Chandra Grahan 2020: India and several other countries will not only witness the very first Lunar Eclipse (2020) of the year but also the decade that has just started, on the 10th of January. It will also be the Wolf Moon – first Full Moon of the year. This will also be the 1st of the 4 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2020. As the Moon will drift from the Earth’s shadow tomorrow (10th January, Friday), Indian and many other people around the globe will be able to see this celestial spectacle.
In total, there are 3 types of Chandra Grahan (Lunar Eclipse) – Total, Partial, and Penumbral. In the Total Lunar Eclipse – Blood Moon – the moon enters the Umbra – Earth’s Central Shadow.
In Partial Lunar Eclipse, only part of Moon is covered by Earth’s shadow however, all three celestial bodies – Earth, Moon, and Sun – are aligned in an, almost, straight line.
Also Read: What This Lunar Eclipse Mean According To Your Zodiac Signs
In Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, the moon drifts into the outer shadow of the planet. This eclipse is the hardest one to spot, as the shadowed part is just a little fainter than the other part of the Moon.
What is Chandra Grahan (Lunar Eclipse)?
In simple terms, a Chandra Grahan takes place when Earth comes in between the Sun and the Moon only when the Moon is full. During the night, the full moon fades as Earth’s shadow cover it. During a Lunar Eclipse, the moon can look orange-red as Earth’s atmosphere absorbs most of the other colors.
This image will help you better understand the phenomenon.
Chandra Grahan Time In India
According to the Norwegian’ company, timeanddate.com, the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in India will begin at 10:37 pm, 10th January, and will last until 2:42 am on the 11th January.
According to the company, the maximum of the eclipse will visible at 00:40 am on the 11th January 2020.
Chandra Grahan Duration
Lunar Eclipse will last for a total of 4 hours and 5 minutes in India.
Chandra Grahan Visibility
The Lunar Eclipse that will take place on the 10th January 2020 will be visible from Africa, Artic, Asia, Atlantic, Australia, East in South America, Europe, Indian Ocean, Much of North America, and Pacific.
Chandra Grahan Precautions Needed
Unlike the Solar Eclipse, to see the Lunar Eclipse one does not need any special instrument, he/she can directly look at this Lunar Eclipse.
Chandra Grahran Superstitions and Myths
- In India, people believe that one should not eat anything during the entire span of Lunar Eclipse, even drinking and cooking must be avoided. People even cover the cooked food with Tulsi leaves to save it from the going bad.
- Not just in India, but in many parts of the globe, pregnant women are asked to not step outside in the open during the Lunar Eclipse, as people believe that the Grahan will curse the unborn child. Additionally, these women are advised not to use sharp objects such as knifes as it can lead to birthmarks.
- This superstition comes from the United States (US), people believe that eclipse depicts “apocalypse”. Many scholars says this comes from the holy book Bible’s Joel 2:31 which reads “The Sun will turn to darkness, and the Moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes”.
- In Tibet, the superstition goes around that during a Lunar Eclipse, both good and bad deeds are multiplied 10 times.
- In South Africa, and some other parts of Africa, the superstition persists till date that during a Lunar Eclipse, the Sun and the Moon fights, and people request them to resolve their conflict and stop.
- It is also said that one should not look at the Lunar Eclipse directly without taking any precautionary measures.
When Will The Next Chandra Grahan Take Place?
After tomorrow’s Lunar Eclipse, there will be 3 more Penumbral Lunar Eclipses this year. The next one will take place on the 5th June, the 3rd one will take place on 4th of July, and the 4th one 29th November.
The Lunar Eclipse that will take place in July will not be visible from Earth, and the one taking place on the 29th November will be visible from some parts of the country.
