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<br />Moon is the only natural satellite of the earth and the nearest astral body to our mother planet. Humans have been dreaming for so long about settling in the moon. A number of science fictions have talked enough about how life will be on the moon. Humans have been sending people and machines to the moon to explore it. If we think the day and night on the moon are the same as how they are on the earth, we are fully mistaken. The days and nights on the moon called lunar day and lunar night are interesting concepts in astronomical studies. <br /><br /><strong>Why talk of the lunar day and lunar night<br /></strong><br />There are two important reasons why we need to understand the concept of lunar day and lunar night. If we need to think of living on the moon at some point in time, we need to be ready for the kind of life on the moon. Any lunar adventure planned must take into account the length of the lunar day and lunar night. Humans and machines had always landed on the moon during the lunar day when the moon’s surface they landed on was exposed to the sun. Lunar days are extremely hot and lunar nights are extremely cold that we can just imagine with the temperature during lunar days reaching up to 270 degrees Fahrenheit and temperatures during lunar nights dipping up to minus 280 degrees Fahrenheit. <br /><br /><strong>Chandrayaan-2 and lunar day<br /></strong><br />The Chandrayaan-2 mission triggered our interest about lunar day and lunar night. The Vikram lander was planned to land on the moon’s surface during the lunar day as the extreme cold temperatures of the lunar night would be thoroughly unconducive to its activities. When the orbiter lost its signals with the Vikram lander, the ISRO and NASA continuously tried their best to connect with the lander for about 14 days. When the lunar night started, their hopes of connecting with the lander were lost once for all. <br /><br /><strong>What is a lunar day and lunar night<br /></strong><br />A lunar day means the time taken by the moon to complete one rotation on its own axis. The moon is tidally locked to the earth. This means one side of the moon is always facing the earth. The other side is turned away from the earth and it is never visible to the star lookers anytime. <br /><br />The lunar day lasts for 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. Precisely, this is the total time taken by the moon to make one orbit around the earth. <br /><br />The earth and the Moon are orbiting around the sun. They complete a full rotation around the sun in one year (365 days). While the earth’s rotation around the sun is straightforward, the moon has to rotate the earth and as the earth moves in its orbit around the sun, the moon also automatically moves around the sun while circling the earth. <br /><br />By an earth day we mean the length of time earth is exposed to the sun. By night we mean the duration for which the earth does not receive the sunlight. Since the earth takes 24 hours to go complete one rotation on its axis, an earth day lasts for 12 hours and the earth night lasts for 12 hours making a full day cycle. <br /><br />In case of moon, the face of the moon locked to the earth surface remains exposed to the sun for about 14 days and the other side is exposed to the sun for the next 14 days. This is why the lunar day is approximately 14 days long and the lunar night is again of the same duration.<br />

What is a lunar day and a lunar night -- All you need to know

<br /><br /><ul><li>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will fly over Chandrayaan 2’s landing site on the moon. <br /></li><li>LRO will try and capture images of the lunar lander, Vikram, on the Moon. <br /></li><li>The images might turn out a little blurry with sunlight depleting and only four days to go before the lunar night sets in.<br /></li></ul>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will capture images of Indian lunar lander, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Vikram</a>, today. <br /><br />According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Vikram isn’t broken — it’s only lying tilted on the lunar surface.<br /><br />NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will fly over Vikram’s landing site. The images of the lander will help ISRO figure out what went wrong — and what went right — with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-145-million-lunar-mission-is-set-to-make-it-just-the-4th-nation-to-make-a-soft-landing-on-the-moon-only-months-after-nasa-called-its-actions-in-space-unacceptable/articleshow/70996580.cms">Chandrayaan 2</a>’s mission to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2s-soft-landing-on-the-moon-will-be-the-15-most-terrifying-minutes-for-isro/articleshow/71011152.cms">soft land on the Moon</a>. <br /><br /><div type="image" title="BI91" msid="71162941" hostid="261"></div>

