Chennaiites can get ready to see a moon painted coppery red on the night of June 15 when the longest lunar eclipse of the decade, lasting 3 hours, 39 minutes, will occur.
This eclipse will be one of the three lunar spectacles within a month — there was a partial lunar eclipse on June 1, and the full moon will be partially shadowed again on July 1, a phenomenon that occurs every two years, say experts.
“The total lunar eclipse will begin around 11.52 pm on Wednesday and it will reach totality at 1.45 am on Thursday. It will end around 3.32 am. It is safe to watch this eclipse with the naked eye,” says astronomer Iyemperumal, director of the Birla Planetarium.
“The full moon will appear extremely bright before the eclipse. However, it will not disappear completely from view during the eclipse; but will appear a bright coppery red due to the refracted rays from the sun,” explains the astronomer.
While he rubbishes superstitious beliefs that a lunar eclipse emits radiations that are harmful to health and aggravate lunacy, Dr Iyemperumal says ocean tides will be quite high due to the added gravitational effects of the sun and the earth, as they are wont to be on every full moon day.
Gynaecologist Kamala Selvaraj adds that there is no scientific backing to the claims that a lunar eclipse can cause birth defects in unborn babies.
“The foetus is completely formed within the first three months, and there is no evidence to prove that a pregnant woman is affected by a lunar eclipse. However, our ancestors may have prescribed these restrictions to prevent children and women going out in the middle of the night to watch the eclipse,” she says.
Astrologers in the city are anticipating both good and bad things from the coming astronomical spectacle.
“A lunar eclipse is a very auspicious time to start any spiritual practice. Pujas, chanting and praying, and channelling with one’s ancestors will yield maximum positive results if performed soon after the eclipse,” says Chennai-based Vedic astrologer Jyothi Belkovich, global director of Astroved.com.
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