Penumbral lunar eclipse on 14th March 2006

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas:

 

A friend has sent the following information culled out from the NASA

Website:

Quote

 

“Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon, 2006 March 14-15;

The beginning of the penumbral phase visible in Africa, Europe, Middle East,

Greenland, the Arctic region, Queen Maud Land of Antarctica, eastern South

America, extreme western Australia, Asia except northeast, the Indian Ocean,

and the Atlantic Ocean except extreme western part;

 

The end visible in Africa, Europe, Middle East, extreme western Asia,

Greenland, the Arctic region, North America except northwestern part,

Central America, South America, Queen Maud Land of Antarctica, Antarctic

Peninsula, the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern Pacific Ocean, and the western

Indian Ocean”

 

Unquote

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The NASA site at the following URL may be viewed:

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html

It gives 3 categories of lunar eclipses, namely, “Total”, “Partial” and

“Penumbral”

 

“Total” is an eclipse in which the entire moon is covered, the extent of

coverage may go up to 1.481 times. This means that the blockage will cover

the entire surface of the moon almost 1 ½ times as it happens on 2007 Aug 28

Total 1.481

 

After covering the entire surface of the moon once, there will be an extra

coating up to 50 % of the surface of the moon.

 

“Partial” is an eclipse in which the coverage is not 100% but ranges on the

plus side up to 99.99% of the surface of the moon.

 

“Penumbral” is an eclipse in which the blockage DOES NOT AT ALL cover the

surface of the moon but only the shadow that is OUTSIDE the periphry of the

moon. In other words, it is “shadow of the shadow” that DOES NOT IMPACT ON

ANY PART OF THE MOON ITSELF. That is the reason why, it is shown with a (-)

minus sign in the NASA chart.

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“PuNYakaalam” should be observed only for “Total” and “Partial” eclipses and

that too ONLY at locations where such eclipses are “visible” and for the

duration of such “visbility”. In other words, “GrahaNa TarpaNam” has to be

offered only in such circumstances.

 

Even though “Penumbral” eclipse may be visible in some places, (as indicated

in the friend’s message quoted above) IT DOES NOT QUALIFY AS “PUNYAKAALAM”

BECAUSE IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE ACTUAL SURFACE OF THE MOON BUT ONLY THE

“SHADOW OF A SHADOW” as explained above.

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Sri Rajamani Vankipuram has sent the following information:

 

"The publishers of 28 number panchangam have issued a statement in the Hindu

that the usual eclipse rituals need not be observed for this 14/15th eclipse

in India

 

Rajamani "

 

This is for your information.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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