The full moon visible from India on May 26 will be 2021’s biggest supermoon and will also feature a total lunar eclipse. It will be visible in India for a short span from northeastern India and from some parts of West Bengal, coastal parts of Odisha and Andaman, and the Nicobar Islands.
The eclipse will begin at 3:15 pm IST, and the full phase of the eclipse is likely to end somewhere around 4:58 pm. The next lunar eclipse that India could witness will take place on November 19. The November lunar eclipse will be a partial eclipse. The partial phase of that eclipse will live for a very short time and will be visible from the extreme northeastern parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
What makes the May lunar eclipse so special is that the one taking place on May 26 will be a supermoon, a lunar eclipse, and a red blood moon all at the same time. A supermoon occurs when a full or a new moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to the earth. A full moon that comes closest to the perigee, or the closest point of the Moon and the Earth in orbit, becomes a supermoon. It enjoys the adjective of being a supermoon because its close proximity to the Earth makes it appear fairly larger than its usual size. However, the difference between a normal moon and a supermoon may be difficult to differentiate to the naked eye.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow covers parts of the Moon; this is possible only during a full moon. A full moon occurs when the Moon and the Sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. This position allows the moon to be viewed in its full glory.
If one wants to watch the lunar eclipse, they need to be on the night side of the Earth. A total lunar eclipse can make the moon appear red since the moon covered in the Earth’s shadow will not go completely black but will appear red.
