M A I N   N E W S

Country witnesses century’s longest & darkest lunar eclipse

New Delhi: The moon’s bright white glow turned crimson brick red when it delved into the dark centre of the earth's shadow during the century's longest and darkest lunar eclipse. The awesome spectacle of the moon being eclipsed was visible all over the country. This was the century's longest and darkest total lunar eclipse as the moon immersed deeply inside the umbral (darker) shadow of the earth, Nehru Planetarium Director said.

The total phase of the eclipse lasted 100 minutes. The last eclipse to exceed this duration was in July 2000. The next such eclipse will only take place in 2141. 

A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth in course of its orbit around the sun, comes between the moon and the sun in such a way that moon is hidden in the shadow cast by the earth. — PTI