Guwahati: Stargazers in Assam and across the Northeast are set to witness a rare celestial spectacle tonight, as a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the region and throughout India. The event will also be observed from large parts of Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth aligns perfectly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow over the lunar surface. During the total phase, the Moon will take on a striking coppery-red hue, caused by sunlight refracted through Earth’s atmosphere — a phenomenon often called the “blood moon.” Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye.
“This is a golden opportunity for people in Assam and the Northeast to watch the Moon’s transformation without any special equipment,” said Babul Ch Bora, consulting scientific officer at the Gauhati Planetarium.
According to the India Meteorological Department’s Positional Astronomical Centre, the eclipse timeline is as follows:
- Partial phase begins: 9:57 pm, September 7
- Total eclipse begins: 11:00 pm
- Totality ends: 12:23 am, September 8
- Eclipse ends: 1:27 am
The totality will last for 1 hour and 23 minutes, while the entire event spans 3 hours and 30 minutes, with a magnitude of 1.368.
The last lunar eclipse visible from India was a partial eclipse on October 28, 2023. The next total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, 2026.
While no public viewing events are scheduled, Gauhati Planetarium officials confirmed they will remain present during the eclipse. Experts advise observers to choose open areas away from city lights for the clearest view of tonight’s cosmic show.
