The partial lunar eclipse of August 16 2008 will be visible over most of Asia, Australasia, Europe, Africa, and south America. Although only a partial eclipse, this eclipse should be quite significant, as most of the Moon will pass inside the Earth’s umbral shadow at maximum eclipse — the umbral magnitude is 0.812.
The partial eclipse will begin at 19:35:45 UT and end just over 3 hours later at 22:44:38 UT, with the moment of greatest eclipse at 21:10:08 UT. The penumbral phases of the eclipse begin at 18:23:07 UT and end at 23:57:06 UT; these will be visible over a slightly larger area.
The danger is real and special precaution measures, especially if they live in the following cities: New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Albuquerque, and the states of Arizona and Alaska)
Precautions:-
A lunar eclipse is safe and easy to observe with the unaided eye. If the sky is mostly clear, the eclipse will be easily visible. Even if the sky is partly or mostly cloudy at the beginning of the evening, glimpses of the moon may be visible during latter portions of the eclipse
Viewing of the eclipse can be greatly enhanced by using binoculars. Observers should try to watch the moon at the beginning of the partial eclipse and then follow the dark shadow of Earth as it moves across the craters and features of the moon.
