Lunar eclipse is natural and no evil should be associated with it
Partial lunar eclipse is going to happen in the country today but we should not associate this phenomenon with anything evil or myths.
The solar or lunar eclipse is a natural phenomena. As the earth goes round the sun with the moon orbiting around it sometimes these three celestial bodies align on a straight line nearly. A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, the moon and the earth align in this order whereas during a lunar eclipse the earth is right in between the sun and the moon.
Actually every month once the moon is in the direction of the sun and we call that day a new moon day or Amavasya and about 14 days later the moon and the sun are in the opposite direction of the earth and that day we have full moon day, or Poornima, as we call it in India. The reason why eclipses do not take place every month is because the plane in which the moon orbits the earth is inclined to the plane of in which the earth orbits the sun. The planes are inclined by about seven degrees to each other. So most of the times even though the moon is in the same direction as that of the sun (or in the exactly opposite direction) it is above or below the line joining centres of the earth and the sun and an eclipse does not take place. The shadow of the moon is either above or below the earth, or the moon passes above or below the shadow of the earth.
In a calendar year there could be a minimum of two solar and two lunar eclipses. However, there can be a maximum of seven eclipses in a calendar month. Last this happened in 1982 and then 2038 will have seven eclipses.
There are many superstitions associated with the eclipses but none of these were proven on scientific grounds. If at all these eclipses have any effect on mankind it is to give a great pleasure of watching this natural phenomenon. There is nothing evil or bad associated with the eclipse. At this time of the year the sky is most likely to be covered with clouds. However, one should try to see this hide and seek game of the earth and its celestial neighbour. Unlike the solar eclipse one needs to take no precaution as far as the protection of eyes are concerned.
On the night of July 16, 2019, people in the large part of eastern hemisphere of the earth will have a chance to witness partial lunar eclipse. The entire sequence of this eclipse will visible from most parts of India, if the clouds permit.
Only the very last phase of the eclipse will not be visible from the eastern part of India. During the lunar eclipse the moon enters the earth's shadow. This shadow has two parts umbra and penumbra. Umbra is the darkest shadow which is surrounded by faint penumbral shadow. The eclipse begins with the moon entering the penumbral shadow. On the night of July 16th at about 10 minutes past midnight that is on July 17th. This phase of the eclipse is not quite easily visible to untrained observer or common people. Then from 1.31 a.m (on July 17) the umbral shadow would be seen covering the moon progressively.
The maximum eclipse will take place at 3 am and the moon would come out of umbral shadow at about 4.30 early morning of July 17. This eclipse is termed as partial lunar eclipse because only about half of the moon will enter the umbral shadow of the earth.
When we have the total lunar eclipse, that is when the moon completely passes through the umbral shadow of the earth the moon gets reddish hue. This is because of two phenomenon associated with light — scattering and refraction. The blue part of the sunlight is more scattered than the red.
This is why we see the sky blue and rising or setting sun/moon appear red in colour.