Hyderabad: The first total lunar eclipse of the year will occur on Wednesday May 26 though it will not be visible in India.
Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth blocks the Sun’s light which otherwise reflects off the Moon. There are three types of lunar eclipses namely total, partial and penumbral.
Dr.B G Siddharth, a physicist and former Director of BM Birla Science Center said that the eclipse would begin at 2:17 p.m. and end at 7:19 p.m. He further added that the eclipse will begin in the late afternoon when the moon will not be above the Indian skies and as a result the lunar eclipse will not be visible in India.
The total lunar eclipse will be visible in South Asia, East Asia, Australia, much of North America, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Antarctica.
Total lunar eclipses are also called “Blood Moons” because of the reddish-orange glow the Moon takes on during the eclipse.
Lunar eclipses are easy to watch. One does not need a telescope or any other special equipment to view the event.