Two solar and lunar eclipses to occur this month

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

Two eclipses will occur this month. The Solar Eclipse is not visible to Sri Lanka but the Lunar Eclipse will be visible this month, Director of the Astronomy and Space Science Unit of the Colombo University, Prof. Chandana Jayaratne said.  

He said the annular solar eclipse will occur on October 14 and a partial lunar eclipse will occur during the night on October 28.  

The annular solar eclipse is viewable from the USA, followed by parts of Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Brazil. However, it will not be visible to Sri Lanka.   

In Sri Lanka Standard Time this solar eclipse begins at 8.34 pm on October 14 in the USA and ends at 2.25 a.m. on October 15 near Brazil.   
Usually, there are two eclipses in a row with a two-week gap, he said.  

Accordingly, 14 days later, on October 28 night there will be a partial lunar eclipse too, commencing from 11.32 p.m. on October 28 and ending at 3.56 a.m. on October 29.   
The lunar eclipse will be visible to Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, much of South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic and Antarctica.   
The partial phase of this eclipse will be visible to Sri Lanka on October 29 in the early morning from 1.05 am to 2.23 am with a maximum eclipse at 1.44 am. said Prof. Jayaratne.