The partial lunar eclipse predicted to occur tomorrow, a full moon Poya day, will be visible in Sri Lanka, according to Director of Astronomy and Space Science Unit (ASCU) of the Colombo University, Prof. Chandana Jayarathna.
The eclipse will be visible at about 9.20 in the night and continue till 2.21 a.m., the following day.
During a partial lunar eclipse, only a part of the Earth’s umbra, which is the darker inner portion of the Earth’s shadow, covers the moon. This is because the alignment of the Sun-Earth-Moon is not perfect, and Earth’s shadow instead appears to take only a bite out of the moon rather than engulf it completely. Sky gazers will notice that a portion of the moon’s face has turned dark as it enters the umbra.
The ASCU Director said Sri Lanka will witness lunar eclipses in January and July next year.
Meanwhile, the USA will witness a total solar eclipse by August 2, the NewYork Times reports. According to an astronomer with the American Museum of Natural History this is the continuation of a cycle.
“You get lunar eclipses when you have full moons, and you have solar eclipses when you have new moons,” he said.