Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on January 10

The first lunar eclipse due for this year will occur on January 10th night, when the shadow of the Earth falls on the Moon, said Prof. Chandana Jayaratne, the Director of Astronomy and Space Science Unit, Department of Physics at Colombo University. 

Lunar eclipses occur on full moon days when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, which results in obstructing some or all of the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon. 

This is a penumbral type of lunar eclipse occurring around the mid night between January 10 and 11. The eclipse begins at 10.38 p.m. Sri Lanka standard time on January 10th with the moon entering the penumbra of the earth’s shadow (less dark shadow) and ends up at 2.42 a.m. on 11th morning.  

Greatest eclipse will take place forty minutes after the midnight i.e. at 12.40 a.m. on 11th January. 

In a penumbral eclipse Moon will not enter the dark shadow (umbra) of the Earth, but the lighter-shadow (penumbral shadow).   Therefore, during this particular eclipse you will see no dark shadow as in total or partial lunar eclipses, but only a reduction of the brightness of the Moon, Prof. Jayaratne said. 

Penumbral eclipses are difficult to observe, especially during the early and late stages. Nevertheless, a subtle yet distinct shading should be visible across the Moon. 

This eclipse is visible to countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Much of North America, East in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic. 

There are six eclipses in this year – 4 penumbral lunar eclipses, 1 annular solar eclipse and 1 total solar eclipse. Only the annular solar eclipse of June 21, 2020 is clearly visible to Sri Lanka as a partial solar eclipse from 10.29 a.m. to 1.19 p.m., said Prof. Jayaratne.