Lunar eclipse coincides with winter solstice after 372 years
PTI-After a wait of 372 years, sky gazers are in for a special celestial treat as winter solstice coincides with total lunar eclipse on Tuesday. The last time the two astronomical events coincided was on December 21, 1638, Geoff Chester of US Naval Observatory said. The eclipse cannot be seen in the country as it will occur during day time but astro-lovers can see the full moon turning into a delightful shade of coppery-red from Europe, west Africa, the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, eastern Australia, the Philippines and eastern and northern Asia. Also, tomorrow is the shortest day of the year as people living on the northern side of the equator will celebrate winter solstice. "It is a day when the Earth's axis tilts the farthest from the sun and is called winter solstice, a term derived from Latin words 'sol' (sun) and 'sistere' (to stand still)," Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) President C B Devgun said....