Total lunar eclipse to occur in the evening of 31st January, 2018

Chandigarh, January 30, 2018: A total lunar eclipse will occur in the evening of 31st January, 2018. The Umbral eclipse (the darkest phase of the shadow of Earth on Moon) will be visible in Chandigarh just after the Moon-rise around 18-20 in the evening till 19:37. The Moon will appear to be dark red during this phase. The penumbral eclipse (the mild phase of the eclipse) will continue till 20:40 in the night. The penumbral part of the eclipse is generally unnoticeable.

According to available information, the Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh will be making observations of the eclipse with a telescope in case the weather permits. In a communication to all colleagues, staff-members and students, the Department's chairman Prof Navdeep Goyal and Organiser Prof Sandeep Sahijpal have stated that that "interested colleagues, staff-members and students are requested to join us along with their families and friends. All the interested students are requested to come in proper woolen clothes with full head covered and gloves. Children should be escorted by their parents or teachers in any case. We will handle only the instrumentation part."