CHENNAI: A total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, but city residents may be able to witness only the final phase of the eclipse for about 31 minutes after sunset.According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) positional astronomical centre, Kolkata, the moon will rise in the city at 6.17pm, and the duration of the eclipse from moonrise up to the end of the umbral phase will be 31 minutes. The eclipse will be visible from most places in India, except some areas in the extreme western part of the country.
The eclipse will begin at 3.20pm, and the totality will end at 5.33pm. The city where the maximum duration of the eclipse will be visible is Cuttack, for 58 minutes after moonrise at 5.50 pm, followed by 57 minutes in Bhubaneswar and Hazaribagh after moonrise at 5.51pm. At Gaya, the eclipse will be visible for 56 minutes after moonrise at 5.52pm.
Globally, the eclipse will be visible in the region covering eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Americas.A lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon day when the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and all three celestial bodies are aligned. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be safely viewed with the naked eye and does not require any special protective equipment.A total lunar eclipse occurs when the whole moon comes under the earth’s umbral shadow, while a partial lunar eclipse occurs when only a part of the moon enters the earth’s shadow.The release said the magnitude of the eclipse is 1.155, signifying a deep total eclipse. A magnitude greater than 1.0 means the entire moon passes completely into the earth’s darkest shadow, or the umbra. A magnitude of 1.155 means the moon will go deeper into the shadow, resulting in a darker or an intense ‘blood moon’ colouration. The umbral shadow will cover the moon’s diameter by roughly 15.5% more than the minimum required for a total eclipse.The last total lunar eclipse visible in India was on Sep 7-8, 2025. “The next lunar eclipse which will be visible from India is on July 6, 2028. It will be a partial lunar eclipse,” the release from IMD said.
