KOLKATA/BHUBNESWAR: The total Lunar Eclipse is set to take place today, offering skywatchers a rare celestial event.
A lunar eclipse occurs only during the full moon phase, when the Earth comes directly between the Sun and the Moon.
During this alignment, Earth's shadow falls on the lunar surface, which results in reducing its brightness and often giving it a reddish tint, popularly referred to as the 'Blood Moon.'
The Lunar Eclipse will be visible not only in India but in Australia, the Far East, the Middle East, Europe and some parts of Africa, says Former Director of MP Birla Planetarium, Dr Devi Prasad Duari.
While talking to ANI, Dr Devi Prasad Duari, "This lunar eclipse will be visible not only from India but also from Australia, the Far East, the Middle East, Europe and some parts of Africa."
He called the upcoming Lunar Eclipse a global "mesmerising" event.
"Everyone should see this lunar eclipse because the scene of this great global event is mesmerising. No one should have any fear that something can go wrong during the lunar eclipse. Everyone should see this event because it reminds us of the Sun, Moon and Earth, which we do not think about every day."
He further added, "... This eclipse cannot only be seen in India but also in Pakistan and China. In Delhi, the penumbral phase (initial phase) will start at 8.58 pm. The partial eclipse will begin at around 9.57 pm... It will peak at around 11.48 pm. Its duration will be a little more than 48 minutes. The complete lunar eclipse will end at 12:22 PM."
Gupta also cleared the misconception regarding the lunar eclipse and added, "People can watch it easily. There will be no harm to the eyes. There is nothing to fear. There is no need to take precautions. You can even eat and drink during it. There has been a misconception for many years that food spoils during an eclipse. Nothing of the sort happens..."
According to the Senior Planetarium Engineer at Nehru Planetarium, OP Gupta, the Lunar Eclipse will last for 48 minutes.
This is the second Lunar Eclipse of 2025. The first one took place in March this year.
Space Scientist Dr Suvendu Patnaik announced that the next total lunar eclipse will be on March 3 2026 and the current eclipse can be seen through naked eye through out India in case there is a "cloudless sky"
"We can see the lunar eclipse with the naked eye. It will start around 9.37 pm... Around 11 pm the shadow will totally cover the moon's surface, and the moon will turn completely red... It will remain so till 12.22 pm... The next total lunar eclipse will be on 3 March 2026... The current eclipse is a long duration eclipse which can be seen through naked eye throughout India if there is a cloudless sky..." Space Scientist Dr Suvendu Patnaik told ANI
This is the second lunar eclipse of 2025, which will produce a blood moon.
A lunar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened.
Such alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six months, during the full moon phase, when the Moon's orbital plane is closest to the plane of the Earth's orbit.
This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between the other two, which can happen only on the night of a full moon when the Moon is near either lunar node.
The type and length of a lunar eclipse depend on the Moon's proximity to the lunar node.