SRI LANKA TO WITNESS RARE TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE TONIGHT

Sri Lankans will have a rare opportunity to see a total lunar eclipse with the naked eye over the next few hours.

According to Professor Chandana Jayaratne, Director of the Space and Astronomy Unit at the University of Colombo, the eclipse will occur between 9:57 PM tonight and 1:26 AM tomorrow.

He stated that the best time for viewing will be at 11:42 PM.

The moon will gradually become less bright from 8:58 PM, with a partial eclipse visible from 9:57 PM to 11:00 PM.

At its peak, the moon will take on a faint reddish colour, a phenomenon known as a 'Blood Moon'.

This is a particularly special event as the next total lunar eclipse visible in Sri Lanka will not occur until 2028.