5 July 2020 Lunar Eclipse: Time, duration, visibility from India

New Delhi, July 05: World is all set to witness another Lunar Eclipse this year. The third out of four penumbral lunar eclipses is expected to be sighted on July 5, 2020. This eclipse is also being termed as the 'ThuderMoon Eclipse' and is one of the major celestial events taking place this year.

The lunar eclipse would be visible in parts of North and South America and Europe. It will also be visible in the Western parts of Africa.

In India, the people will not be able to view it, because it will take place during the day time. The first contact with the penumbra will be at 8.30 am and the maximum impact of the eclipse would be at 9.59 am. The last contact with the penumbra would be at 11.21 am. It will last for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse 2020

Lunar eclipses are more common than solar eclipses. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth, which blocks the sunlight fully or sometimes partially. The celestial event occurs when the Earth, Moon, and the Sun are in close alignment. Further, there are three types of lunar eclipses: Total, Penumbral, and Partial lunar eclipses.

Penumbral eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Moon and the Sun. Here, the Moon will fall in the penumbral region of the Earth's shadow, partially blocking the sunlight. Penumbral lunar eclipses are quite common and happen multiple times in a year.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: What Will You See

Unfortunately, this lunar eclipse of July 5 will not be visible in India as it is taking place during the day time. However, the Moon will seem larger than its usual appearance that is interesting to watch. During the four hour event, the shadow will keep shifting, creating a unique movement on the Moon. When the eclipse is at its peak, the outer disc of the lunar surface will come directly under the Earth's shadow.

However, even this will be partial as it's a penumbral one. The peak of the eclipse will see 90 per cent of the Moon partially shaded by the Earth. At this time, the Moon will appear dimmer than when the eclipse began.

It is recommended to wear special glasses to view solar eclipses. But in the case of a lunar eclipse, it is safe to view the event with the naked eye.