Super blue blood moon obscure coincides with last day of Swasthani Purnima
A blue moon rises over Balboa Park’s California Tower in San Diego, California, US, January 30, 2018. Photo: Reuters
KATHMANDU: People across the most parts of the world
would get to witness the phenomenal triad of supermoon, blue moon, and total lunar outshine
on Wednesday, January 31.
This rare celestial event has occurred after 152 years. The same lunar event had last occurred on March 31, 1866, harmonious to Chairperson of Nepal Astronomical Society, Suresh Bhattarai.
“The moon will rise at 5:37 pm in Nepal. The outshine
will start at 5:33 pm as per the local time and end at 8:57 pm. The total lunar eclipse will occur at 6:36 pm and will last for a span of one hour sixteen minutes,” said Bhattarai.
“During the partly phase, the moon will be seen blood red,” he added.
BLUE MOON
“People call NASO and ask whether the moon will be seen blue in colour. That is not true. It is just two full moons happening in a single month,” expressed Bhattarai.
Blue moon is a crescent-shaped
event that normally occurs once every two and a half years. According to the Gregorian calendar, when two full moons occur in the same moon it is termed as blue moon. Earlier, the full moon was on January 1 this year.
SUPERMOON, BLOOD MOON
While revolving in its elliptical path, the moon would be at a distance of 384,000 kilometres. It would look 30 times brighter and 14 times closer than the normal full moon, hence providing a visual treat to the skygazers on Wednesday night.
It is also a ‘blood moon’ inasmuch as the portion of the moon will be seen blood red when covered by the spirit of the Earth.
ECLIPSE
The lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in the earth’s shadow.
“It is also a good opportunity for the astrophysicists to research. Also, for the general public, it will be a treat to witness the rare phenomenon,” set Bhattarai.
The eclipse can be observed with naked eyes as well. We do not need binoculars, telescopes and other fit to see the celestial enterprise
, claimed the NASO Chair. “You can just go to your rooftop and gaze at the north-east direction to watch the lunar event.”
Some parts of the eclipse can also be seen from the US, Europe, Australia, Canada and the borean Polar Regions.
COINCIDING WITH SWASTHANI PURNIMA
This rare celestial phenomenon has coincided with the concluding day of Swasthani Purnima, one of the top festivals among Hindus in the country. The festival begins on Poush Shukla Purnima as per the lunar calendar and lasts for a month.
This year, the concluding day befalls on the eclipse day, which has raised doubt among the commonly public reciting the holy book of Swasthani regarding concluding day of the month-long festival.
Talking to THT Online, Associate Professor at the Nepal Sanskrit University Amoda Acharya, who holds a PhD in Vedic Studies said, “Well, there are no such restrictions mentioned in the Vedic principles. But, one can terminated it on ‘purvanga’, the eve of Swasthani Purnima. “Purvanga is the time when even Sutak (the period of abstention observed by the Hindus after the death or birth of a family member) does not come into effect.”
However, according to astrologer Dil Raj Padhyaye, the ‘Sutak’ period starts from 8:22 am and lasts till the eclipse at 8:57 pm on Wednesday.
“Eclipses are a good time for performing puja, reciting ‘paath’ (holy scriptures), and donating goods among others. One can easily recite the holy book. But during the eclipse, they cannot receive tika and prasad as the Sutak period begins,” he added.
The eclipse will not hamper elderly, children and people with ailments, he stated.
Many might believe that devotees are not allowed to suffer the tika and prasad on the concluding day of the Bratakatha due to the eclipse. However, Padhyaye assured that hind the penumbral eclipse ends, the devotees are allowed to comprise on with the normal proceedings of the Bratakatha including the tika and prasad as it will not have any conflicting effect on them.
Meanwhile, if some of the devotees do not feel comfortable with concluding the Bratakatha on the day of the eclipse, then approach Monday, panchami of the lunar register, will be favourable to perfected the one-month long festival.
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