Lunar Eclipse 2021: Longest Chandra Grahan on Kartik purnima today, check India timings and where to watch

Pic Courtesy: Pixabay Image for representational use only

New Delhi: The world is about to witness the longest Lunar Eclipse or Chandra Grahan today (November 19). The last lunar eclipse of 2021 is said to be the longest one in 580 years. This is going to be a partial lunar eclipse and the longest one since the 15th century. 

WILL PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE 2021 BE VISIBLE IN INDIA?

The partial lunar eclipse will be visible from North and South America, Australia, and parts of Europe and Asia.  Much of Europe, Much of Asia, Australia, North/West Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic will be able to witness it, as per timeanddate.com

A partial lunar eclipse takes place when the earth moves between the Sun and Moon but the three celestial bodies do not form a straight line in space.

 There's a partial lunar eclipse this month—but that's not the only thing to watch out for in the night skies of November!

Look out for the Pleiades star cluster, and Jupiter and Saturn drawing ever-closer together. https://t.co/prbgoFyqMb pic.twitter.com/CcJZvPd0gs — NASA (@NASA) November 2, 2021

INDIA TIMINGS OF LUNAR ECLIPSE 2021:

The Anshik Chandra Grahan or partial lunar eclipse will take place on Kartik Purnima Tithi, Shukla Paksha (November 19) starting at 12:48 PM and will end at 4:17 PM. The maximum partial eclipse will be visible at 2.34 pm as 97 per cent of the moon will be covered by the Earth's shadow.

(The timings chart is attributed to timeanddate.com)

The Earth will be experiencing a total of 228 lunar eclipses in the 21st century. A lunar eclipse can occur only a maximum of three times a year, according to US space agency NASA.

The ending of the partial phase just after the moonrise will be visible from extreme north-eastern parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

KARTIK PURNIMA 2021:

Anshik Chandra Grahan is falling on Kartik Purnima, much like the previous year. It is an auspicious day where devotees take a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu. 

The next lunar eclipse that will be visible from India will be in November 2022.