Hyderabad: Hyderabad paused on Sunday night to witness a spectacle that turned the Moon into a glowing orb of copper and crimson. The total lunar eclipse, one of the longest this decade, had astronomy clubs, university scholars, school groups and families coming together under the night sky.
Watching the Moon slowly slip into Earth's shadow and then glow a fiery red was breathtaking. "It wasn't just beautiful, it felt like nature giving us both a show and a science lesson," said Priya, an astronomy enthusiast.
For those who missed the celestial event, the next total lunar eclipse visible from India will be in December 2028.
Thankfully, at many places, the clouds that appeared in the evening melted away and threw open the canvas of the sky to astronomy fans and those who were curious to witness the spectacle.
At the University of Hyderabad's Dr Nandivada Ratnashree Observatory, the Zenith Astronomy Club hosted a 'Lunar Eclipse Gazing Night', which began at 9.30 pm and had drawn nearly 70 participants by late evening. Live telescope projections and explanations guided the crowd as the Moon entered Earth's umbra at 9.57 pm. "Events like these spark curiosity among students and give us a chance to share our love for astronomy with everyone," said Dilip Kumar, outgoing convener of the club.
The totality phase from 11 pm to 12.23 am lasted for 82 minutes, with Earth's only natural site completely covered in show at 11.41, the totality phase, during which the Moon glowed a striking red. "The Moon does not produce its own light. It looks bright because it reflects sunlight. During an eclipse, Earth blocks that light, and only red wavelengths bend around the atmosphere to reach it. This is why we see the famous Blood Moon," explained Dr D. Shanti Priya, head of the department of Astronomy at Osmania University. She added that such events help dismantle myths and inspire young minds to take up astronomy.
Beyond UoH, scholars Ravi Raja and Vinay Kumar collaborated with Jana Vignana Vedika to set up a parallel sky show for students and residents. Navars Edutech engaged schools with eclipse activity sheets, asking children to sketch the Moon at different stages . Online, YouTube streams from the edutech group drew hundreds more, featuring myth-busting sessions and a "Moon walk" of fun facts.
For others, the viewing was personal. "I watched from my terrace at Begumpet. Even without a telescope, the red Moon was spellbinding, it felt like God's own painting in the sky," said Ananya V., a 11th grader. Hansa B., a mother in Tarnaka, said her children were thrilled. "We noted the timings together. The online session explained why the Moon didn't disappear, and they'll never forget this night."
The excitement was tempered by disappointment that the Birla Planetarium, long seen as Hyderabad's hub for public sky shows, did not host any event. "It was surprising and frankly a let-down. Families expect the Planetarium to open its telescopes for the public on such rare nights," said a parent Rajesh Yadav, who instead travelled to UoH.
The eclipse began at 8.58 pm and will end at 2.25 am. Astronomers noted that this was one of the decade's longest eclipses, with its dramatic totality stretching well past an hour.
Temples shut early in the evening, to ward off what is believed to be ill-effects of the eclipse. Many devout observed a fast just before and during the eclipse. Any food will be consumed only after a bath.
Elsewhere, from Ladakh to Tamil Nadu, skywatchers turned their gaze towards the Moon. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics turned the telescopes at its campuses in Bengaluru, Ladakh, and Tamil Nadu towards the Moon and were streaming the progression of the total lunar eclipse live on social media platforms.
Cloudy skies played spoilsport at several parts of the country, but the live streams set up by astronomy enthusiasts world over made up for the disappointment due to overcast skies.
The total lunar eclipse was visible from across Asia and parts of Europe, Africa and west Australia.
Sunday's eclipse was the longest total lunar eclipse visible from India since 2022 and the first since July 27, 2018 to be observed from all parts of the country.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth comes between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface.
Unlike solar eclipses, observing a total lunar eclipse does not require special equipment and is safe with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope.
In India, lunar eclipses are linked to several superstitions, with people often avoiding food, water, and physical activity, fearing "poisoning or negative energy". Some even believe eclipses are "harmful to pregnant women and their unborn children".
However, astronomers say lunar eclipses are merely shadow phenomena, understood long before Aryabhata's time, and "pose no risk to people or animals".