January 10 will see the first of four penumbral lunar eclipses this year. It will be visible in India for more than four hour, starting 10.30 pm on Friday and lasting till ends at 2.42 am, according to timeanddate.com.
The penumbral type is the most common and takes place when the moon passes the Earth’s outer shadow, or penumbra and appears just slightly darker than normal. Even the sharpest of eyes often fail to detect the celestial happening until the moon’s edge is at least halfway across the penumbra, according to space.com.
The event will also be visible from rom Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Arctic region.
This eclipse coincides with the first full Moon of this year, dubbed as ‘Wolf Moon’, and referred to as Shakambhari Purnima as per the Hindu calendar.
Unlike solar eclipse, Lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye without any protectors or special glasses. However, a telescope will help to get a clear view of the Wolf Moon.
The second lunar eclipse will fall between June 5 and June 6 this year. The third lunar eclipse will take place between July 4 and July 5 and the fourth and final lunar eclipse of 2020 between November 29 and November 30.