<br />ISRO also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2s-lander-vikram-found-on-the-moon-but-isro-suspects-hard-landing/articleshow/71035718.cms">clicked images</a> of the lunar lander, but the images were never released to the public. NASA’s images, on the other hand, will be shared with the public.<br /><br />"NASA will share any before and after flyover imagery of the area around the targeted Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander landing site to support analysis by the Indian Space Research Organisation," said Noah Petro, LRO's project scientist.<br /><br /><strong>Lunar nights<br /></strong><br />These images might come out a little blurry since Vikram has been incommunicado for ten days now. Sunlight is depleting with only four days to go before the lunar night sets in, which will last for two weeks.<br /><br />These are also the last four days that ISRO has to establish <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-fails-in-the-final-seconds-of-descent-to-moons-south-pole/articleshow/71018196.cms">communication with Vikram</a> before it gets too cold for the lander to operate. The lander isn’t meant to survive temperatures that will dip to beyond -270 degrees Celsius.<br /><br />NASA had already tried communicating with the lander a few days back when its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) beamed a radio frequency to the lander, in hopes of receiving a return signal from Vikram.<br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2s-lander-vikram-found-on-the-moon-but-isro-suspects-hard-landing/articleshow/71035718.cms">Chandrayaan 2 definitely reached the Moon but might have 'hard' news in store</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pictures-of-moon-and-earth-by-chandrayaan-2-lander-and-orbiter/articleshow/71015068.cms">IN PICS: All pictures clicked by Chandrayaan 2's lander — Vikram</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-fails-in-the-final-seconds-of-descent-to-moons-south-pole/articleshow/71018196.cms">Chandrayaan 2 loses contact with the lander in the final seconds of the descent to Moon's surface</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Everything you need to know about Vikram, Chandrayaan 2's lander, as it lands on the Moon</a><br />

NASA's lunar probe is going to photograph the Indian moon lander today

<br />Lunar eclipse is one of the most spectacular significant and interesting astronomical events. On July 16, 2019, there will be a partial lunar eclipse in the sky visible from countries including South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. As per the information provided by NASA, this partial lunar eclipse will be clearly visible in India also provided the location of viewing enjoys a clear sky. Notably, the world saw a total lunar eclipse on January 21, 2019. The next total lunar eclipse will happen on May 26, 2021. The other lunar eclipses that the world will see penumbral in nature and not partial or total. <br /><br /><strong>Facts about a partial lunar eclipse<br /></strong><br />Eclipses happen when the sun, moon and the earth come in a straight line. A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun leaving a shadow. A lunar eclipse happens when the earth passes between the sun and the moon leaving a shadow on the moon.<br /><br />A lunar eclipse happens only on a full moon day and a solar eclipse happens only on a new moon day. A total lunar eclipse can happen only when the sun, moon and earth come in a perfectly straight line. Hence this is a rare event in astronomy when compared to other kinds of eclipses. If the alignment of these three cosmic bodies is not that perfect, only a partial lunar eclipse will result. July 16, 2019 will see one such partial lunar eclipse only. <br /><br />When a partial lunar eclipse occurs, the shadow of the earth will appear very dark on the side of the moon that is facing the earth. Only a part of the earth’s shadow will be cast on the moon during such a happening and so, the moon will not have a blood red color during a partial lunar eclipse. <br /><br /><strong>Timings of the lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019<br /></strong><br />The NASA’s website says the total duration of the partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019, will be 2 hours 58 minutes. The eclipse will start at 01:31 am on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, in India. The maximum eclipse can be seen in India at about 3:00 am. Around this time, the moon will look the darkest. The end of the eclipse will be at about 4:29 am. <br /><br /><strong>The maximum eclipse timing<br /></strong><br />Around 03:01 am on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, the earth’s shadow will cover about 65 percent of the moon’s diameter. Since only a part of the moon will pass through the shadow of the earth, this eclipse will be a partial one.<br /><br />As per the scientists, lunar eclipses are very safe to watch. While severe damage to the eyes can happen when a solar eclipse is watched with a naked eye, none need to fear any health hazards while watching the lunar eclipse. <br /><br />People living in the countries from where this lunar eclipse will be seen are gearing up to enjoy this spectacular scene. Come out of the doors and enjoy this astronomical event that has triggered human imaginations for centuries from now. <br />

