Astronomers said the penumbral phase of the eclipse will begin at 15:28 GMT [Getty]
A rare astronomical event will be visible across the Arab world on Sunday, when the moon undergoes a total eclipse and takes on a deep red hue in a phenomenon known as the “blood moon”.
The eclipse will begin at 15:28 GMT, with its central visibility over India, but large parts of the Arab world will also be able to witness the spectacle. The best views are expected in China, India, East Africa and Western Australia.
Astronomers said the penumbral phase of the eclipse will begin at 15:28 GMT, followed by the partial phase at around 16:27.
The total eclipse will start at 20:31 Cairo time, or 19:30 in Saudi Arabia, reaching its peak at 21:12 and ending at 21:53.
In Saudi Arabia, the partial eclipse will begin at 19:27, the total eclipse will start at 20:30, and the full shadow will pass by 21:53 before the penumbral phase concludes at 23:57 local time.
In Egypt, the penumbral eclipse will start at 18:28, the partial at 19:27 and the total at 20:31, peaking around 21:12 and ending at 21:53, with the final partial phase ending at 22:56 local time.
The moon will rise in the eastern Arab world before the eclipse begins, while in central regions it will rise after the partial eclipse has already started. In the western Arab world, the moon will appear during the later stages of the eclipse.
The total lunar eclipse will also be visible across Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe, while the Americas will only be able to see part of it.
Astronomers said it will be one of the longest total lunar eclipses of the year, with between 77 and 85 percent of the world’s population able to witness the total phase or part of it.
