We all quite know about the Eclipses through Newspapers, T.V or many other sources. But few of us know that Eclipses are not always considered with the disk of the Moon or the Sun, completely hidden by another one. There are times when the Sun or The Moon is not completely hidden by other either Sun or Moon.
The word Eclipse means Hiding, blocking or covering something but that doesn’t mean completely like we usually think of Eclipses on hearing in News or reading in a paper that the Sun will be completely hiding the Moon or vice-versa.
There are types of Eclipses like Annular or Penumbral eclipses. On this date, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse seen in the sky, which means the Earth’s shadow will partially cover the disc of the Moon. The event takes place when the moon is its Full Moon phase. So, as per its location the Moon has to be completely illuminated by the Sun but it doesn’t happen the same way on the event of Penumbral lunar eclipse.
During this event, the Sun, the Moon and the Earth are in a straight line, so as to say. The earth is between the two. Sun being the largest, then the smaller Earth and then the smallest Moon. Sun’s light falls on the Earth and also on the Moon just like what happens every month on the day of the full Moon. But, now as the three are in a straight line the Sun can’t completely illuminate the Moon, as the Earth is obstructing the light of the Sun and making a Shadow on the Moon. This is similar to the shadows of our bodies that fall on the ground when we are standing in the Sunlight. Unknown of the fact that our Bodies actually obstructing the Sunlight causing a shadow on the ground. However, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse is the partial covering by Earth’s shadow on the Moon as they are in the straight line, but the Earth is quite far from the Moon to completely cover its disk. Just like the different sizes of shadows. When you are closer to the object on which your shadow is falling, the shadow seems to bigger and when you are quite far to the same object, the size of the shadow seems to have decreased.
This eclipse will be visible in most of the Eastern South America, Canada, Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa and Western Asia. And remember, the Lunar Eclipse always happen only on the Day of the Full Moon because on the full Moon day only, the Earth is exactly between the Sun and the Moon.
