Lunar Eclipse 2018 : Chandra Grahan 2018

On the night of July 27-28, 2018 India is all set to witness the century’s longest lunar eclipse 2018!! The Moon will be totally eclipsed for around 1 hour and 43 minutes and the total duration of the eclipse will be around 6 hours and 14 minutes. The lunar eclipse 2018 falls on a full moon night and fosters various old superstitions that revolve around eclipses in the country. There are various myths about lunar eclipse which have been fed into our minds from a very young age. The superstition related to lunar eclipse in India ranges from not having food at that particular time to banning people from viewing the spectacular view of the lunar eclipse live. We have here tried to collect some myths about the lunar eclipse and the reality attached to them. This is extremely important to get a clear idea about the actual meaning of lunar eclipse and how it affects us.

Lunar Eclipse 2018: Date and Time in India

Century’s longest lunar eclipse will take place on the night of 27-28 July 2018. The total lunar eclipse in India can be viewed late at night around 2:00 AM. This lunar eclipse will be second and the last lunar eclipse of the year 2018.

Lunar Eclipse 2018: Myth Vs Reality

1. Watching Lunar Eclipse Affects the Eye Sight

Watching lunar eclipse 2018 is something that might excite many from all over the world. And in many parts of the world various events are organised for getting a live view of the lunar eclipse 2018. However in our country there are various myths about people watching the lunar eclipse. Most of are restricted to step out and view the awe striking lunar eclipse 2018. The whole idea behind not viewing the eclipse was to protect the eyes from the strong rays that are mostly emitted during the eclipse. However, with the technological advancement this myth stands baseless. Scientists have also confirmed that the lunar eclipse 2018 can be viewed through naked eyes without any protection.

2. Eating at the Time of Lunar Eclipse Causes Indigestion

From a very young age we are restricted to eat during the time of an eclipse, and not only eating we are also restricted from drinking water in that duration. Superstitions say that eating or drinking during this period can cause indigestion and the harmful rays that the mother earth is exposed to get ingested. However scientific studies have proven that eating food or drinking water during eclipse does not harm the health of your body in any way.

3. Lunar Eclipse and Restrictions on Pregnant Women

Various restrictions are imposed on pregnant ladies at the time of eclipse. It is believed that if pregnant ladies step out of the house during the hour of eclipse it will result in the deformity of the baby. They are also restricted from touching knives, needles or any other sharp object as it can lead to the problem of cleft lip in the unborn child. It has now been scientifically proven that it is absolutely safe for pregnant ladies to watch the lunar eclipse 2018 and in no way the unborn baby is affected.

4. Loss of Blood in Case of Injury

According to the myths in India it is said that if you happen to cut yourself or harm yourself in any manner during the lunar eclipse hours the bleeding will take longer to stop and will leave a scar for lifetime. This strange belief scares the hell out of many and stops them from going out during the period of eclipse. This superstition again remains untrue as the time taken for the wound to heal depends upon the person and it has nothing to do with the moon.

5. Taking a Bath After Eclipse

We have often heard people in India taking a bath and wash their hair once the lunar eclipse has come to an end. They believe that the clean water will wash away all the negative energy and effect of the rays. Considering the fact that the water through which they bath is also exposed to the same radiations it remains mysterious as to how the logic behind this myth works. This myth has no scientific benefit at all except to improve the personal hygiene of the person.

Apart from this many people donate clothes, and food items after the eclipse ends, they cover all their food stuffs and water and also add Tulsi leaves in all edible items as they consider it sacred and believe that it will protect the food items and water from getting contaminated from the negative rays emitted during the eclipse.

How to Take Great Pictures of Lunar Eclipse 2018

One does not need any special equipments to capture the captivating view of the lunar eclipse 2018. Even a basic point and shoot camera or a smartphone camera would do the needful. But in case you are a photography enthusiast and would not like to miss even a single view here are some equipments that will help you capture the best pictures of lunar eclipse 2018.

• A Tripod Stand: This will help you to keep your binoculars or the camera steady.
AmazonBasics 50-Inch Lightweight Tripod with Bag
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• Additional Batteries: These will help to not miss on even a single moment of the eclipse. Even if the battery of your camera is about to die, you can quickly replace it with the other one.
ENVIE® (ECR20+AA2800 4PL) Charger for AA & AAA Rechargeable Batteries
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• Cable Releases: If you are photography freak and are in a mood to capture the best of the lunar eclipse 2018, then these will help you in getting the perfect long focal length shots and long exposures.
• Video Cameras: If you wish to capture the eclipse in motion then video camera is the best equipment to have.
Sony HDRCX405 9.2MP HD Handycam Camcorder with Free Carrying Case, Optical (Black)
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Nikon D5300 24.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Black) with AF-P 18-55mm f/ 3.5-5.6g VR Kit Lens, 16GB Card and Camera Bag
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• Flashlights: Flashlights will help you find your way during the dark hours of the lunar eclipse 2018.

Upcoming Lunar Eclipse 2019

Lunar eclipse 2018 is basically the earth’s shadow that covers the moon partially or fully based upon its position and this phenomenon is completely a natural occurrence.