Eclipse clouded in most of India

NEW DELHI, JULY 16. The earth's shadow swept past the moon this evening turning a yellow-shining full moon into a dim red one, and finally blackening it out of view, in the longest total lunar eclipse in 150 years.

India missed the beginning of the celestial show. But the awesome spectacle of the moon vanishing totally was visible over eastern and northeastern India stretching from Port Blair, Puri and Bhubaneshwar to Calcutta, Darjeeling, Agartala, Aizawal, Kohima, Guwahati, Shillong and Gangtok.

The rest of the country could only witness the tail- end of the show when the shadow started disappearing, giving way to a dim moon again.

In several parts of the country, including the national capital, swirling monsoon clouds and rains turned spoilsport for avid star-gazers. The partial lunar eclipse began at 5:27 p.m. and the total at 6:32 p.m. The total eclipse that lasted for an hour and 47 minutes was the second in a rare hat trick of eclipses in one month. It was preceded by, and will be followed by, a partial solar eclipse at the beginning and end of this month.

As the earth came in between the sun and the moon, its shadow first began sweeping across the moon at 5.27 p.m. blocking out much of its bright light. As the shadow descended gently like a whale, the moon's face turned red and finally hid from view. The total eclipse was over at 8.19 p.m. when the shadow started disappearing slowly to make the moon partially visible and fully come to the view an hour later. The rest of the country that missed the eclipse had an opportunity to see the tail-end of the show.

The total lunar eclipse captured astronomers' attention for two reasons - it was the longest in 150 years and the second in a series of three in a month. It was not just Indians but also animated star-gazers of New Zealand, Australia, the southern tip of South America, Mexico, the West Coast of Canada, Hawaii, and western United States who were being treated to the grand celestial spectacle.

The glaciers of Antarctica and the waters of the Pacific Ocean were other silent witnesses to the show.

- PTI

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