Eclipse




































The Legend
When the gods and the demons churned the milky ocean in days of yore, nectar came out of it. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, a charming lady, deluded the demons and distributed the nectar only among the gods. But Rahu had disguised himself as a god. The sun and the moon pointed this out to Mohini who immediately slashed off the demon’s head. Since the nectar had by then already reached up to the neck, he did not die. Thus the head came to be known as Rahu and the body as Ketu. To avenge this betrayal, Rahu and Ketu periodically eclipse the sun and the moon.
Astronomically speaking, when the sun, the moon and the earth are all in line, with the moon or the earth at the centre, a solar or lunar eclipse takes place respectively.
At the time of the eclipse, people bathe in the sacred rivers. They do charitable acts. They give cows, money and gold. The day after the eclipse they feed the poor, the Brahmins and the Sadhus. After the eclipse they clean their houses, vessels, etc., and take a bath before they start cooking.
One should not take food during the eclipse. When the eclipse begins the food should by then have been digested. One should take food only after seeing the sun or the moon free from the eclipse. When the clear sun or the moon is not seen before sunset or sunrise, in the case of the solar and lunar eclipse respectively, food can be taken only after the sun or the moon is seen the next day.
Pregnant women should not see the sun or the moon during the time of the eclipse. If they do the child born may have some kind of defect. He may be born deaf, dumb or blind. Householders are forbidden from sexual intercourse on the day of the eclipse, for the same reason.
At this time one should take great care in avoiding bleeding, scorpion stings, etc. These have disastrous results. Even an earthworm has a poisonous effect when it bites one during an eclipse.
Those who do Japa at the time of the eclipse derive great benefits. The effect of Japa and Sankirtan during the eclipse contributes towards relieving the suffering of humanity and also of the planets. These people receive the blessings of the gods. They attain perfection quickly. Those who wish to tap the subtle force locked in the Mantra that will cure scorpion stings should stand in water and repeat the appropriate Mantra.
The little intellect cannot understand many things in this universe. Hence, have faith in the words of sages.
Ignorance has eclipsed Self-knowledge. However, this eclipse will disappear. You will shine in your own glory. This is the spiritual significance of the eclipse.
On the day of the eclipse, what is known as Tabij, can be made from Bhoja Patra. Upon it words are written using as ink, Ashta-gandha or Kesar or Kasturi. After folding, it is tied with cotton thread. Using diya and dhoop for puja the Tabij is powered (made potent) with Mantras. Tabij that is prepared during the actual time of eclipse is most powerful and potent. Many types of Tabij are used, for business or profession, health, wealth- prosperity, success in exams, jobs, marriage, romance, successful outcome of court cases, revenge, etc. Wrap the Tabij with a red cloth or place in a copper container and keep for two-three years. Detailed information can be had from learned pundits.

Some tips for aspiring solar eclipse viewers
Important Warning
Permanent eye damage can result from staring or even looking at the disk of the Sun directly, or through a camera viewfinder, or with binoculars or a telescope even when only a thin crescent of the Sun remains. The 1 percent of the Sun's surface still visible is about 10,000 times brighter than the full moon. Staring at the Sun under such circumstances have the same effect on the retina of your eyes than a magnifying glass to focus sunlight onto paper, and eventually burning a hole in it! The retina is delicate and irreplaceable. There is little or nothing a retinal surgeon will be able to do to help you. Never look at the Sun outside of the total phase of an eclipse unless you have adequate protection. Remember, your eyes can be damaged without you feeling any pain.
Once the Sun is entirely eclipsed, however, its bright surface is hidden from view and it is completely safe to look directly at the totally eclipsed Sun without any filters. In fact, it is one of the greatest sights in nature.
When selecting a filter with which to view the sun directly, make sure that the filter’s optical thickness is adequate that only a minuscule fraction of the sun’s light is transmitted.  You should be able to view the filament of a high-intensity electric lamp comfortably through your filter.  Aluminised polyester, fully exposed and developed black-and-white film (i.e. still containing the silver coating) or welder’s glass, will do.  The secret is to have metal in your filter absorbing the excess sunlight.  An optical thickness of 5.0 (i.e. only allowing 0.01% of the light) is adequate.
When using any kind of filter, however, do not stare for long periods at the Sun. Look through the filter briefly and then look away. Intuitively, one knows that it is possible to glance at the Sun and immediately look away without eye-damage.
Take care, and have enjoyable and safe solar eclipse viewing!
Danie Esterhuyse
South African Weather Service.


Introduction to Lunar Eclipse
By Fred Espenak (c) 2007
An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. In contrast, the inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
There are three types of lunar eclipses:

1.   Penumbral - The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow. These pale eclipses are faint and hard to see.
2.   Partial - A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow. These are easy to see with the unaided eye.
3.   Total - The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow. The Moon can turn orange, red or dark brown.
When an eclipse of the Moon takes place, everyone on the night side of Earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipses are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect, even with a telescope. Another 30% are partial eclipses which are easy to see with the unaided eye. The final 35% or so are total eclipses, and these are quite extrordinary events to behold.

Eclipses of the Moon
Eclipse Type/ Umbral Magnitude/
Eclipse Duration/Geographic Region of Eclipse Visibility
.
Geographic abreviations : n = north, s = south, e = east, w = west, c = central


Eclipses of the Moon: 2010 - 2020
Date
Eclipse Type
Umbral Magnitude
Duration partial phase
Duration total phase
Geographic Region of Eclipse Visibility
2010 Jun 26
Partial
0.537
02h43m

e Asia, Aus., Pacific, w Americas
2010 Dec 21
Total
1.256
03h29m
01h12m
e Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas, Europe
2011 Jun 15
Total
1.700
03h39m
01h40m
S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2011 Dec 10
Total
1.106
03h32m
00h51m
Europe, e Africa, Asia, Aus., Pacific, N.A.
2012 Jun 04
Partial
0.370
02h07m

Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2012 Nov 28
Penumbral
-0.187
_
_
Europe, e Africa, Asia, Aus., Pacific, N.A.
2013 Apr 25
Partial
0.015
00h27m

Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2013 May 25
Penumbral
-0.934
_
_
Americas, Africa
2013 Oct 18
Penumbral
-0.272
_
_
Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia
2014 Apr 15
Total
1.291
03h35m
01h18m
Aus., Pacific, Americas
2014 Oct 08
Total
1.166
03h20m
00h59m
Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2015 Apr 04
Total
1.001
03h29m
00h05m
Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2015 Sep 28
Total
1.276
03h20m
01h12m
e Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa, w Asia
2016 Mar 23
Penumbral
-0.312
_
_
Asia, Aus., Pacific, w Americas
2016 Sep 16
Penumbral
-0.064
_
_
Aus., Pacific, Americas
2017 Feb 11
Penumbral
-0.035
_
_
Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus., w Pacific
2017 Aug 07
Partial
0.246
01h55m

Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia
2018 Jan 31
Total
1.315
03h23m
01h16m
Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2018 Jul 27
Total
1.609
03h55m
01h43m
Asia, Aus., Pacific, w N.America
2019 Jan 21
Total
1.195
03h17m
01h02m
S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2019 Jul 16
Partial
0.653
02h58m

c Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa
2020 Jan 10
Penumbral
-0.116
_
_
S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2020 Jun 05
Penumbral
-0.405
_
_
Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2020 Jul 05
Penumbral
-0.644
_
_
Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2020 Nov 30
Penumbral
-0.262
_
_
Americas, sw Europe, Africa


 




Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...)       








(My humble salutations to  Scientists  and Hinduism com  for the collection)
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