The longest and darkest total lunar eclipse of the century will occur on Wednesday, giving sky enthusiasts all over the country an opportunity to witness the event.
This year's last total lunar eclipse on Saturday presented a celestial spectacle for people all over the country, including those in the national capital, in the pre-dusk hours.
"The partial lunar eclipse, which begins at 0106 hours on August 17 and ends at 0414 hours, will be visible in India," said Rathnasree, director of the Nehru Planetarium.The lunar eclipse is a partial one, wherein 80 per cent of the moon will be eclipsed, she said.
A partial solar eclipse will be seen in India on Friday while the north-eastern parts of the country will see quite a large fraction of the disc of the Sun, eclipsed by the Moon.
Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury will line up in the sky in a rare event that happens about every 32 years.
The eclipse will be visible from all over the country, Director, Nehru Planetarium, Dr N Rathnasree said.
This occurs only when the Sun, Mercury and the Earth lined up in one plane. It appears as a dot on the disc because its angular size is very small compared to that of the Sun as seen from the Earth.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances