Lunar Eclipse 2021: Date, time, where to watch - all you need to know about first Blood Moon of the year

A lunar eclipse takes place only when there is a Full Moon and a total lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, earth, and the moon are in one line. The earth casts a shadow on the moon in two stages- penumbra (partial) and umbral (complete). The umbral stage is an interesting stage where the moon is in the full dark shadow of the earth. So, are you waiting to witness this event this year?

This year a lunar eclipse is all set to occur on May 26, 2021. The moon will be in a total eclipse after January  21, 2019. 

Fun fact- the moon will have a reddish tinge in it and the reason for it is due to the dispersed light from Earth’s sunrises and sunsets that fall on the face of the moon in the middle of the eclipse. 

But when does a lunar eclipse occur? 

Eclipses are categorized as total, partial, and penumbral. A total eclipse is a result of Earth’s shadow blocking the sun’s light, which otherwise reflects off the moon’s surface.

The year 2021, has two lunar eclipses in-store, one total and one partial. The total eclipse on May 26 would be least visible from eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and American. It will be at its peak around 4:49 pm IST. The phenomenon is predicted to be 15 minutes long and since the full moon is closest to the earth on the day of the eclipse, making it appears larger than usual. 

Eclipses of 2021:

May 26: Total Lunar Eclipse
June 10:  Annular Solar Eclipse
November 19: Partial Lunar Eclipse
December 4: Total Solar Eclipse