Celestial event: Partial lunar eclipse to grace Pakistan's skies on Sept 18

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has announced that a partial lunar eclipse will be visible in the country on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

However, due to the moon’s position below the horizon during certain phases, the eclipse will not be fully viewable in Pakistan.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on our planet's only natural satellite, as explained by Space.com.

Lunar eclipses also provide clear evidence that the Earth is spherical, not flat, as the planet forms a curved shadow on the moon. This shadow, at times, appears as if it’s taking a bite out of the moon.

When and where can the eclipse be seen? 

The eclipse in Pakistan will begin at 5:41am, with the partial phase of the lunar surface starting at 7:13am, according to the PMD.

The meteorological department expects the eclipse to reach its maximum point at 7:44am, and the partial lunar eclipse will end at 8:16am.

The entire eclipse is set to conclude at 9:47am, the PMD reports.

Other regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, will also experience the eclipse.

How will the moon look?

Space.com explains that this lunar eclipse will be subtle, in different regions of the world, with only the upper side of the moon covered by Earth's shadow, known as the umbra.

Aside from the top portion plunged into darkness, most of the lunar disk will be in Earth's penumbra, the lighter part of the shadow that allows some sunlight to reflect off the moon.

This will give the moon a reddish-brown, smudgy appearance during the phenomenon.