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After the rare hybrid solar eclipse of April 20, it was time for the year's first lunar eclipse. On Friday, May 5, 2023, a penumbral lunar eclipse began at around 8.44 pm IST and ended at 1:01 am on May 6. The Maximum Lunar Eclipse occurred at 10:52 pm on May 5. According to timeanddate.com, lunar eclipses are visible from everywhere on the night side of the Earth, if the sky is clear. From some places, the entire eclipse is visible, while in other areas the Moon will rise or set during the eclipse. Skywatchers need to note that since the May 5 eclipse was a penumbral one, and for this type of eclipse, one has to have acute eyesight and pay a lot of attention to decipher the eclipse. According to NASA, a penumbral eclipse happens when the Moon travels through Earth’s penumbra or the faint outer part of its shadow. The Moon dims so slightly that it can be difficult to notice. So unless you know a penumbral eclipse is happening, you might miss it. On May 5, the regions that witnessed at least some parts of the Penumbral Eclipse included Asia, Australia, Africa, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica, and most of Europe.
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