Longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years today; all you need to know about timing, where to watch

Stargazers and astronomers are in for a treat on 19 November (Friday) as the longest partial lunar eclipse of the century is going to take place. Known to be the longest such eclipse in 580 years, it will be visible from parts of Northeast India. What is a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth comes right in between Sun and Moon . A total lunar eclipse takes place when the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth, while a partial lunar eclipse transpires only when part of the Earth’s shadow covers the moon. Date and Time The lunar eclipse will occur on 19 November from 12.48 pm to 4.17 pm. Duration The total duration of the eclipse will be 3 hours 28 minutes and 24 seconds that will make it the longest in 600 years. Will Lunar Eclipse 2021 be visible in India? Yes, it will be visible for people in the country at 2:34 pm. During this time, 97 percent of the moon will be covered by the Earth’s shadow. Meanwhile, Director of Research and Academic at MP Birla Planetarium Debiprosad Duari said that the rare phenomenon will be visible from a few areas in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, the partial Lunar eclipse will be visible from South America, eastern Asia, North America, Australia and the Pacific region. “A few areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will experience the last fleeting moments of the partial eclipse just after the moonrise, very close to the eastern horizon,” Duari said. What will happen on 19 November? On the Lunar eclipse day, the moon is expected to appear in blood-red colour. This happens when the red rays of the sun pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and get least  deflected following which it falls on the moon. When did the last lunar eclipse occur? Last time a partial lunar eclipse of such length took place on 18 February, 1440. However, the next time a similar rare spectacle will be witnessed on 8 February, 2669.