Blood Moon 2018: When and where to watch | Details inside
This year's blood moon will also see the Moon cast in a crimson red hue for the duration of the eclipse.
July 27 will be an unforgettable moment for the stargazers all around the world as they will witness the Blood Moon 2018, the total lunar eclipse of the 21st century.
The July 27 blood moon is likely to last beyond 100 minutes and is expected to cast a larger shadow over the Earth than previously recorded moons. This is because on July 27, the Earth will be at its farthest distance from the Sun, and the Moon will also be at its greatest distance from the Earth.This year's blood moon will also see the Moon cast in a crimson red hue for the duration of the eclipse. The blood moon is expected to be visible in India, as well as many parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
BLOOD MOON 2018: WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH
The Blood Moon 2018 will majorly be seen in the Eastern Hemisphere including Central Asia and Eastern Africa. While skywatches in India will be able to see the initial stages of the Blood Moon 2018 on July 27, the particular stage is known as the Penumbral phase. The Blood Moon 2018 will be first visible in India from around 10:44pm IST while its capital New Delhi could be right between the action of the full total eclipse at around 1 am IST on Saturday, July 28 which will end at 2.43am IST. Moreover, in July 2018, the full moon, as well as the lunar apogee fall, are occurring on the exact same date, which is July 27 and lunar apogee is said to be the moon’s farthest orbital point from the Earth, which makes it appear particularly small and distant.
The total lunar eclipse will be fully visible in Delhi. The penumbral eclipse will begin at 11:44 pm IST followed by a partial eclipse at 11:54 pm.
The most-awaited phase of the eclipse, the total lunar eclipse, is estimated to set in from 1 am IST on July 28. It should be visible in Indian cities like Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, etc, but the weather forecast will end up playing a role in this. Cloudy skies could play spoilsport for those who are interested in watching the total lunar eclipse.
For the duration of the total lunar eclipse, the Moon will be completely engulfed by the Earth’s shadow. The Moon will get to the height of the eclipse at around 1.51 am, at which point it would have reached the centre of the Umbra. This will persist until 2.43 am, after which the Moon will begin to move outside the Earth’s shadow. The total lunar eclipse will last nearly 103 minutes, which makes it the century’s longest.
At 2:43 am, the total eclipse will end. The partial eclipse will start again around 3:49 am. At 4:58 am, the penumbral eclipse will end. The total duration of the eclipse will be six hours and 14 minutes.
Not only the lunar eclipse, but planet Mars can also be witnessed at the end of July. The Red Planet is on approach to its closest pass by Earth in decades. Mars, the Fourth Planet from the Sun, will align with the Earth and the Sun on July 27, for an annual event known as Opposition. This is when the Sun, Earth and Mars will be lined up perfectly, with Mars on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun. At that time, Mars will be up all night long, from dusk until dawn, and it will be crossing the sky with the Full Thunder Moon – the smallest, most distant ‘apogee’ Full Moon of 2018.