India witnesses rare total lunar eclipse as crowds gather to watch the blood moon

The eclipse was visible in India after 11 pm on Sunday. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK

The excitement swept across India on Sunday night as thousands of people gathered in different cities to witness the much-awaited Total Lunar Eclipse, popularly known as the Blood Moon.

In Bengaluru, crowds assembled at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to watch the spectacle unfold. Sahana, one of the early visitors, said, "It was not fully red, but I could see the moon in a light grey shade. It was nice. It was a good experience. I am waiting for 11 PM to watch the blood moon," said Sahana, who reached the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to watch the Total Lunar Eclipse.

In the capital, Delhiites braved cloudy skies to try their luck at the Nehru Planetarium. One enthusiastic visitor said, "It is covered with clouds right now. We are very excited to witness the lunar eclipse and see the detailed process of how it happens..." said a woman who reached Nehru Planetarium to watch the Total Lunar Eclipse

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, students and astronomy enthusiasts flocked to the Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha in Jadavpur. For many, it was a first-time experience. Riya Bhattacharjee, a student, said, "This is the first time I have witnessed a Total Lunar Eclipse. The Blood Moon is one of the most interesting phenomena I have researched and heard about... this live experience is extremely immersive."

Adding a scientific perspective, Sandip Chakraborti, Director of the Indian Centre for Space Physics, explained from West Medinipur, "Today, Sun, Earth and Moon are on the same line... this is a rare event that happened on 31st January, 2018 and the next time, it will happen on 31st December, 2028..." The total Lunar Eclipse commenced at 8.58 pm across India and lasted until 2:25 am.

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.

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