Lunar Eclipse 2023: Chandra Grahan occur today night; Time and other details

After the rare hybrid solar eclipse of April 20, it’s time for the year’s first lunar eclipse. On Friday, May 5, 2023, a penumbral lunar eclipse will begin at around 8.44 pm IST and end at 1:01 am on May 6. Lunar Eclipse 2023: Chandra Grahan occur today night; Time and other details.

A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon because the Earth, Moon, and Sun are in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks some or all of the sunlight that would normally illuminate the Moon, causing the Moon to appear darkened or reddish in color.

As the Moon orbits the Earth, it moves through the Earth’s shadow, which is divided into two parts: the umbra and the penumbra. The umbra is the darkest part of the shadow, where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. The penumbra is a lighter shadow, where the Earth blocks only some of the sunlight.

The Maximum Lunar Eclipse will occur at 10:52 pm on May 5. According to timeanddate.com, lunar eclipses are visible from everywhere on the night side of the Earth, if the sky is clear. From some places, the entire eclipse will be visible, while in other areas the Moon will rise or set during the eclipse.

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But sky watchers need to note that since the May 5 eclipse is a penumbral one, one has to have acute eyesight and pay a lot of attention to decipher the eclipse. According to NASA, a penumbral eclipse happens when the Moon travels through Earth’s penumbra or the faint outer part of its shadow. The Moon dims so slightly that it can be difficult to notice.

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So unless you know a penumbral eclipse is happening, you might miss it. On May 5, the regions that will witness at least some parts of the Penumbral Eclipse include Asia, Australia, Africa, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica, and most of Europe.

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A Lunar Eclipse can last for several hours depending upon the alignment of Earth, Sun and Moon. Today’s Lunar Eclipse will last for more than 4 hours. It will start from 8:45 pm on May 5 and will end at 01:01 am on May 6.