Interesting facts about the Partial Lunar Eclipse in India on July 16

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In August, India became the first country to successfully land near the moon's south pole. </li><li>Since touchdown, the moon lander and rover have already made some important discoveries. </li></ul><p>India's mission to the moon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8" rel="">made history</a> last month when the country <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-india-attempt-first-ever-moon-landing-2023-8" rel="">became the first to successfully land</a> near the lunar south pole. But landing was just the beginning. </p><p>Both the mission's Vikram lander and its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-moon-rover-to-collect-first-samples-lunar-south-pole-2023-8" rel="">adorable dog-sized Pragyan rover</a> wasted no time in studying the lunar south pole region with the suite of scientific instruments they brought with them.</p><h2>1. Presence of sulfur</h2><p>One of Pragyan's first discoveries was confirming the presence of sulfur on the lunar surface, a feat that was not previously possible from orbiting satellites, the Indian Space Research Organization said in a press release. </p><p>The rover fired intense laser pulses at the lunar surface with its Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy instrument. The laser then generated a hot, bright plasma. Scientists then study the light from that plasma to identify the various elements in the sample, like sulfur. </p><h2>2. Other elements found on the surface</h2><p>It's not just sulfur — in preliminary analyses, Pragyan has also detected the presence of aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, and titanium. And ISRO said that it's also hunting for the presence of hydrogen.</p><p>The rover's discoveries could help scientists figure out how to mine <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-moon-rover-to-collect-first-samples-lunar-south-pole-2023-8">water on the moon</a>, an advancement that would be critical for future lunar bases.</p><p>After all, the lunar poles are some of the most water-rich regions on the moon. They contain enough water ice to fill at least 240,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, per <a href="https://www.planetary.org/articles/water-on-the-moon-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Planetary Society</a>.</p><h2><div type="image" title="image of the lander on the moon" height="768" width="1024" msid="103644554" hostid="261"></div>3. A potential moonquake </h2><p>Three days after landing on the moon, the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) payload on the Vikram lander detected an "event," ISRO said in a statement. </p><p>The rumblings could be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indias-moon-lander-detects-signs-of-possible-moonquake-2023-9">evidence of a moonquake</a>, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/space/the-moon/indias-lunar-lander-finds-1st-evidence-of-a-moonquake-in-decades" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Live Science</a> reported.</p><p>ILSA is designed to detect vibrations on the lunar surface, and this "event" was significant compared to the soft rumblings it had measured from the rover driving around on the surface. </p><p>"The source of this event is currently under investigation," ISRO said in the statement. </p><h2>4. Temperature changes underground</h2><p>Vikram has also measured the soil temperature near the lunar south pole both on the surface and underground, for the first time. The probe measured 3 inches into the soil, and found it was about 140 degrees F colder than at the surface. </p><div type="image" title="Tracks of India's moon rover on the moon." height="860" width="1147" msid="103644555" hostid="261"></div><p>The sunlight from the lunar day doesn't penetrate into the layers beneath the lunar surface. </p><p>This phenomenon is something you can observe on Earth too, Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at University of Colorado Boulder, <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=ba0dcd95fb9c96981205ca3ef8c02157b5d542f4d5b9107fb239d6a583c77110&amp;postID=6501d08fe674062ff7ccf5b0&amp;postSlug=india-vikram-lunar-lander-moon-discoveries-2023-9&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-023-02852-7%3Futm_source%3DNature%2BBriefing%26utm_campaign%3D670ab68070-briefing-dy-20230911%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_term%3D0_c9dfd39373-670ab68070-45928806" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Nature</a>. He says it's the same thing you can feel by digging your hands down into the sand on a hot day <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-beaches-in-the-us-2015-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at the beach</a> — if you wriggle your fingers far enough down, the earth will be cool, unaffected by the suns rays.</p><p>Scientists hope the measurements they take will help them understand the moon's thermal behavior, ISRO said. </p><h2>5. First measurement of the moon's ionosphere</h2><p>Another device on the Vikram lander called the Langmuir probe, which helps characterize plasma, has been able to measure the density and temperature of the moon's ionosphere for the first time, Nature reported.  </p><p>There's still a lot to be learned about the moon's south pole region. Right now the solar-powered Vikram lander and its rover are scheduled to reawaken later this month after a 14-day night.</p><p>The instruments are set to recharge over this fourteen day period. But there's a chance that the rover might not reawaken, because their electronics might die in the extreme cold of the lunar night, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/4/indias-moon-rover-completes-walk-put-into-sleep-mode" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Al Jazeera reported</a>.</p><p>Pallava Bagla, an author whose written about India's space exploration, told Al Jazeera that India doesn't have access to technology that withstands temperatures less than -184 Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures on the moon have been measured as low as -334 F, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/moons-south-pole-is-full-of-mystery-science-intrigue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to NASA</a>.</p><p>Even so, ISRO reports are optimistic. "Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments! Else, it will forever stay there as India's lunar ambassador," <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1698012649382875298/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">ISRO said on X,</a> formerly Twitter.</p>

