New Delhi: The first lunar eclipse of the year started in many parts of the world on May 15 and 16, and is a supermoon as well as a blood moon. A supermoon occurs when a full Moon coincides with the Moon's closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee, and can only happen three to four times a year. A supermoon appears as a larger-than-usual Moon in the night sky because it is closer to Earth. A blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse. The entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth's shadow, called the umbra, as a result of which the Moon will appear reddish.


Where Will The Total Lunar Eclipse Be Visible?


The total lunar eclipse is visible from across North and South America, and parts of Europe and Africa. In the Western Hemisphere, the Moon entered the Earth's shadow on the night of May 15. The Western Hemisphere is the part of Earth comprising North and South America and the surrounding waters. 


Although the first lunar eclipse of the year is not visible in India, people in the country can watch the astronomical event online. 


The eclipse began at 7:02 am IST on May 16 for people living in India. 


For people living in North America, the eclipse began at 9:28 pm CDT on May 15, and will end at 12:56 am CDT on May 16, according to NASA. 


The eastern half of the United States and all of South America will have the opportunity to see every stage of the lunar eclipse, the US space agency said on its website. The total phase of the eclipse will be visible in much of Africa, western Europe, central and South America, and most of North America. 


What Is A Total Lunar Eclipse?


When the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a way such that the Moon passes into the Earth's shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs. A total lunar eclipse is one in which the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth's shadow, or the umbra. 


When the Moon and the Sun are on the opposite sides of Earth, and the planet casts a complete shadow over its natural satellite, a total lunar eclipse occurs. 


The penumbra is the part of Earth's shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by Earth, while the umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden.


The first lunar eclipse of the year is also a full Moon. Early native American tribes called this full Moon the Flower Moon because this was the time of the year when spring flowers appeared in abundance. 


During the eclipse, most wavelengths from the visible light of the Sun will be filtered out, and only the red and orange wavelengths of the spectrum will reach the surface of the Moon. As a result, the Moon will take on a reddish hue.


How To Watch The Total Lunar Eclipse Online?


People who are not in the viewing region of the lunar eclipse can watch NASA's livestream of the eclipse from different locations across the globe. The US space agency started livestreaming the eclipse from 8:30 am IST, with experts are commenting on each step.  The livestream will end at 9:30 pm IST on May 16. 



The livestream can be watched on YouTube, Facebook, NASA Television, or NASA.gov/live. 


The eclipse is also being streamed live on the official YouTube channel of timeanddate.com.



All About The Total Lunar Eclipse


There are several phases of a total lunar eclipse. In the first phase, the penumbral eclipse begins. During this phase, the Moon enters the Earth's penumbra, and then begins to dim.


The penumbral eclipse began at 1:32 UTC on May 15 (7:02 am IST on May 16), according to NASA. The Moon is not visible during this stage.


In the second phase, the partial eclipse begins. This is because the Moon begins to enter Earth's umbra. As the Moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite being taken out the lunar disc. The part of the Moon inside the umbra appears very dark. 


The partial eclipse phase began at 2:27 UTC on May 15 (7:57 am IST on May 16).


When the totality or the total phase of the eclipse begins, the entire Moon is in the Earth's umbra. The Moon will turn coppery-red. The totality begn at 3:29 UTC on May 15 (8:59 am IST on May 16).


The maximum phase of the eclipse will be at 9:41 am IST on May 16. 


The totality ends when the Moon exits the Earth's umbra, as a result of which the red colour fades. 


The totality ends at 4:53 UTC on May 16 (10:23 am IST).


The partial eclipse ends when the whole Moon is in Earth's penumbra, but the dimming is subtle. This will occur at 11:25 am IST on May 15.


The eclipse is said to be over when the penumbral eclipse ends. This year's total lunar eclipse will end at 12:20 pm IST on May 16.


The overall duration of the eclipse is five hours and 19 minutes, according to timeandate.com.


The duration of total phase of the eclipse is one hour and 25 minutes.


The total lunar eclipse that will occur on May 15 and 16 is the second eclipse this season. An eclipse season is an approximate 35-day period during which at least two eclipses take place. Sometimes, three eclipses can also occur during an eclipse season. 


During the October-November 2022 eclipse season, a partial solar eclipse will occur on October 25, and a total lunar eclipse will occur on November 7 and 8.


Brightness Of A Total Lunar Eclipse


The appearance and luminosity of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse are measured using a five-point scale called the Danjon Scale.


The luminosity is represented by L. When L is equal to zero, the eclipse is very dark, and the Moon is almost invisible. When L is equal to 1, the eclipse is dark, and is gray or brown in colour. 


When L is equal to 2, the eclipse is rust-coloured, and a dark, central shadow appears, with lighter area on the outer edge, according to timeanddate.com.


When L is equal to 3, a brick-red eclipse can be seen. This is an umbral eclipse. 


When L is equal to 4, a copper-red or an orange-red eclipse can be seen. The umbral shadow may have a turquoise or bluish edge.