PANAJI
Much of India will turn its gaze skyward as the moon slips into Earth’s shadow, on Sunday night. For Goa, too, the spectacle could unfold in full, if the skies oblige.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Goa has forecast that light to moderate rain is likely across the State, indicating that the promise of a Blood Moon – a celestial display where the moon glows red during totality – may hinge on whether the monsoon clouds part long enough for a clear view.
“There is no weather warning, no alert as of Saturday. However, light to moderate rainfall is very likely in parts of North and South Goa,” IMD official Nahush Kulkarni told The Goan.
As per national reports, the most awaited phase of the eclipse, when the moon turns its deepest coppery red, is expected to begin at 11 pm and continue till 12.22 am. The entire celestial event stretches longer, from the initial penumbral contact at 8.58 pm on Sunday to its final moments at 2.55 am on Monday.
“This is a beautiful celestial spectacle. The Blood Moon will be visible in its entirety across Goa,” Association of Friends of Astronomy (AFA) president Satish Naik told The Goan. He too expressed uncertainty over the weather stating, “The visibility of the phenomenon depends on the clear skies.”
He explained that the moon will glide into Earth’s lighter shadow first, then enter the darker umbra between 9.57 pm and 1.26 am. The highlight, Naik said, will arrive at 11.41 pm when the eclipse reaches totality. “At this moment, the moon turns a dull coppery red, illuminated by the sun’s rays bent by Earth’s gravity and projected onto the lunar surface. It is a lifetime memory for every astronomy enthusiast,” he said.
The astronomer stated this rarity occurs only when the Sun, Earth and Moon fall into perfect 180-degree alignment, a feat complicated by the Moon’s slightly tilted orbit.
While the eclipse will be visible across central Asia, western Australia and parts of Africa, in Goa the AFA has set up public viewing sessions. Observatories at Junta House in Panaji and Ravindra Bhavan in Margao will open to the public from 10.30 pm till midnight. Similar arrangements are planned at Vidya Prabodhini High School in Porvorim, Bodgeshwar temple ground in Mapusa, and the terrace of 1930 Vasco Mall. Entry is free, organisers said.
