On the night of June 15, the sun, earth and moon will come in a straight line and the earth’s shadow will eclipse the full moon passing through it. As the moon slips into the earth’s “umbra” (dark shadow), it will slowly assume a coppery red colour, making it a not to be missed spectacle. The lunar eclipse will be visible all over India, the Middle East, southern Europe and northern Africa.
This will be the darkest lunar eclipse over the Indian skies this century. The previous darkest lunar eclipse took place four decades back, on Aug 6, 1971. The year’s second and final lunar eclipse will occur Dec 10, but it will be visible only in Eurasia, Australia and north-western parts of North America. –
