WEB DESK: A partial lunar eclipse will take place and it will be visible in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, according to NASA, which has listed out all eclipses till 2100.
The last total lunar eclipse took place on January 21, 2019 and the next total lunar eclipse will be visible on May 26, 2021. There will be penumbral eclipses till then, though these are not total or partial lunar eclipses.
An eclipse takes place when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned in a line. During a solar eclipse, the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun and casts a shadow.
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth comes between the path of the Moon and the Sun and casts a shadow on its satellite.
As NASA note in its website, lunar eclipses only take place at full moon and a total lunar eclipse is very rare as it can only happen when the Sun, Earth and Moon are perfectly aligned.
In case of a partial lunar eclipse, which is taking place on July 16, only a part of the Moon comes under Earth’s shadow.
In a partial eclipse, Earth’s shadow appears very dark on the side of the Moon facing Earth, explains NASA on its website.
Only a part of Earth’s shadow appears on the Moon and because this is a not a total lunar eclipse, the Moon will not have the blood red effect. So this is not a blood moon either.
According to NASA, at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, but total lunar eclipses are very rare. A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours.
According to the NASA website, the eclipse will last around two hours and 58 minutes. The eclipse will start at 1843 GMT, which is around 11.45 am on July 16 in Pakistan.
The maximum eclipse will be at 2130 GMT or nearly 2.30 am for Pakistan time. The eclipse ends at 0017 GMT or nearly 5.oo am in the morning for Pakistan.
Is it safe to look at a lunar eclipse?
Yes, NASA says it is perfectly safe to look at a lunar eclipse directly with your eyes. Lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses cannot damage your vision or anything else in your life. Any other superstitions associated with lunar eclipses should also be ignored.
