What makes lunar eclipses interesting and worth observing? “There’s the whole spectacle itself,” says Obuli Chandran, founder of Mango Education. “The moon that falls in the earth’s shadow acquires a blood red or copper red colour, which is quite a sight to watch, and the causes for the shift in colour have kept scientists guessing.” 

Visual appeal aside, there are other uses to studying lunar eclipses, one of them being that astronomers are better able to calculate the speed at which the moon traverses through orbit. Long entrenched in the world of science and astronomy, this phenomenon has been termed positional astronomy. Obuli, however, prefers to call it a game of shadows, this whole game of planetary hide-and-seek. 

As stargazers prepare for yet another lunar eclipse — a rarer occurrence than solar eclipses — this weekend, Mango Education is setting up an event wherein the general public can witness the phenomenon in real-time through a telescope, because, as Obuli believes, the study of such phenomena needn’t be the sole domain of scientists and astronomers.

While the eclipse is expected to begin at 10pm on September 7, the event will kick off two hours prior, with informational sessions lined up so that participants remain well-informed ahead of the eclipse. “A short documentary on the moon will be screened at the museum theatre, followed by a spherical projection of the moon, where participants can learn more about craters on the moon. Alongside these will be various stalls set up by students displaying educational material about the moon,” Obuli added.

Founded in 2019, Mango Education has been holding science-based workshops aimed at children. This time, however, the event is aimed at the general public, and for this reason, Obuli has arranged for around five telescopes. “This will give participants a hands-on experience of something they may have studied theoretically in their classrooms,” he adds.

Just as important as learning to observe a lunar eclipse is knowing the difference between an eclipse and a half moon, since they resemble each other to the naked eye. “But an eclipsed half moon is markedly different from a regular half moon, so the event will also make this clearer to the participants,” Obuli says.

Eclipses have for centuries held cultural significance, and there are any number of myths surrounding this. Part of the purpose of the workshop will be to differentiate myth from science. A demonstration by a group of students will work on dispelling many of the superstitions surrounding lunar eclipses, among them the dangers of consuming food and venturing outdoors during the period of the eclipse. “However, the approach will not be one of blind rejection of such practices,” Obuli says, adding, “but a detailed explanation through scientific reasoning why they aren’t true.”

Holding an event like this acquires significance in a world that is largely hooked on to screen displays of various sizes. “People have forgotten to look at the sky. An event like this presents a wonderful opportunity not only to appreciate the spectacle and the science that animates this, but also to develop an understanding of our place in the cosmos,” Obuli adds.

Another object of study will be the telescope, the instrument that enables this close viewing of an object far away in orbit, and the science behind the optics that make this possible.

Photographers who wish to capture the event are also encouraged to apply. The team at the museum will provide assistance with mounting their equipment, be it a DSLR or phone camera, and create sequential images capturing various phases of the eclipse, Obuli adds.

The event will be held on the intervening night of September 7 and 8, at the newly constructed PSG-GRD Museum of Science and Technology in Neelambur, which is currently being managed by Mango Education. Participants will be charged a fee of ₹200 for entry into the museum, and the event will be held from 8pm to 2am. For registrations, contact: 9952243541.

Published – September 07, 2025 08:05 pm IST

New Delhi:

The year 2025 will see four significant celestial events – two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses – but only one of them will be visible from India, says Rajendra Prakash Gupt, Superintendent of the Jiwaji Observatory in Ujjain. Speaking to news agency PTI, Mr Gupt gave details of the upcoming eclipses and the places from where they can be observed.

First Lunar Eclipse in March: Not Visible From India

The year’s first major astronomical event will occur on March 14, with a total lunar eclipse. Unfortunately, this event will take place during daytime in India, rendering it invisible to Indian observers.

“The lunar eclipse will be visible in regions such as America, Western Europe, Western Africa, and over the North and South Atlantic Ocean,” Mr Gupt explained, as per PTI.

Partial Solar Eclipse From March: Another Miss For India

Later in March, a partial solar eclipse is slated for the 29th. However, Indian skywatchers will miss this as well.

“This eclipse will be visible in North America, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic Ocean, Europe, and north-western Russia,” said Mr Gupt.

Full Lunar Eclipse From September: Visible In India

Indian astronomy enthusiasts can look forward to September 7 – 8, when a full lunar eclipse will be visible across the country.

“The full lunar eclipse will also be visible in other countries of Asia as well as Europe, Antarctica, the Western Pacific Ocean, Australia, and the Indian Ocean region,” Mr Gupt said.

This stunning event will last from 8:58 PM to 2:25 AM, painting the moon a deep red hue. 

