Two eclipses to take place in October

There will be two eclipses this month – an annular solar eclipse on October 14 and a partial lunar eclipse on October 28, says Prof. Chandana Jayaratne, the Head of the Department of Physics and the Director of Astronomy and Space Science Unit, Colombo University.

The annular solar eclipse is visible from the USA, followed by parts of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Brazil. However, it will not be visible to Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka Standard Time, this solar eclipse begins at 8:34 p.m. on October 14 in the USA and ends at 2:25 a.m. on October 15 near Brazil.   

Usually, there are two eclipses in a row with a two-week gap, Prof. Jayaratne explained, adding that 14 days later, on October 28 night there will be a partial lunar eclipse as well, commencing from 11:32 p.m. that day and ending at 3:56 a.m. on October 29, he said.

This lunar eclipse is visible to Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Much of South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, and Antarctica.

However, the partial phase of this eclipse is visible to Sri Lanka on October 29 in the early morning from 1:05 a.m. to 2:23 a.m. with a maximum eclipse at 1:44 a.m., Prof. Jayaratne added.