Lunar Eclipse to be Witnessed in India; What is Pink Full Moon?

A partial lunar eclipse will occur on Thursday night and it will be visible to the naked eyes in India. It is the first lunar eclipse of the year with two more to be witnessed on 25 May and 18 October.

The celestial phenomenon will start in India from 11:32 pm on Thursday night and last till 3:43 am on Friday. It will be witnessed in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and Antarctica. However, it will occur during day time in North America.

Lasting just 27 minutes, Thursday's celestial eventis the third shortest lunar eclipse of the century. The shortest partial lunar eclipse of the century, lasting 25.5 minutes, will occur on 13 February, 2082, and the second shortest partial eclipse lasting for 26.7 minutes will take place on 28 September, 2034, according to NASA.

Only a portion of the moon will enter the umbra on Thursday, so the upper portion of the moon will appear grey. The shadow on the moon's surface can be viewed clearly only on telescope.

The full moon in April is also called Pink Full Moon but it won't turn pink as the name suggests. Its name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread spring flowers to bloom, according to the Farmers' Almanac. Pink Full Moon is also called by different names like Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and Full Fish Moon.

Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, the sun and the moon align, with the Earth in the middle. The shadow of the Earth falls on the surface of the moon when it is positioned exactly between the sun and the moon.