Partial lunar eclipse – A quick guide to understanding the celestial event on Oct 28

• Every eclipse is unique in terms of the spectacle it provides the sky gazers.
  
• The second and the last eclipse of 2023 occurring on October 28 will be a partial lunar eclipse.
  
• Though a partial lunar eclipse can be less ‘spectacular’, several other facts make it interesting.
  

Following the solar eclipse that happened on October 14, 2023, the world will witness a lunar eclipse on October 28-29, 2023, in a gap of just fourteen days between them. Though the major types of eclipses watched prominently from the earth are solar and lunar eclipses, each of them have several subtypes corresponding to the spectacle they present under the different conditions governing every given eclipse. Therefore, eclipses are highly interesting topics that astronomy enthusiasts await with great excitement.

The fourth and the last eclipse in 2023

In the 2023 calendar, there are four eclipses. As observed during the majority of the years, the first part of the year staged a set of solar and lunar eclipses and the second part of the year consists of one more similar set.

The first ever eclipse in 2023 was a solar eclipse that happened on April 20. It was followed by a lunar eclipse that occurred on May 5-6. The third eclipse of 2023 was again a solar eclipse which occurred on October 14 and it will be followed by a lunar eclipse on October 28-29, which will also be the last eclipse for the year.

Comparing three consecutive lunar eclipses

While excitement is mounting about the lunar eclipse that will occur in the night sky on October 28-29, comparing this partial lunar eclipse with the one that preceded it in the same year and the one that will follow in the next year can be quite interesting.

The first lunar eclipse in 2023 happened on May 5-6, 2023 and it was a penumbral eclipse. A penumbral eclipse happens when the moon passes deeply into the earth’s penumbra (outer part of earth’s shadow). This eclipse was visible in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

The second and the final lunar eclipse of 2023 can be watched on October 28, 2023. Visible from E.Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, this will only be a partial eclipse.

The next eclipse that will occur on March 25, 2024 will be visible in America. This will be a penumbral one similar to the first lunar eclipse that occurred on May 5, 2023.

Phases and duration of the eclipse

The partial lunar eclipse will begin at 1:05 am IST on Oct 29. The maximum eclipse will take place at 1:44 am IST. On either side of the partial lunar eclipse, the faint penumbral eclipse will be visible for around an hour. The total duration of the partial lunar eclipse will be 4 hours and 25 minutes.

Conclusion

After the partial lunar eclipse on October 28 the next one of its similar type will happen on September 18, 2024. It is noteworthy that both the lunar eclipses that will occur in 2025 on March 13 and September 7 will be total lunar eclipses.