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Lunar Eclipse November 2022
An Eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or having another body pass between it and the viewer. There are two types of the eclipse-
- Solar Eclipse
- Lunar Eclipse
What Is a Solar Eclipse?
Sometimes when the Moon Revolves around the Earth, the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth. When this happens, the Moon blocks the light of the Sun from reaching Earth. This causes an eclipse of the Sun or a solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow onto Earth.
There are three main types of solar eclipses:
- Total Solar Eclipse: A total solar eclipse is visible from a small area on Earth. The people who see the total eclipse are in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth. The sky becomes very dark as if it were night. The Sun, Moon, and Earth must be in a direct line for a total eclipse to occur.
- Partial Solar Eclipse: This happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not precisely aligned. The Sun appears to have a dark shadow on a small part of its surface.
- Annular Solar Eclipse: An annular eclipse happens when the Moon is farthest from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away, it seems smaller. It does not block the entire view of the Sun. The Moon in front of the Sun looks like a dark disk on top of a larger Sun-colored disk. This creates what looks like a ring around the Moon.
What Is a Lunar Eclipse?
The Moon moves in an orbit around Earth. At the same time, Earth orbits the Sun. Sometimes Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight typically reflected by the Moon. (This sunlight is what causes the Moon to shine.) Instead of light hitting the Moon’s surface, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon. This is an eclipse of the Moon or a lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse can occur only when the Moon is full.
A lunar eclipse can be seen from Earth at night. There are two types of lunar eclipses:
- Total lunar eclipse: A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon and the Sun are on opposite sides of Earth. Although the Moon is in Earth’s shadow, some sunlight reaches the Moon. The sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, which filters out most of the blue light. This makes the Moon appear red to people on Earth.
- Partial lunar eclipse: A partial lunar eclipse happens when part of the Moon enters Earth’s shadow. In a partial eclipse, Earth’s shadow appears very dark on the side of the Moon facing Earth. What people see from Earth during a partial lunar eclipse depends on how the Sun, Earth, and Moon align.
A lunar eclipse usually lasts for a few hours. At least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, but total lunar eclipses are rare. It is safe to look at a lunar eclipse.
The last total lunar eclipse of 2022 was on November 8, after which the next total Eclipse will be on March 14, 2025. The phenomenon is called a Blood Moon because the Moon passes into the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow during this time and appears red.
In India, the total Lunar Eclipse will be visible in the eastern parts of the country, and the partial Eclipse will be visible in the rest of the states.