India to see semi-lunar eclipse on Aug 17

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http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/aug/13lunar.htmWednesday, August 13, 2008, (New Delhi)Lunar eclipse on SundaySurabhi Gupta in New DelhiAugust 13, 2008 12:29 ISTThere is a treat in store for sky gazers early on Sunday morning when thecountry will witness a partial lunar eclipse."The partial lunar eclipse, which begins at 0106 hours on August 17 andends at 0414 hours, will be visible in India," said Rathnasree, director ofthe Nehru Planetarium.The lunar eclipse is a partial one, wherein 80 percent of the moon will be eclipsed, she said.Besides India, people in the rest of Asia, South America, Europe, Africa andAustralia [images] will also be able to view the celestial event.The eclipse will be visible at its maximum at 0240 hours when

about 80 percent of the moon will be eclipsed, Rathnasree said."People can watch the lunar eclipse with naked eyes, unlike solar eclipse,"she said.The interesting aspect about the lunar eclipse is that the actual event andits different phases will be witnessed at the same time all over the world,she said.Longitudinal differences would define that time to be different in differentregions, she said."For instance, while South America would be witnessing the eclipse duringthe moon-rise on the evening of August 16, Australia would be witnessing itduring moonset on the morning of August 17, although the two regions will bewitnessing it at the same intrinsic time," Rathnasree said.The penumbral part of the eclipse will begin at about four minutes before

midnight of August 16, Ratnashree said adding, that it is not easilydiscernible.The penumbral part of the eclipse is when the sunlight falling on the moonis not entirely cut-off.-------------------------(Khand grass chandragrahan)A partial lunar eclipse will be visible in India and Most part of Asia,Australasia, Europe, Africa, and south America on August 17, 2008.Although only a partial eclipse, this eclipse should be quite significant,as most of the Moon will pass inside the Earth’s umbral shadow at maximumeclipse — the umbral magnitude is 0.812.Timing of Partial Lunar Eclipse (India)The eclipse will start at 01.06 a.m. (IST) of 17 August 2008 and continuetill 04.15 a.m. (IST). The phenomenon will reach its greatest magnitudearound 02.15 am to 03.05 am.Though the eclipse would be partial, over 80 per cent of the

Moon’s diameterwould be covered by the darker shadow of the Earth at the time of theeclipse. The next partial lunar eclipse will be on Feb 9, 2009.Lunar eclipses are considered inauspicious as they affect the karmic patternof humans according to moon’s placement in their birth charts.Babies born under chandra grahan (Lunar Eclipse) run the risk of mentalailments during their life span.