perfectly line up. The most spectacular part about a total lunar eclipse is that when the moon is fully in Earth’s shadow it turns red. This has earned the phenomenon the nickname of blood moon.
The red colour happens because sunlight is deflected through Earth’s atmosphere. The process is called refraction and it bends red light from the sun like a lens into the space behind Earth – and so on to the surface of the eclipsed moon. The precise colour of the moon depends on the atmospheric conditions in Earth’s atmosphere. The clearer the atmosphere, the brighter and lighter the red colour appears to be.
Many more lunar eclipses in this century
According to NASA there will be 230 lunar eclipses in the 21st century. Of these, only 85 will be total lunar eclipses. Friday’s eclipse is the longest of the century, with a duration of 1 hour 43 minutes and 35 seconds. It will be the 17th total lunar eclipse of the century. The next will occur on 21 January 2019.
Lunar eclipse 2018 date, time in India
The eclipse is estimated to start in India at 11:44pm IST on Friday night and the total lunar eclipse 2018 is expected to begin at 1am IST. From 1:15am to 2:43am, the moon will be in the middle of the Earth’s shadow and will appear reddish in colour. The eclipse will continue till 4:58am though the effect will not look as great.
The timings of Eclipse
The timings for India are as follows:
Moonrise: 6:59 pm on July 27
Partial eclipse begins: 11:54 pm on July 27
Total lunar eclipse: 1 am on July 28
Maximum eclipse: 1:51 am on July 28
Totality ends: 2:43 am on July 28
Partial eclipse ends: 3:49 am on July 28
Who does what during the lunar eclipse
Hinduism
It is believed that lunar eclipse has an impact on the human body system – physically and psychologically. There are several beliefs and practices related to lunar eclipse. Here we list a few:
One should avoid eating food and drinking water during the eclipse.
One should avoid travelling during the eclipse.
Pregnant women are advised staying indoors to avoid ill-effects on the baby.
It is advised to chant ‘Mahamrityunjaya Mantra’ during the eclipse.
Islam
Muslims recognize that everything in the heavens and on earth is created and sustained by the Lord of the universe, Allah Almighty. Throughout the Quran, people are encouraged to look around them, observe, and reflect on the beauties and wonders of the natural world as signs of Allah’s majesty.
During a solar or lunar eclipse, there is a recommended prayer called the Prayer of the Eclipse (Salat al-Khusuf) that is performed by Muslim communities who may be in congregation at the time of the eclipse.
Christianity
Christians have claimed specific solar eclipses as prophetic signs (the latest eclipse is no exception). These claims are based on several verses in the Bible that are often associated with eclipses and divine judgment. Rather than a sign of impending doom, most Christians consider the religious significance of eclipses to be that they reveal the majesty of the Creator.
Jewish
It would seem from the Midrashic and Talmudic texts below that Jewish tradition considers eclipses of various kinds to be a bad omen, both for the world at large and Jews in particular, caused by our sinful behaviors and warning us to repent.
Must read Why Are Hindu Temples Closed During Eclipses?
Must read Astrological Effects of Lunar Eclipse : Hindi and English
