What is the difference between a total, partial and penumbral eclipse?

The Earth casts two shadows: a dark inner umbra and a faint outer penumbra. The Moon fully inside the umbra gives a total eclipse; partly inside gives a partial one; passing only through the penumbra gives a penumbral eclipse, which is subtle and easily missed.

Why does the Moon turn red during totality?

Sunlight bending through the Earth's atmosphere is scattered, and the blue light is removed while the red passes through and falls on the Moon — the same reason sunrises look red. This is why a totally eclipsed Moon is often called a Blood Moon.

Does Sutak apply if the eclipse is not visible here?

Traditionally no. Sutak is tied to the eclipse being observable from your location, so one that occurs while the Moon is below your horizon is generally held not to carry Sutak. The page states local visibility for exactly this reason.

Is it safe to watch a lunar eclipse?

Yes. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse needs no eye protection at all and can be watched directly, with binoculars, or with a telescope.

Lunar Eclipse

New Delhi, India

Showing the next lunar eclipse from the current date

Next Global Lunar EclipseType: penumbral

Begins (Penumbral): 21 Feb 2027, 2:42 am

Maximum: 21 Feb 2027, 4:42 am

Ends (Penumbral): 21 Feb 2027, 6:43 am

Local Visibility in New Delhi, India

The next global eclipse IS visible in New Delhi, India!

Local Start: 21 Feb 2027, 2:42 am

Local Max: 21 Feb 2027, 4:42 am

Local End: 21 Feb 2027, 6:43 am

Umbral Magnitude: 0.000

Penumbral Magnitude: 0.927

Saros Series: 143 / 18

About Lunar Eclipses

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon and casts its shadow on it. It always falls on Purnima, but not on every Purnima — because of the tilt of the Moon's orbit, an eclipse occurs only when the Full Moon lands near the Rahu–Ketu axis.

The phases shown

Begins is the moment the shadow first touches the disc, Maximum is when coverage peaks, and Ends is when the shadow leaves entirely. Totality begins and Totality ends appear only for total or annular eclipses — they bound the stretch when the covering is at its fullest.

All times are in the local time of the place you have selected. The global figures describe the event as it happens somewhere on Earth; local visibility is reported separately, because not every eclipse is visible from every location.

The calculated attributes, explained

Magnitude: The fraction of the Moon's diameter inside the Earth's shadow at maximum eclipse. Above 1.0 the Moon is entirely within the umbra, giving a total lunar eclipse.
Obscuration: The fraction of the Moon's visible area inside the shadow, as distinct from magnitude, which measures diameter.
Moon diameter coverage: Magnitude expressed as a percentage — how much of the Moon's width lies in shadow at maximum.
Moon / Sun diameter ratio: How large the Moon appears against the Sun. Both vary in apparent size through their orbits; above 1.0 the Moon can cover the Sun completely (a total eclipse), below 1.0 a ring of Sun remains visible around it (annular).
Saros series: Eclipses repeat on an 18-year, 11-day, 8-hour cycle called a Saros. The series number identifies the family this eclipse belongs to, and the second figure is its position within that family — so 124 / 55 is the 55th eclipse of Saros 124.
Umbral (central) shadow diameter: The width of the Earth's inner shadow at the Moon's distance. The Moon passing deep inside it gives a total lunar eclipse.
Moon altitude (apparent / true): How high above the horizon it stands, in degrees. The apparent figure includes atmospheric refraction, which lifts a low body slightly; the true figure is the geometric position. A low altitude means the eclipse happens close to the horizon and may be hard to see.
Moon azimuth: The compass direction to look, measured clockwise from north — 90° is due east, 180° due south, 270° due west.
Lunar elongation: The angular separation between the Sun and the Moon in the sky. It approaches 0° at a solar eclipse (New Moon) and 180° at a lunar eclipse (Full Moon), which is why eclipses can only occur at those points.

Sutak Kaal

Sutak for a lunar eclipse begins about 9 hours (three prahar) before the eclipse starts, and auspicious work is traditionally suspended during it. As with a solar eclipse, Sutak is observed only where the eclipse is actually visible.

Frequently asked questions about lunar eclipses

A lunar eclipse happens on the Moon itself, so anyone on the night side of the Earth with the Moon above the horizon can see it — roughly half the planet at once. A solar eclipse, by contrast, is only visible along the narrow track where the Moon's shadow falls.