It’s a special day for skywatchers, as they prepare to watch the longest total lunar eclipse of this century beginning late Friday night (July 27) and stretching till the early hours of Saturday (July 28).
The lunar eclipse or chandra grahan lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes will be visible in its entirety across India.
Planetariums and institutions across India have made special arrangements to watch the Blood Moon, provided the weather permits.
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Director Pramod Galgali of Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium said, “If the skies are clear, we will be setting up telescopes through which the general public can look at the eclipse. However, if it is cloudy, there’s nothing that we can do.”
Check out the planetariums and organisations that are planning special arrangements to watch the century’s longest lunar eclipse and the Blood Moon:
- Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi
- Dr Abdul Kalam Science Centre and Planetarium, Lawspet, Pondicherry
- Birla Planetarium, Chennai & Kolkata
- Government SNDP UP School, Pattathanam, Kerala
- The Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru
- Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai & Bengaluru
- Voluntary Organisations:
- Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE)
- Amateur Astronomers Association
- Sky Watchers Association (SWAN)
The night sky for the next few days will also be graced by a brighter Mars because the planet will be very close to the earth.
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People in Asia, including India, and Africa will have the best view of the blood moon.
Those in Europe, South America and Australia can only see partial view of the eclipse.
One can watch the event with naked eyes, but cloud and rain may play spoilsport in most places.