Total lunar eclipse tonight: See the moon turn blood red. Check timing in India

A total lunar eclipse that will turn the moon red in colour will rise on Tuesday night. This happens when the full moon hides in the Earth's darkest shadow, and it is a rare occurrence. Nearly 3 billion people will be able to watch the spectacle as the eclipse will be visible across North America, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia. The best views will be seen from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific. In the US, the blood moon would not be visible throughout totality, and you can catch a glimpse just before it sets. In India, the blood moon will be visible throughout the country. It will begin at 3:20 pm and end at 6:47 pm.

Why does moon appear red today?

The moon appears dark red on this night because of the Earth. Our planet moves directly between the Sun and the Moon in this eclipse. Since the moon does not have its own light, we see it reflecting the sunlight. Due to the position of Earth, a shadow known as the umbra is cast on the moon. The sunlight is filtered through the atmosphere, and the shorter wavelengths of light (blue and violet) are removed. Only the longer wavelengths of red and orange can pass through. This lends the moon a red hue, turning it a dark red, and thus lending the name Blood Moon.

How dark red is the moon today?

The depth of the colour red depends on the amount of dust, clouds, or volcanic ash in Earth's atmosphere. For this phenomenon to occur, you need a full Moon and the Sun, Earth, and Moon in a near-perfect alignment.

Lunar eclipse and Blood Moon

A blood moon only happens during a total lunar eclipse. In a partial eclipse, only a portion of the moon is covered, and the sunlight still comes through. The shadow only partially covers the moon's surface. We get a partial lunar eclipse, but not a blood moon.

How often do Blood Moons occur?

Each year, we can have two to four lunar eclipses, and about 29 per cent of them are total lunar eclipses. This means that they are not all that rare. On average, a total lunar eclipse can be seen from most places on Earth once every 2.5 years. A lot of them are not visible from most locations, but are still happening.

Total lunar eclipses will end someday

Earth is the only planet in the solar system that witnesses a total lunar eclipse. This is because both their sizes are just right, which makes it possible for the lunar body to be fully covered. However, we won't have these eclipses forever since the moon is moving away from us. Once it goes far enough, total lunar eclipses will stop occurring.