Vietnam to watch penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5 night
Vietnam and many other countries around the world will likely observe a penumbral lunar eclipse which is set to occur when the Earth's outer shadow falls on the Moon's face on May 5.
Observers in Vietnam will be able to view the penumbral lunar eclipse starting from 10:14 p.m. on May 5, with this phenomenon reaching its peak at around 0:22 a.m. on May 6.
According to timeanddate.com, a penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the Moon moves through the faint, outer part of the Earth's shadow, the penumbra. This type of eclipse is not as dramatic as other types of lunar eclipses and is often mistaken for a regular Full Moon.
Every lunar eclipse begins and ends with a penumbral stage, when the Moon passes through the light, the outer part of Earth’s shadow, called the penumbra.
Often, the Moon also passes through the Earth’s dark, inner shadow, which is known as the umbra, producing a partial or total lunar eclipse.
However, in around one out of three lunar eclipses, the Moon doesn’t reach the umbra, meaning the penumbral stage is as deep as the eclipse gets. These events are called penumbral eclipses.
This phenomenon will be visible from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia on the night of May 5.