India's moon lander is the first to study the lunar south pole region up close. Here are 5 scientific discoveries it has already made.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>There are a lot of reasons to get excited about Wednesday morning's total lunar eclipse - also called a blood moon:</p>
<ul>
<li>It's the last total eclipse this year, and there <strong>will not be a another one until <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_21st-century_lunar_eclipses">April 2015</a>.</strong></li>
<li>This eclipse is the second total eclipse in a rare series of four consecutive, total lunar eclipses. This phenomenon, called a tetrad of lunar eclipses, will not occur again until the year 2032. The next two eclipses in the tetrad, will take place in April and September of next year.</li>
<li>Wednesday is also the night of the Hunter's moon, and it's not every year that a Hunter's Moon falls on the same night as a Blood Moon. The Hunter's moon is the first full moon after the famous <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/super-harvest-moon-september-2014-2014-9">Harvest moon</a>. Unlike most times of the year, there is not a long period of darkness between sunset and moon rise for the few days following the Harvest and Hunter's moons. And as <a href="http://www.nightskyinfo.com/sky_highlights/hunters_moon/">legend has it</a>, the Hunter's moon is named for hunters who tracked and stockpiled large numbers of their prey by autumn moonlight to prepare for the coming winter.</li>
<li>For viewers located east of the Mississippi River, there is an extra special event taking place.<strong> The moonset and sunrise will happen at just the right time that observers can witness both simultaneously.</strong> When this happens during a lunar eclipse, the phenomenon is called a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lunar-eclipse-happening-wednesday-oct-8-2014-10">selenelion</a>. However, to catch both events at the same time, you'll need to be have a clear view of both the east and west horizons, which could be tricky. Mountain tops are usually a good spot.</li>
<li>There is a small chance that instead of turning blood red, tomorrow's lunar eclipse will be such a deep shade of red that it will appear almost black. This is because the shade or red we see during a lunar eclipse depends on how dusty Earth's atmosphere, specifically the stratosphere, is at the time. The dustier the stratosphere, the deeper the hue. Due to recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland, there's a chance that Earth's stratosphere is super dusty. However, according to NASA atmospheric scientist <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmCK2Pfsh0Y">Richard Keen</a>, "...there have been no large injections of volcanic gases into the stratosphere." The best way to confirm for yourself is to check out tomorrow's eclipse.</li>
<li>Thanks to today's technological wonders, you can watch this eclipse live online. Although this is not unique to this week's lunar eclipse, it's still a luxury that our ancestors could have never imagined. So, if you can't find a good spot to watch the luna eclipse outside, then sit back, relax, and check out the live feed brought to you by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/weds-oct-8-lunar-eclipse-livestream-slooh-2014-10">Slooh</a>, who's been broadcasting lunar eclipses since 2003.</li>
</ul>
<p>The eclipse will begin at 4:17 a.m. EDT (1:17 a.m. PDT) and last through 9:32 a.m. EDT (6:32 PDT). <strong>However, the most brilliant part of the show won't start until around 6:27 EDT (3:27 PDT)</strong> when the moon turns blood red, an appropriate, albeit coincidental, tribute to October - the months of spooks and scares.</p>
<p>To find out the exact time the lunar eclipse will start in your area, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-time-is-weds-oct-8-lunar-eclipse-2014-10">check here for the time in every major city</a>.</p>

What's So Special About Tomorrow's Lunar Eclipse? 

