ONE OF THE BEST ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS TO WITNESS TONIGHT!!

A total lunar eclipse will occur on tonight Sunday May 15, 2015, when the moon passes directly through the Earth’s innermost shadow and can be seen for several hours across half the globe. 

Eclipses have caused fear, inspired curiosity, and have been associated with myths, legends and superstitions throughout history and across cultures.  Out of the many superstitions/folklore, here are a few:

1. In USA - people believe that an eclipse is a sign of the forthcoming of an apocalypse. 
2. In India - it is believed that if you cut yourself during an eclipse you bleed for a longer time and it can leave a scar for a lifetime.
3. In Tibet - people think that good and bad deeds are multiplied during an eclipse.
4. In many parts of the world -  pregnant women are advised to stay indoors as it is believed that the dark moon will curse the unborn child. 

When the moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, called the umbra, it's known as a total lunar eclipse.

The partial eclipse will begin at 10:27 p.m. Sunday, with the total lunar eclipse starting at 11:29 p.m.  The total eclipse will end at 12:53 a.m. Monday, and the partial eclipse will end at 1:55 a.m. Monday.

Though the red hue is most striking during a total lunar eclipse, the moon gets cast in a scarlet light even during partial lunar eclipses. So why does our moon turn red and not black when bathed in Earth's shadow.

Lunar Eclipse

Even though Earth is way bigger than the sun, the light rays are able to bend around the edges of our planet before being reflected onto the moon. Even so, the sun's light first passes through Earth's atmosphere; and during that trek, particles in the atmosphere preferentially scatter the blue light. In that way, the orange and red light bathes the moon's surface, which is why it is often referred to as the "blood moon."

About two lunar eclipses occur each year, and the next will be a total lunar eclipse on  November 8, 2022. There will not be another total lunar eclipse until March 2025.

Happy Viewing!!!

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