Final Eclipse of 2025: Not Visible From India

The last celestial event of the year will be a partial solar eclipse on September 21–22. This, too, will not be visible in India.

“The partial solar eclipse can be observed in New Zealand, Eastern Melanesia, Southern Polynesia, and West Antarctica,” Mr Gupt added.

India will also see three major meteor showers, starting with the Quadrantids on January 3-4, where 80-120 meteors per hour will illuminate the night sky. The Perseids, visible on August 12-13, will offer up to 100 meteors per hour, while the Geminids on December 14-15 promise a display of 150 meteors per hour. These meteor showers require no special equipment to observe, allowing everyone to enjoy the spectacle.

In 2025, three supermoons will also grace the skies on October 7, November 5, and December 5. These will appear larger and brighter than usual, providing a breathtaking view. On January 16, the rare Mars Opposition, which occurs every 2 years and 50 days, will bring the red planet closer to Earth. Meanwhile, the Pink Micromoon on April 13 will combine a full moon with its farthest distance from Earth, creating a unique celestial phenomenon.

Moon partially covered by the earth’s shadow during lunar eclipse. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI

West Bengal along with other parts of India, the whole of Asia, Europe, Africa, and Russia will witness a partial lunar eclipse on the night of October 28.

The celestial phenomenon will continue till the early hours of October 29, astrophysicist Debi Prasad Duari said.

People in West Bengal will celebrate Laksmi puja on Saturday night.

“There is going to be a partial lunar eclipse on the night of October 28 which can be experienced by people in India along with the entire Asia, Europe, Africa, and Russia. The eclipse will occur during late night of October 28 and will continue till the early hours of October 29,” Mr. Duari told PTI.

He said that on October 28, the moon will be partially eclipsed by the shadow of the earth for some time and will give people in India a chance to experience a partial lunar eclipse.

A lunar eclipse is marked by two stages of the moon coming under the shadow of the earth. When it enters a partially shadowed region of the earth it is known as the penumbral eclipse, when the moon remains partly lighted.

“The change in brightness is not very much noticeable. After this phase moon will partially enter the actual dark part of the earth’s shadow which is termed an umbral lunar eclipse and is considered the actual eclipse by most people,” he added.

On October 28 night though the penumbral eclipse will start at around 11:31 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST), but the partial Umbral eclipse, which is more noticeable, will start in the early hours of October 29, at around 1:05 a.m. IST, he said.

“It will become maximum at around 1:44 am and will end by 2:23 am. The magnitude of the partial lunar eclipse will be around 0.12 marked by the maximum obscuration of the lunar disc,” the astrophysicist said.

On October 14 there was an annular solar eclipse which was experienced by the people of mostly North and South America when the ring of fire was observed across a large part of the western hemisphere.

“It occurred when it was night over India and Asia and could not be experienced by people in this region. The day was a New Moon day and marked the beginning of Navratri, celebrated in major parts of India as the beginning of the Durga Puja Festival. In West Bengal and around it was the day of Mahalaya when people offered their prayers to their ancestors ushering in the most celebrated Durga Puja Festival,” Mr. Duari added.

Earth will experience two eclipses this month. After the annular solar eclipse on October 14, the moon will appear partially blocked in the night sky. The lunar eclipse will occur on October 28, two weeks after the solar eclipse. According to space.com, it will be visible over parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, North/East South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic and Antarctica. A lunar eclipse takes place during the full moon phases, when the Earth is positioned precisely between the moon and the Sun.

Time of the lunar eclipse

The celestial event will begin at 3.36 pm EDT (1.06 am IST on October 29) and end at 4.53 pm EDT (2.23 am IST on October 29). This will be the second lunar eclipse of the year after a penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5.

Unlike solar eclipses, watching the moon being shadowed by the Earth with naked eyes is perfectly safe.

Will the lunar eclipse be visible in India?

In-The-Sky.org has prepared a path where the lunar eclipse will be visible. The website said that it will be visible from New Delhi in the south-western sky.

The moon will lie 62 degrees above the horizon at the moment of greatest eclipse, in-the-sky further said.

It also has a simulation that shows the moon’s relative path to the Earth’s shadow. The outer grey circle is the Earth’s penumbra, within which the Earth blocks part of the Sun’s light, making the moon appear less bright than usual, but not completely dark. The inner black circle is the umbra, within which the Earth entirely blocks the Sun’s light, making the moon’s disk appear entirely unilluminated.

How is lunar eclipse formed?

According to American space agency NASA, lunar eclipses occur at the full moon phase.

When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth, the space agency further said.