First Penumbral Lunar Eclipse 2020 Falls Today: Here’s How To Watch It

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse 2020

Lunar eclipses are more common than solar eclipses. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth, which blocks the sunlight fully or sometimes partially. The celestial event occurs when the Earth, Moon, and the Sun are in close alignment. Further, there are three types of lunar eclipses: Total, Penumbral, and Partial lunar eclipses.

In today's event, we can see a penumbral lunar eclipse. This is a type of eclipse when the Earth passes directly between the Moon and the Sun. Here, the Moon will fall in the penumbral region of the Earth's shadow, partially blocking the sunlight. Penumbral lunar eclipses are quite common and happen multiple times in a year.

 

Lunar Eclipse 2020: Where To Watch

The lunar eclipse can easily be viewed from most regions of Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia as well. However, the eclipse won't be visible in North and South America as it'll be daytime during that time. A couple of sites, including CosmoSapnies, will be live streaming the celestial event.

It is recommended to wear special glasses to view solar eclipses. But in the case of a lunar eclipse, it is safe to view the event with the naked eye. Planetariums in various Indian cities are setting up telescopes to view the lunar eclipse.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: What Will You See

For the common eye, the penumbral lunar eclipse is very hard to catch. It is a subtle event to observe. However, the Moon will seem larger than its usual appearance that is interesting to watch. During the four hour event, the shadow will keep shifting, creating a unique movement on the Moon.

When the eclipse is at its peak, the outer disc of the lunar surface will come directly under the Earth's shadow. However, even this will be partial as it's a penumbral one. The peak of the eclipse will see 90 percent of the Moon partially shaded by the Earth. At this time, the Moon will appear dimmer than when the eclipse began.

The year 2020 will have three more penumbral lunar eclipses, which will take place on June 5, July 5, and November 30. However, only the eclipse on July 5 will be fully visible in India and the eclipse on November 29 will be partially visible.