Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Total Lunar Eclipse Oct 8, 2014


Total Lunar Eclipse Oct 8, 2014



Total Lunar Eclipse, Dec 14, 2011






Total lunar eclipse composite, Dec 2011


Last time we saw a total lunar eclipse in India was in December 2011 when it was seen in full glory all across India. Now the time has come once again to view another Total Lunar eclipse but with a difference! A total lunar eclipse will take place on evening of October 8, 2014, Totality will not be seen in india as moon would be in penumbral eclipse at the time of rise. We in delhi will get to see only the penumbral eclipse and that too while moon is low on the horizon. 
The entire October 08 eclipse is visible from the Pacific Ocean and regions immediately bordering it. The northwestern 1/3 of North America also witnesses all stages. Farther east, various phases occur after moonset. For instance, the Moon sets during totality from eastern Canada and the USA. Observers in South America also experience moonset during the early stages of the eclipse. All phases are visible from New Zealand and eastern 1/4 of Australia - the Moon rises during the early partial phases from Australia's west coast. Most of Japan and easternmost Asia catch the entire eclipse as well. Farther west in Asia, various stages of the eclipse occur before moonrise. None of the eclipse is visible from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.





Visibility of the Eclipse

Legend

Intense red shading: Observers within this area can see the eclipse from beginning to end.

Red shading right/east of intense shading: Observers within this area can see the eclipse after moonrise/sunset.

Red shading left/west of intense shading: Observers within this area can see the eclipse until moonset/sunrise.

No coloring: Eclipse is not visible at all

Note: Actual eclipse visibility depends on weather conditions

Courtsey : timeanddate.com                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Timings of the Eclipse:

             Event                      UTC Time  Time in New Delhi*            Visible in New Delhi
Penumbral Eclipse begins          8 Oct, 08:17  8 Oct, 13:47               No, below horizon
Partial Eclipse begins            8 Oct, 09:18  8 Oct, 14:48               No, below horizon
Full Eclipse begins               8 Oct, 10:27  8 Oct, 15:57               No, below horizon
Maximum Eclipse                   8 Oct, 10:55  8 Oct, 16:25               No, below horizon
Full Eclipse ends                 8 Oct, 11:22  8 Oct, 16:52               No, below horizon
Partial Eclipse ends              8 Oct, 12:32  8 Oct, 18:02               Yes
Penumbral Eclipse ends            8 Oct, 13:32  8 Oct, 19:02               Yes

* The Moon is below the horizon in New Delhi some of the time, so that part of the eclipse is not visible


What is Lunar Eclipse?

We live in a world that seems so ordered; the Sun rises, goes across the sky and then sets. The Moon goes through its phases from new to full and back again. It all seems like clockwork, and then, something unusual happens that seems to throw the orderly timing of the cosmos into chaos. On a night when the moon rises full and beautiful, it starts to change; at first it is so subtle few notice it. But then, every so slowly, the moon begins to dim, and more alarming yet, it disappears.

One can only imagine how frightening the sight of a lunar eclipse must have been for our ancestors. Far more than us, they were in tune with the rhythms of the cosmos, the motions of the Sun, Moon and planets were the motions these people lived by. They told time by the daily passing of the Sun, or full moon to full moon gauged longer periods of time. And the very stars marked the passing of seasons. The skies were orderly and dependable, except for when an eclipse happened. During that time, chaos reigned, and our ancestors prayed and begged for the Moon to be returned to the sky.

Types of Lunar Eclipses
An eclipse of the moon occurs when the earth is in a direct line between the sun and the moon. The moon does not have any light of its own; instead, it reflects the sun's light. During a lunar eclipse, the moon is in the earth's shadow. It will often look dim and sometimes copper or orange in color. The lighter part of Earth's shadow is call the "penumbra" and the totally dark part is called the "umbra". If you see a chart that says the lunar eclipse is going to be penumbral, this means that the Moon will only pass through the lighter part of Earth's shadow. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only part of the Moon passes through the umbra, or darkest part, of Earth's shadow. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when moon passes through penumbra, the lighter part of the shadow





Why lunar eclipses don't occur every month:
Since lunar eclipses occur always at full moon, it makes sense to ask why each full moon does not generate one. Eclipses are relatively rare because the plane in which the moon orbits around Earth is tilted 5 degrees compared to the plane of Earth's travels around the sun, a plane that astronomers call the ecliptic.
To visualize, think of two hula hoops — one big and one small — floating on the surface of a pool, and push the inner one down so that half of it is below the surface and half above. When the moon gets into the ecliptic — right at the surface of the pool — during its full phase, then a lunar eclipse occurs. (The word "ecliptic" stems from the word "eclipse.")
The geometry of any eclipse — the relative positions of the sun, Earth and moon — is eventually repeated during a set of complex cycles that each last just more than 18 years. This Saros cycle, as the whole thing is called, is behind the bunching of eclipses, too. Astronomers have figured it out and can predict eclipse timing and circumstances far into future.






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