Stargazers will be fortunate to enjoy a partial lunar eclipse on November 19th, which is also the last lunar eclipse of the year. The last time such a lengthy partial eclipse occurred was on February 18, 1440, and the next time a similar one will occur on February 8, 2669.
When the Earth is within the Sun and the Moon, but not in a perfect line, a partial lunar eclipse occurs. We can see a reddish Moon when the Earth’s shadow covers a small portion of the moon. This is also known as the frost moon or beaver moon. November full moons get this name because this is the month when the first snowfall and frost occur, and beavers begin building their dams or traps.
From North America, South America, Australia, Eastern Asia, and the Pacific region, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible.
A little part of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will see the partial eclipse, and the end of the penumbral eclipse can be seen in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon, Sun, and Earth are imperfectly aligned and the Moon moves through the penumbra, the outer part of Earth’s shadow.
According to Dr Debiprosad Duari, Director, Research & Academic at MP Birla Planetarium, Kolkata: “The partial eclipse will commence around 12:48 IST and will end at 16:17 IST. The partial eclipse will last 3hrs 28 minutes and 24 seconds, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century, and the longest in almost 600 years.”.
The penumbral eclipse preceding and following the threshold partial eclipse will begin at 11:32 IST and end at 17:33 IST. During the maximum partial eclipse, at around 14:34 IST, 97% of the Moon will be hidden by the Earth’s shadow, giving the Moon a reddish tinge caused by the red part of the sunlight as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere.”
On May 16, 2022, there will be a total lunar eclipse, but India will not be visible. On November 8, 2022, India will experience a total lunar eclipse.