KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has announced that a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the country between the night of September 7 and the early hours of September 8.
The eclipse will also be seen across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, western parts of North America, eastern South America, as well as the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, along with the Arctic and Antarctica.
In Pakistan, the penumbral eclipse will start at 8:28 pm (PST) on September 7. The partial eclipse will begin at 9:27 pm, followed by the total eclipse at 10:31 pm.
The peak of the eclipse is expected at 11:12 pm, and the total phase will end at 11:53 pm. The partial phase will last until 12:57 am on September 8, while the penumbral stage will finish at 1:55 am.
During this event, the moon will take on a deep red hue, a sight commonly called a “blood moon.” This happens when Earth moves between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface.
NASA explains that the totality, when the Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon, will last around one hour and 22 minutes. In total, the eclipse will stretch over three hours and 29 minutes as Earth passes in front of the moon.
The eclipse involves two types of shadows: the umbra, which is the darker inner part, and the penumbra, the lighter outer shadow.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth, the moon, and the sun are perfectly aligned. In contrast, a partial lunar eclipse happens when this alignment is not exact.
During totality, the moon enters the umbra and appears faintly lit as some sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere. Lunar eclipses always occur when the moon is full.