The full moon which will appear in the sky on Wednesday, i.e. May 26, is expected to be the year's biggest "supermoon". It will also be the first total lunar eclipse in more than two years. During this lunar eclipse, the moon will pass through Planet Earth's shadow. The moon will be drenched in red, known as "blood moon", during this lunar eclipse. The moon appears red as the light from it is scattered through the Earth's atmosphere similar to a sunset.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth comes in between the moon and the sun. This rare phenomenon causes the moon to be covered by the earth shadow. The intensity and extent to which the earth's shadow covers the moon divides lunar eclipses into three different types - total, partial, and penumbral.
What is "Super Flower Blood Moon"?
In addition to appearing red during May's total lunar eclipse, the moon will be at perigee, i.e it will the closest to the Earth as part of its orbital path. This phenomenon is also known as the "super moon". The moon is expected to appear 7 per cent larger than normal and also 15 per cent brighter, according to astronomers. The full moon of May is also known as "Flower Moon" as it occurs during the spring season. When all these things are occurring together the phenomenon is known as "Super Flower Blood Moon".
When will Lunar Eclipse May 2021 be visible?
The partial phase of the lunar eclipse will begin at 3.15 pm in India. The total phase of the lunar eclipse will end at 4.58 pm, while the partial phase of the lunar eclipse ends at 6.23 pm, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences
The lunar eclipse will be visible in these Indian cities - Agartala, Aizawl, Kolkata, Cherrapunji, Cooch Behar, DiamondHarbour, Digha, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Lumding, Malda, North Lakhimpur, Paradee, Pashighat, Port Blair, Puri, Shillong, Sibsagar and Silchar.
Where to watch Lunar Eclipse May 2021?
The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles is expected to stream the event live. The stream is slated to begin at 08:45 am GMT. The Astronomical Society of South will be broadcasting the event live on Facebook and YouTube starting at 09:30 am GMT.