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Darren Whiteside</span></p><p class="caption">A full moon is seen before the start of a lunar eclipse in Jakarta, Indonesia January 31, 2018.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>A <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-super-blue-blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-2018-1">blood moon</a> - and the longest <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/lunar-eclipse">lunar eclipse</a> of the 21st century - will occur on the night of June 27 and the morning of June 28.</strong></li><li><strong>The total eclipse is set to last for 1 hour and 43 minutes.</strong></li><li><strong>The eclipse will only be visible in the Eastern Hemisphere.</strong></li></ul><p>July is shaping up to be an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mars-to-be-the-brightest-it-has-been-in-15-years-2018-6">excellent month</a> for astronomy fans.</p><p>On the night of July 27 and the early morning hours of July 28, skywatchers in the Eastern Hemisphere will be treated to the longest <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-super-blue-blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-2018-1">lunar eclipse</a> set to occur in the 21st century, <a href="http://earthsky.org/?p=282841">EarthSky</a> reports.</p><p>Astronomers expect the total eclipse to last for a full 1 hour and 43 minutes, with the partial eclipse - which occurs before and after the total eclipse phase - lasting for 3 hours and 55 minutes.</p><p>A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are directly aligned, and the moon's orbit brings it directly into Earth's shadow. This particular eclipse will last so long because the moon will pass directly into the darkest region of Earth's shadow, known as the umbra, which will also give the moon a reddish "blood moon" sheen.</p><p>July's full moon will happen at the same time as the moon's apogee - which is when the moon hits its furthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit, according to EarthSky. It'll be the smallest and furthest full moon of the year, which means the moon will take more time to pass through Earth's dark shadow, making the eclipse last longer.</p><p>The longest possible lunar eclipse is 1 hour and 47 minutes, according to EarthSky. </p><p>The total eclipse will begin at 7:30 p.m. UTC, and end at <span>9:13 p.m. UTC. The peak of the eclipse will occur at 8:22 p.m. UTC.</span></p><p><span>Just a few days after the lunar eclipse, Mars will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mars-to-be-the-brightest-it-has-been-in-15-years-2018-6">pass by Earth at its closest point</a> to since 2003. On July 31, the red planet will be only 35.8 million miles away from Earth, making it clearly visible to the naked eye.</span></p><p><span>Stargazers in the Eastern Hemisphere will easily be able to see both Mars and the blood moon on July 27 and 28. </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/panda-most-overrated-animal-ever-2018-5">Why pandas are the most overrated animals on the planet</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

A glowing red 'Blood Moon' in July will be the longest lunar eclipse in a century - here's how to see it

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ghewgill/105132784/in/photolist-ahQjd-2Vb3LG-2V9azY-2V4N8B-2V9bRQ-2VBtw7-5YNt5y-4tz8eL-2W7PyQ-CaK5g-aTeA14-4uymek-4uymFt-93EZtS-picYVT-n8k94G-93w43e-2VcCUW-93z9Fs-93w494-93z9S9-93z9H3-93w3RH-93w3Jz-93w3XX-93w41k-93w4cp-93w3Ni-93w3Lg-93z9Wb-93w452-93w4r4-n8C9dK-4tyzRE-CaK3e-aTensM-CaK3Z-aTeGPP-n8mh3p-2V6UnW-aTencz-aTepLR-2VX7dY-aTeoti-CaXWX-CaY6J-CappE-CaY3P-4uzVVg-4uEBku">Greg Hewgill on Flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>A celestial event unlike anything we've seen in over 30 years is happening Sunday night in the form of a supermoon total lunar eclipse.</p><p>While we only get about one to two total lunar eclipses a year, a supermoon total lunar eclipse comes around just four or five times <em>a century. </em></p><p>The event will begin at 9:07 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 and extend into the early morning of the following day. In total, the eclipse will last roughly 3.5 hours.</p><p>You can learn more about how to watch it <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-the-supermoon-lunar-eclipse-2015-9">here</a>.</p><p>During that time, the moon will adopt a deep-red hue, which is why a total lunar eclipse is sometimes referred to as a "blood moon." What's more, the moon will be closer to Earth than at any other time this year, making it what we call a supermoon. </p><p><strong>But this super blood moon isn't the only reason Sunday's even is so special.</strong> The event is also the last in a series of four consecutive total lunar eclipses that began in April 2014.</p><p>A series like this is called a tetrad, and it marks four total lunar eclipses that occur back-to-back and are separated by about six months.</p><p>Some superstitious folks think the lunar tetrad is a <a href="http://www.space.com/30632-moon-myths-supermoon-lunar-eclipse-myths.html">sign of the end of the world.</a> Don't worry: In reality, these events are merely consequences of celestial geometry. There have been tetrads in the past and there will be tetrads in the future.</p><p>Using geometric models, astronomers have calculated that between 2000 BCE and 3000 CE there will be <a href="http://www.eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEnews/TLE2015Sep28/TLE2015Sep28.html#Tetrads">3,479 total lunar eclipses</a>. Of those, less than 600 will fall or have fallen into a tetrad.</p><p>The next tetrad series we'll see won't begin <a href="http://www.eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEnews/TLE2015Sep28/TLE2015Sep28.html#Tetrads">until the year 2032</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon#/media/File:Harvest_moon.jpg">Roadcrusher at English Wikipedia</a></span></p><p class="caption">A harvest moon. Its orange color is due to its closeness to the horizon, rather than being unique to harvest moons.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>What's more, the full moon that you see Sunday evening is what is called a harvest moon. By definition, there is always one harvest moon a year: It's the full moon that appears closest in time to the autumnal equinox, which marks the first day of fall.</p><p>The harvest moon marked an important turning point in the agricultural year for our ancestors. That's because before the autumnal equinox, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. But after fall begins, that difference drops to 25 to 30 minutes, which means there are some extra minutes of daylight that farmers used to harvest their crops.</p><p>Since the autumnal equinox took place Wednesday, Sept. 23, this Sunday's event is not just a supermoon, or an upcoming total lunar eclipse, but a mega harvest moon eclipse, as the experts at online observatory <a href="http://main.slooh.com/">Slooh</a> put it. Slooh will be hosting a <a href="http://livestream.com/accounts/8724297/events/4277219/player?width=560&amp;height=315&amp;autoPlay=true&amp;mute=false">live broadcast</a> of the eclipse starting at 8:00 p.m. ET Sept. 27. The broadcast will include commentary from expert Slooh astronomers and will take questions from the public who tweet #SloohEclipse with their question.</p><p>The last time we saw a supermoon total lunar eclipse was in 1982. The next time won't be until 2033. You don't want to miss it!</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/map-features-pluto-nasa-new-horizons-2015-9">This animation shows the complex features of Pluto, which rival anything we've seen in the solar system</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZmaTRrdzpSo7wfrV5T3Yloay_sOF9Wf5" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Here's why you don't want to miss this week's super-rare lunar eclipse

