How & When To Watch ‘Strawberry Moon’ Eclipse Tonight

Bhubaneswar: Get ready for the full ‘Strawberry Moon’ in the Friday sky. It will be visible in most parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Antartica.

This is the second penumbral eclipse, which hard to distinguish from a normal Full Moon, of 2020 with the first one having occurred in January. This phenomenon, which is much more subtle than a total eclipse, happens when the Sun, Earth, and the Moon are imperfectly aligned. The Moon slips through the Earth’s outer (penumbral) shadow, leading to a slight darkening of the moon.

WHEN TO WATCH

It will start at 11:15 pm on June 5. The best time for the sky gazers to catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse will be at 12:54 am on June 6 when the Moon will be closest to the centre of the shadow. The entire phenomenon will last for approximately 3 hours and 19 minutes.

HOW TO WATCH

No special glasses are required to watch this eclipse. Though the phenomenon can be watched with naked eyes, it is recommended to use binoculars or telescopes for a clearer view.

“The Moon will be close enough to opposite the Sun that it will pass through part of the partial shadow of the Earth, called a partial penumbral eclipse of the Moon. During this eclipse the Moon will not be in the sky for most of the Americas. If we could see the Moon, the slight dimming during this eclipse will not be noticeable without instrumentation,” an article on the NASA website said.

MORE TO COME

Apart from tonight’s lunar eclipse, 2020 will witness two more lunar eclipses. One lunar eclipse will occur in July and the last one in November. These two eclipses are also penumbral ones.

Also Read: First Lunar Eclipse Of 2020 Today; Know The Timings For Odisha & Important Facts