Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth's shadow blocks the sun's light, which otherwise reflects off of the moon. And for those of you not in the know, there are 3 types of eclipses—total, partial and penumbral—with the most dramatic being a total lunar eclipse. And the next and longest lunar eclipse of the century is all set to take place on Friday night, July 27 2018!
This eclipse is estimated to be the longest total lunar eclipse for the next century, until June 9 2123. More so, this eclipse will feature the blood moon, making this phenomenon even more exceptional. The moon will be seen taking a reddish hue and this happens because the direct sunlight to the moon is blocked by the Earth. One of the best places to view the lunar eclipse 2018 is going to be India, along with the Middle East, southern China, and eastern Africa. The eclipse is estimated to start in India at 11:44 pm IST on Friday night and the total lunar eclipse 2018 is expected to begin at 1 am IST. From 1:15 am to 2:43 am, the moon will be in the middle of the Earth’s shadow and will appear reddish in colour. The eclipse will continue till 4:58 am, though the effect will not look as great. Cloudy skies, however, can block the view of the moon altogether which might make it difficult for you to spot the moon.
It's also important to note that the moon won't just take a reddish hue but will also be a micro-moon since it will be at the farthest point from Earth in its orbit.
Titbit alert: During the 21st century, Earth will experience a total of 228 lunar eclipses, according to NASA.
