Lunar Eclipse 2021:The first Lunar Eclipse of the year will take place on May 26. It will be a total Lunar Eclipse as the Full Moon will pass through the Earth's dark umbral shadow. This Lunar Eclipse will be the first total eclipse of the moon since January 21, 2019. A total Lunar Eclipse is often called the Blood Moon because of the reddish-orange hue of moon during the eclipse. The term Supermoon simply means a bigger than the average Full Moon but the one we will see on May 26 will be the biggest of the year.
First Lunar Eclipse of 2021: Facts to know
- On the night of May 26, the Full Moon will be closest to the Earth
- The moon may look larger in the sky and may appear reddish
- People in Australia, parts of the western United States, western South America, or in South-East Asia will be able to see the Super Blood Moon
- According to the earthsky.org, the Full Moon ''sweeps through the Earth's dark umbral shadow to stage a short-lived total eclipse of the moon.'' The totality of the eclipse will last for less than 15 minutes.
How many eclipses will 2021 see?
On an average there are four to seven eclipses every year. Some of them are total and some partial. Full Moons around the world have different names depending on the local cultural and seasonal aspects. Here are the eclipses 2021 will see:
- May 26: Total Lunar Eclipse
- June 10: Annular Solar Eclipse
- November 19: Partial Lunar Eclipse
- December 4: Total Solar Eclipse
Here's a word of caution. Do not get confused between a Solar Eclipse and a Lunar Eclipse. In a Solar Eclipse, the Sun gets darker while in a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon gets darker.