Lunar Eclipse 2023: The lunar eclipse on May 5 will be visible in India

When consistently the Earth, the Moon and the Sun line up in the perfect manner to make the "shadowplay" that we call an eclipse: NASA

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On Friday, May 5, skywatchers in many parts of the world, including India, will be able to see a penumbral lunar eclipse in action following the hybrid solar eclipse on April 20. 

The extremely rare hybrid solar eclipse that occurred on April 20 put on a show for viewers in many parts of the world, and some of them were fortunate enough to catch a brief total solar eclipse. On May 5, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse, which, unlike the one on April 20, will be visible to a much larger portion of the world. 

Lunar Eclipse 2023: Visibility

Because the Earth is so much bigger than the Moon, its shadow is also much bigger than the Moon. Because of this, lunar eclipses are more visible than solar eclipses around the world. If the Moon is above the horizon at the time of the eclipse, it should be visible in most of the world on May 5. This incorporates Antarctica, Asia, Russia, Africa and Oceania, as per the sky.

When seen from New Delhi, the penumbral lunar eclipse will be viewed in the southeastern part of the sky. It will lie around 40 degrees over the horizon at the hour of the best eclipse. The Moon must go through the Earth’s shadow between 8.45 PM IST on Mar 5 and 1.02 AM IST on May 6, which is the point at which the eclipse will be noticeable.

Lunar Eclipse 2023: Overview

The Moon will not be exactly opposite the Earth and the Sun on May 5, when the eclipse will occur. As a result, there won't be an "umbral" eclipse, when the Sun completely blocks the sun's light. During the May 5 eclipse, the full Moon will be south of the World's umbra or its dull shadow, as per EarthSky. Because of this, rather than the Moon being totally shut out, its brightness will be diminished. The majority of the Moon's disc will still be partially illuminated despite this. 

It will be a subtle event that will be a little difficult to observe unless you have sharp eyes because the May 5 eclipse will only dim the Moon slightly.

Lunar Eclipse 2023: Glimpse

Penumbral lunar eclipses like the one occurring on May 5 have a mild effect on Earth's lone regular satellite. This implies that the occasion will nearly be indistinct except if you give close consideration.

However, unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses can be observed directly with your naked eyes in complete safety. This also means that you can safely observe the lunar eclipse with optical instruments like binoculars or telescopes.