Patna: A total lunar eclipse, the first of the year, will cast a reddish “Blood Moon” over parts of eastern India on Tuesday afternoon, with observers in several cities across Bihar expected to witness the phenomenon.
The eclipse will begin at 3:20pm local time and last until 6:47pm, according to astronomers. In India, it will be visible at moonrise as a “grastodita” eclipse, meaning the moon will appear partially obscured when it rises above the horizon. The event coincides with the full moon of Phalguna.
Astrologer said the so-called Sutak period – a traditional pre-eclipse interval observed by some Hindu communities – begins nine hours before the celestial event. During this period, temples typically close and rituals such as chanting or havans are discouraged, with adherents instead focusing on prayer and meditation.
“This will be a total lunar eclipse, in which the Earth’s shadow fully covers the Moon, turning it a dark reddish hue for a brief time – the so-called Blood Moon,” he said. “It is an event of both astronomical and spiritual interest.”
Astronomical timings for the eclipse are as follows: it begins at 3:20pm, reaches totality at 4:34pm, ends totality at 5:33pm, and concludes at 6:47pm.
Observers in several districts of Bihar may see partial phases of the eclipse during moonrise. In Bhagalpur, the event is expected between 5:59pm and 6:46pm. In Gaya, visibility is predicted from 6:04pm to 6:46pm. Other locations include Darbhanga (6:00pm–6:46pm), Begusarai (6:00pm–6:46pm), Muzaffarpur (6:02pm–6:46pm), Buxar (6:08pm–6:46pm), and Ara (6:07pm–6:46pm).
Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. During totality, the Moon often takes on a coppery red colour as sunlight refracts through the Earth’s atmosphere – a phenomenon popularly termed the Blood Moon.
