After the Quadrantids meteor shower, it's time for eclipse enthusiasts to brace themselves for the upcoming penumbral lunar eclipse on January 10. The phenomenon occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun eventually hiding the Sun's light for a specific amount of time, causing the Earth's shadow to fall on the Moon.
According to reports, the penumbral lunar eclipse of January 2020 will last from 10:37pm IST on January 10 i.e. this Friday till 2:42am IST on January 11.
Where to watch the penumbral lunar eclipse
The first eclipse of 2020 will be visible in countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. However, people residing in the United States won't be able to see the penumbral lunar eclipse as it will be daylight in that part of the region. But there will be three more penumbral lunar eclipses this year: on June 5, July 5 and November 30.
Those who are interested in watching the live streaming of the eclipse may visit the official website of CosmoSapiens.
Precautions while watching the eclipse
Though experts usually recommend special glasses for watching a solar eclipse, there is no such requirement in case of a lunar eclipse. Reports suggest that it is completely safe to view a lunar eclipse with bare eyes.
However, some people believe that eclipses have a strong effect on our body cycles and they prefer to follow certain do's and don'ts. But such beliefs don't have any scientific basis.
List of full moons in 2020
In 2020, the celestial calendar consists of a total of 13 full moons, including two supermoons and two full moons in one month. The two supermoons will be visible on March 9 and again on April 7. In the month of October, stargazers can catch a glimpse of two full moons in the same month, making the second moon a Blue Moon.
According to reports, the Blue Moon will fall on Halloween night -- October 31. Though Blue Moons appear about every two or three years, NJ.com reported that space lovers will have to wait till 2039 to witness the next Blue Moon on Halloween.
