<p>Bengaluru: City sky-gazers on Tuesday witnessed the first total lunar eclipse of 2026.</p>.<p>While the 'Blood Moon' was visible in its full glory across the Pacific and parts of the Americas, Bengalureans glimpsed the eclipse’s final stages during moonrise.</p>.<p>The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) hosted a special live stream and lecture.</p>.<p>JNP Director BK Guruprasad used illustrations to note that the next total lunar eclipse visible from India will not occur until January 1, 2029.</p>.Total lunar eclipse 2026: When and where will the 'blood moon' be visible from in March?.<p>“Most eclipses in 2027 and 2028 will be partial or penumbral. This was your last chance for a long while to see the 'total' eclipse,” he added.</p>.<p>He further explained that the moon entered the Earth’s dark central shadow, or 'umbra', at 3.20 pm. The characteristic reddish hue, often called a 'Blood Moon', is caused by Rayleigh scattering, where the Earth’s atmosphere filters out blue light and bends red wavelengths toward the lunar surface.</p>.<p>“If you were on the moon looking back at Earth, you would not see a dark planet,” he noted. “Instead, you would see a black disc surrounded by a brilliant, fiery red ring.” This ring is actually the light from every sunrise and sunset occurring on Earth at that moment. This refracted light leaks into Earth's shadow and illuminates the moon, turning it red.</p>.<p>The eclipse began at 2.14 pm and ended at 6.47 pm, lasting for five-and-a-half hours. The moon appeared blood red for about 58 minutes.</p>.<p>This eclipse was visible to most of India as a partial lunar eclipse. The 'Blood Moon' was not visible, except in Northeastern India, where the moon appeared as a blood moon or coppery red moon.</p>.<p>"For Bengaluru, moonrise was around 6.28 pm, but the visible eclipse ended by 6.47 pm. While this was a total lunar eclipse, we witnessed only its final 15 minutes as a partial eclipse. The famous 'Blood Moon' phase was not visible here; we simply saw the moon's partial darkening."</p>
<p>Bengaluru: City sky-gazers on Tuesday witnessed the first total lunar eclipse of 2026.</p>.<p>While the 'Blood Moon' was visible in its full glory across the Pacific and parts of the Americas, Bengalureans glimpsed the eclipse’s final stages during moonrise.</p>.<p>The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) hosted a special live stream and lecture.</p>.<p>JNP Director BK Guruprasad used illustrations to note that the next total lunar eclipse visible from India will not occur until January 1, 2029.</p>.Total lunar eclipse 2026: When and where will the 'blood moon' be visible from in March?.<p>“Most eclipses in 2027 and 2028 will be partial or penumbral. This was your last chance for a long while to see the 'total' eclipse,” he added.</p>.<p>He further explained that the moon entered the Earth’s dark central shadow, or 'umbra', at 3.20 pm. The characteristic reddish hue, often called a 'Blood Moon', is caused by Rayleigh scattering, where the Earth’s atmosphere filters out blue light and bends red wavelengths toward the lunar surface.</p>.<p>“If you were on the moon looking back at Earth, you would not see a dark planet,” he noted. “Instead, you would see a black disc surrounded by a brilliant, fiery red ring.” This ring is actually the light from every sunrise and sunset occurring on Earth at that moment. This refracted light leaks into Earth's shadow and illuminates the moon, turning it red.</p>.<p>The eclipse began at 2.14 pm and ended at 6.47 pm, lasting for five-and-a-half hours. The moon appeared blood red for about 58 minutes.</p>.<p>This eclipse was visible to most of India as a partial lunar eclipse. The 'Blood Moon' was not visible, except in Northeastern India, where the moon appeared as a blood moon or coppery red moon.</p>.<p>"For Bengaluru, moonrise was around 6.28 pm, but the visible eclipse ended by 6.47 pm. While this was a total lunar eclipse, we witnessed only its final 15 minutes as a partial eclipse. The famous 'Blood Moon' phase was not visible here; we simply saw the moon's partial darkening."</p>
