Lunar eclipse: How to see rare celestial event in Asia and America

People living in North America, eastern Asia and western South America will have best view, Nasa noted

Illustration picture shows a total lunar eclips and bloodmoon over the sky, in Mechelen (AFP via Getty Images)

In a rare coincidence, Wednesday’s full moon will be brighter and larger than usual, as well as appear rusty red in colour across some parts of the world due to a total lunar eclipse.

According to Nasa, the eclipse starts at 4:47 a.m. EDT (08:47 a.m. GMT) and enters the total phase at 7:11 a.m. EDT (11:11 a.m. GMT).

In parts of South/East Asia, the eclipse will be partially visible, and is expected to start in India at 2:16 pm IST and between 4:41 pm IST to 4:56 pm IST, the surface of the moon will be completely covered by Earth’s shadow.

People living in western North America, eastern Asia and western South America, will have the best view of the “Blood Moon,” Nasa noted.

The US space agency said people in most of South and Central America, including Mexico, Ecuador, western Peru, and Argentina, as well as parts of Oceania including eastern Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands can also witness the eclipse in its entirety.

And during the lunar eclipse – when the Moon passes completely through the Earth’s dark shadow – the Moon will gradually get darker, taking on a rusty or blood-red colour, the agency said.

“Folks in Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands will get to see the entirety of this eclipse – it will be quite a show for them,” said Bill Cooke, Lead, Nasa Meteoroid Environments Office.

According to the space agency, North America hasn’t had a total lunar eclipse occur with a supermoon in almost six years, and the next total lunar eclipse would not happen over the continent until May 2022.

This also marks the first lunar eclipse of the decade with a partial one expected later this year on 19 November.