<br /><ul><li><keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword>'s lander, Vikram, has been spotted on the Moon using a thermal camera abroad the orbiter.</li><li>The lander is still silent.</li><li>"It must have been a <keyword id="708451" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="hard-landing">hard landing</keyword>," said <keyword id="6361773" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro-chairman-k-sivan">ISRO Chairman K Sivan</keyword>.</li></ul>All isn't lost for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The lunar lander, Vikram, which was thought to be lost after communication went down — has been spotted.<br /><br />The next 14 days will determine whether or not ISRO can actually communicate with the lander. The longer Vikram is silent, the harder it will be establish contact.<br /><br />If ISRO is unable to make contact before the deadline, it's unlikely to have the lunar lander up and running because after 14 days, the lunar night will set in for the next 14 days . This means the lander won't be able to charge itself using its solar panels.<br /><br />Chandrayaan 2's orbiter, which is circling the Moon's poles, ISRO was able to pinpoint the lander's position with the Thermal Mapping Camera 2 (TMC-2).<br /><br />"We've found the location of Vikram Lander on lunar surface and orbiter has clicked a thermal image of the lander. But there is no communication yet. We are trying to have contact. It will be communicated soon," said ISRO chairman, K Sivan.<br /><br />The only thing is, Chandrayaan 2's <keyword id="943223" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="soft-landing">soft landing</keyword> might have ended up a hard one instead.<br /><br />A soft landing is when a spacecraft gently lowers itself onto the surface, keeping itself intact. A hard landing is also when the spacecraft meets the surface — by crashing into in or at least damaging itself in some way.<br /><br />ISRO has not yet confirmed if the lander has been damaged but Sivan told PTI, "It must have been a hard-landing."<br /><br />It's not just the fate of the lander than hangs in the balance but also the rover — Pragyaan — that's onboard the lander. <br /><br /><strong>Holding onto hope<br /></strong><br />ISRO lost communication with Vikram in the wee hours of the morning on 7 September 2019. The mission control operations center was grim and Sivan was distraught.<br /><br />
  <div type="image" title="0E2981D9-1DE0-4E4D-8BEB-D9A11E0B371A_edited" msid="71035752" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Distraught ISRO Chairman, K Sivan, breaks down in front on the Indian Prime Minister Nardendra Modi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



<br />Despite looking to make contact with the lander, Sivan said the mission is 95% successful since the landing only failed 2.1 kilometers from the lunar surface — seconds before touchdown. <br /><br />He added that the lunar orbiter is still circling the Moon and will continue to do so for another seven and a half years.<br /><br />Experts believe that ISRO will spend the next 14 days trying to contact the lander to hopes to getting it to work.<br />

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