What makes the lunar eclipse of May 2021 so special?

Skygazers witnessed the first total lunar eclipse of 2021 on May 26. What made it a rare celestial event was that it coincided with a Super Moon and a blood moon all at once.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth comes in between the moon and the sun. This rare phenomenon causes the moon to be covered by the earth shadow. The intensity and extent to which the earth's shadow covers the moon divide lunar eclipses into three different types - total, partial, and penumbral.

Moon's appearance

The moon appears 7 per cent larger than normal and 15 per cent brighter, according to astronomers. The full moon of May is also known as the 'Flower Moon' as it occurs during the spring season. When all things combine, the phenomenon is also referred as 'Super Flower Blood Moon'. A Super Moon is when a full moon comes closest to the earth. It appears brighter and larger. In India, a partial eclipse was visible from parts of Eastern India.

The eclipse lasted for around 5 hours, peaking for about 15 minutes in between.

The magnitude of the first total lunar eclipse of 2021 stood at 1.009, with penumbral magnitude reflecting a value of 1.954.

The Eastern United States and Canada witnessed the partial lunar eclipse just before the moonset. However, the countries like India, Nepal, western China, Mongolia, and eastern Russia saw the partial lunar eclipse after the moonrise.

According to NASA, the total eclipse was sighted along the Asian Pacific Rim only after the moonrise. The countries including the western United States, all of Mexico, most of Central America, Ecuador, western Peru, southern Chile and Argentina witnessed the full Lunar Eclipse.

Skygazers in eastern Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands including Hawaii watched both total and partial eclipse.