November 2021: All you need to know about the longest partial lunar eclipse

The partial lunar eclipse on November 19 will be the longest since the 15th Century, spanning over six hours. The lunar eclipse, the last of 2021, will be visible across the world in North America, South America, Europe and parts of Asia, including India. The last time an eclipse this long happened was February 18, 1440.According to timeanddate.com, the eclipse will begin between 06.02 and 12.03 UTC (11.32 am to 5.33 pm IST) when the Sun, Earth, and Moon will come into alignment, forming a partial lunar eclipse.

An eclipse occurs when one heavenly body such as a moon or planet moves into the shadow of another heavenly body. The last time an eclipse this long happened was on 18 February 1440  and the next time a similar phenomenon can be witnessed will be on 8 February  2669.It will be visible in India at 2.34 pm as 97 per cent of the moon will be covered by the Earth's shadow. The rare phenomenon will be visible from a few areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, Director of Research and Academic at MP Birla Planetarium Debiprosad Duari told PTI. "A few areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will experience the last fleeting moments of the partial eclipse just after the moonrise, very close to the eastern horizon," he explained.