In October, we’ve been treated to some amazing sights in the sky, and this weekend, there’s another special event to look forward to – a partial lunar eclipse.
The moon will enter the Earth’s shadow, creating a stunning celestial show. This eclipse can be seen from many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, parts of South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic, and Antarctica. It will take place on Saturday, October 28, and extend into Sunday, October 29, coinciding with the Hunter’s Moon, which is the full moon in October.
This lunar eclipse is called “partial” because the Earth, the moon, and the sun won’t line up perfectly.
If you’re in Pakistan, you’re in luck because the partial lunar eclipse will be visible there too. The Pakistan Meteorological Department reports that the penumbral eclipse will begin at 23:02 PST on October 28, and the partial eclipse will commence at 00:35 PST on October 29. The partial eclipse will conclude at 01:53 PST on October 29, and the penumbral eclipse will end at 03:26 PST on the same day.
But what exactly is a lunar eclipse? Well, it occurs when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the moon’s surface. Lunar eclipses are fascinating to observe because they can only happen during a full moon.
The partial eclipse ends when the moon exits the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra, and returns to the lighter part, called the penumbra. A second stage of penumbral eclipse happens at 20:52 GMT (4:52 p.m. EDT) on October 28.
If you miss this partial lunar eclipse, don’t worry. The moon will once again pass through the Earth’s shadow on September 17, 2024.
