Lunar eclipse on July 5

BANDUNG: A partial lunar eclipse is expected to appear at 7 p.m. on Thursday, an astronomer said here on Tuesday.

The head of Boscha Observatory at Bandung's Institute of Technology (ITB), Moedji Raharto, said that the lunar eclipse would be somewhat special, "because it will be the first lunar eclipse this Millennium."

"Let us hope the weather will be good so that everybody will be able to see the natural phenomenon."

At 8:35 p.m. the umbra of the globe would start covering the full moon, Moedji said. "The peak of the eclipse will be at 9:56 p.m. when half of the moon will be blackish due to the umbra."

Moedji said that people in the archipelago could watch the phenomenon with the naked eye. "But those living in the eastern part of the country, such as Irian Jaya, will be luckier."

People living in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Pakistan and India would see the lunar eclipse process very clearly, he said. "Those in Saudi Arabia and the eastern part of Africa will be able to clearly see the moon rising. The end of the eclipse is expected to be at 11:15 p.m. Indonesian time." (25/sur)