Chandra Grahan 2020: What is Thunder Moon Eclipse? How and When to See Lunar Eclipse on July 5?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between the other two. A lunar eclipse can occur only on the night of a full moon. During a total lunar eclipse, Earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.

July 5 will observe a penumbral lunar eclipse. This type of lunar eclipse takes place when the moon, the sun and the earth are not perfectly aligned with each other. The moon then passes through the outer part of the earth's shadow and this results in a penumbral lunar eclipse. The eclipse of July 5 will be observed in many parts of North and South America and Africa. Unfortunately, it won't be visible from India as it will take place during the broad daylight. The eclipse will begin at 8.37 am on July 5, enter its maximum phase at 9:59 am and conclude at 11.22 am. It will continue for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Interestingly, the penumbral lunar eclipse that occurs in July is also known as Thunder Moon Eclipse . The name comes from the summer storms that occur around July’s full moon, giving it the name "Thunder Moon." It is also called the "Buck Moon" because male deer lose their antlers in this month. Some even call it the "Hay Moon" because of the hay harvest.

Unfortunately, the Thunder Moon Eclipse will not be visible in India, as it is below the horizon during the eclipse. To get a glimpse of the celestial event, it could be watched online, where it will be live streamed. Also, because it is a penumbral lunar eclipse, it will be hard to spot and sky watchers won't be able to differentiate it from a full moon. The only distinguishing factor will be that the moon will appear darker.