Total lunar eclipse, supermoon

Washington: Stargazers are in for a treat as skies are set for a series of celestial events on Sunday evening in US, including total lunar eclipse, super blood Moon and a “Wolf Moon” or Super Blood Wolf Moon. It is a super blood Moon - “super” because the Moon will be closest to Earth in its orbit during the full Moon and “blood” because the total lunar eclipse will turn the Moon a reddish hue.

The lunar eclipse will last over 60 minutes, and will not be visible from India. “The Super Blood Wolf Moon is said to be visible for its entirety in North and South America on January 20-21,” US space agency NASA said in a statement. During a lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through two distinct parts of Earth’s shadow. The outer part of the cone-shaped shadow is called the penumbra. The penumbra is less dark than the inner part of the shadow because it is penetrated by some sunlight. The inner part of the shadow, known as the umbra, is much darker because Earth blocks additional sunlight from entering the umbra. (IANS)

Also Read: Lunar Eclipse July 2018: Guwahati Planetarium Sets the Stage for visitors to witness the incredible Occurrence